NEWS
IS VAPING NICOTINE A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE ?
The US pressure group Truth Initiative seems to think so and even wants a Presidential declaration to that effect .
Words : Patrick Griffin
A fiercely anti-vaping organisation is demanding that the White House declares that using nicotine e-cigarettes is a mental health issue .
The controversial US-based Truth Initiative fails to recognise the concept of tobacco harm reduction and even offers a ‘ text to quit vaping ’ service to tackle the problem .
Now it wants to use Global Mental Health Day on April 27 to ramp up its campaign against vaping .
It said : “ Demand action and urge the White House to recognise vaping nicotine as a mental health issue .
“ We ’ re underscoring the importance of mental health , bringing attention and awareness to the harmful impact vaping nicotine can have on our health and ensuring our voices are heard at the highest levels .”
It is urging supporters to make their voices heard by bombarding 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with tweets .
It has even helpfully drafted the exact wording it wants people to use , as shown in the tweet on the next page .
Charles A . Gardner , the Executive Director of the International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organizations ( INNCO ) in the USA dismissed the latest Truth Initiavite stunt as a ‘ lie ’.
He tweeted : “ Will anyone in @ POTUS @ JoeBiden ' s administration # FactCheck this lie ?”
He followed it up with another tweet highlighting that youth smoking and vaping rates have been declining in the USA .
Gardner wrote : “ Super bad news for @ robinkoval ' s @ truthinitiative and Matt Myers ' @ TobaccoFreeKids
“ US high school : daily smoking is now < 0.4 %, daily nicotine vaping = 3.1 %
“ Both plummeted both before & during the pandemic . Can we focus on adult deaths from smoking yet ?”
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