LD1550, currently being debated in Maine's 2022 state legislative session, would ban adult smokers from obtaining their preferred safer nicotine alternative, e-cigarettes.
A study in San Francisco found that while the ban did lead to a drop in e-cigarette and cigar sales, it also regrettably led to a spike in smoking rates.
The Maine Telegraph reports: "LD 1550 reported by the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services: the majority report supported passage of a complete flavor ban; A minority of reports support the flavor ban, which does not include (1) menthol/menthol flavored products and (2) products authorized for sale by FDA through its premarket Tobacco Application (PMTA) process or its modified Risk Tobacco Products (MRTP) pathway,"
Not only does the bill underestimate the FDA's assessment of safer alternative nicotine products, but countless peer-reviewed scientific studies show that such products are, in most cases, a smoker's best chance to quit. A 2021 study titled "Effectiveness of E-cigarette Use compared to Other Smoking Cessation Methods in UK Adults" was one of those studies.
The researchers analyzed data from 1,155 people aged 18 to 81 (from a longitudinal online survey collected between 2012 and 2017), and found that both daily use of cigarette oil and non-daily use of disposable e-cigarettes helped quit smoking and were discontinued at follow-up, reducing the chance of relapse. The use of smoking cessation medications also increases the chances of quitting."
"Daily use of e-cigarettes appears to facilitate smoking cessation compared to no use," the researchers concluded.
Flavor bans don't work
Similarly, a study of San Francisco's e-cigarette ban reported startling findings. The current study, titled "Effects of San Francisco's comprehensive smoking ban on Young People," sought to determine the impact of flavor bans on tobacco use behavior. A sample of 247 San Francisco residents were surveyed about their e-cigarette and tobacco use before and after the ban.
The study found that while the ban did lead to a decline in e-cigarette and cigar sales, it also regrettably led to a spike in smoking rates. In addition, the researchers found that the measure was not properly implemented, with 65 percent of participants reporting being able to obtain flavoring products in multiple ways.
"These findings suggest that blanket local flavor bans by themselves will not substantially reduce the availability or use of flavored tobacco products by residents. Nonetheless, local bans can still significantly reduce overall e-cigarette use and cigar smoking, but may increase smoking rates, "the study concluded.