March 3, 2014
March 3, 2014
Mayor Eric Garcetti
Members, Los Angeles City Council
via email
Dear Mayor Garcetti and Council Members,
I am writing to support pending legislation you are considering that would include e-cigarettes in Los Angeles' current smokefree ordinance. This is a sensible piece of legislation that mirrors what cities large and small are doing all over the country (and the world).
Last December two colleagues at UCSF and I prepared an extensive review of the scientific evidence at the request of the World Health Organization, "Background Paper on E-cigarettes (Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems)."
While the scientific evidence is still accumulating, there is no question that e-cigarettes pollute the air breathed by bystanders with nicotine, ultrafine particles, volatile organic compounds, and other pollutants and that bystanders take these chemicals into their bodies. Having spent decades cleaning up the indoor air, there is no reason to reintroduce a new form of indoor air pollution.
February 28, 2014
While I have not been directly involved in the debate over the efforts to include e-cigarettes in the Los Angeles smokefree ordinance, it is clear from reports I am getting that the tobacco/e-cigarette industry is pulling out all the stops to block or water down the ordinance.
Here is a summary of the information that has been sent to me:
Yesterday (February 27, 2014) they started RoboCalls to all members of the City Council.
They hired campaign consultants (many of whom are fund raisers for Council members) to lobby the Council.
In advance of the committee hearing the e-cig companies started running ads on local radio stations encouraging e-cig users to attend the hearing, including on Jack FM and KNX 1070.
Here is the Blu e-cig (Lorillard Tobacco Company) Freedom Friday alert and the Protest Pro Tip and their Los Angeles specific alert. and the one SFATA put out.
February 27, 2014
According to an action alert distributed by Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, the pending ordinance to include ecigarettes in the Los Angeles Clean Indoor Air law was amended to exempt theatrical performances.
This seemingly minor amendment will have big effects given the fact that LA is a center for producing television programs and motion pictures, because it will make it legal to use ecigarettes in these venues, which could end up influencing youth all over the world to start using e-cigarettes and begin a life of nicotine addiction. And the e-cigarette companies have been very aggressive in using Hollywood to promote their products.
There is no reason that this is necessary; this amendment should be dropped.
February 26, 2014
The webinar I did on Smoke Free Movies is available for viewing at https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/playback/Playback.do?id=44fnh7.
My presentation starts at 8 m 30 sec.
February 25, 2014
The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids highlighted an innovative ad by Blu (Lorrilard) to promote e-cigarettes to health-concerned middle-aged smokers who are desperate to quit smoking with an ad featuring a blu ad on a bikini bottom (photo below).
They are, of course, not alone. Playboy, another organization committed to public health, is also selling e-cigs with similar messages.
And there's more: The Blu campaign. with its "Charged and Ready to Go" tag is promoting erectile dysfunction awareness among smokers worried about the fact that smoking promotes impotence and erectile dysfunction.
As the FDA, CDC, and DHHS sit quietly on ecigs it is reassuring the private sector stepping up to educate the public. I am especially impressed that the ecig/cigarette companies are being so careful to avoid messages and marketing channels that might appeal to youth.
. 