California Democrats under fire after vaping company Juul sponsors convention

[DonViejo]

PUBLISHED 29 MIN AGOUPDATED MOMENTS AGO

Jeff Daniels
@JEFFDANIELSCA

KEY POINTS

The California Democratic Party is taking heat from some of its own members after allowing e-cigarette maker Juul Labs to sponsor the party’s convention two weeks ago.

In Washington, House Democrats demanded documents last week from Juul Labs as part of a probe into the teen vaping epidemic.

During the three-day convention, Juul’s logo flashed on a screen as conventiongoers watched a slew of speakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and some 2020 White House hopefuls.

LOS ANGELES – When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took the stage at the California Democratic convention on June 1, the logo from Juul Labs was displayed prominently behind her.

Within a week, U.S. House Democrats would demand reams of internal documents from the e-cigarette maker as part of a broader probe into the teen vaping epidemic. House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy Chairman Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., is scrutinizing the company’s social media practices and marketing to underage users, according to the June 7 letter sent to Juul CEO Kevin Burns.

“The safety and well-being of America’s youth is not for sale,” Krishnamoorthi wrote. “I am extremely concerned about reports that Juul’s high nicotine content is fueling addiction and that frequent Juul use is sending kids across the country into rehab, some as young as 15.”

Juul was one of the party’s corporate sponsors at the California Democratic Party Convention from May 31 through June 2. During the three-day convention in San Francisco, logos from companies including Juul, Airbnb and Uber flashed on a screen as conventiongoers watched the party’s rising stars speak, including presidential hopeful Sen. Elizabeth Warren who signed on to a letter opening a Senate probe into Juul in April. Presidential contenders California Sen. Kamala Harris and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke also spoke at the convention.

more
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/14/california-democrats-under-fire-after-vaping-company-juul-sponsors-convention.html

[Indygram]

1. Vaping saved my life

While I definitely agree that vaping by youth needs to be addressed, it deeply angers me the way vaping gets attacked. I tried to quick smoking for about 15 years, even with medication and could not do it. I got an electronic cigarette with the lowest nicotine level and I immediately was able to quit on the spot. I vaped for about 3 years, gradually reducing the nicotine level to 0 and then one day I noticed that I wasn't using the ecigarette anymore. That was about 5 years ago. My mother died of lung cancer from smoking. I only wish vaping had been around to save her life too.

While I am against young people vaping...it is 100% the BEST and MOST EFFECTIVE way for a person to quit smoking cigarettes and needs to be embraced for THAT aspect and NOT demonized.

[earthshine]

3. My story is similar to yours. With e-cigs, I was finally able to quit after 30 years of tobacco.

A nicotine addiction lasts only three days. You are over the nic in three days.

It's the other aspects like oral/manual fixations and habits that keep us addicted after the nic has gone.

The problem is that a lot of young people are starting with vaping, thinking it's fun and safe, and never using tobacco.

[Docreed2003]

2. Vaping is connected to teen rehab rates??

Wonder where that data came from

[Hortensis]

4. Under fire!!! OMG! Incoming, incoming...

(Communication broken off.)

Keep reminding you, Don, we don't have to copy these yellow journalism, clickbait headlines and it's better if we don't.