Tim Alexander Dollery: Vox Sentences: Vap ban’s up in smoke

Monday, 18 November 2019

Vox Sentences: Vap ban’s up in smoke

Jose Luis Magana/AFP/Getty Images

Trump reverses course on flavored vape ban; documents detail the disappearing of China’s Muslims.

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Trump administration’s vape ban dissipates

President Trump is backing away from his initial support for implementing a flavored vape ban. [Washington Post / Josh Dawsey and Laurie McGinley]
The swift reversal is reportedly prompted by Trump’s concern about a ban impacting the jobs of thousands of his potential voters ahead of the 2020 election. [Vox / Julia Belluz]
“We’re waiting to see what our president puts out. Until then, we’re biting our fingernails and praying,” said Christian Liriano, a vape shop owner since 2014. [CNBC / Angelica LaVito]
Trump is also likely concerned about the protests and social media campaigns against banning flavored vapes. [Slate / Elliot Hannon]
In September, his administration moved to ban the product after a study exposed the large increase in the use of e-cigarettes by young people and a health crisis that unfolded in October. [USA Today / Jayne O’Donnell]
More than 2,000 cases of vaping-linked illnesses, with at least 12 deaths, are confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Scientists and health officials have tentatively pointed to chemicals found in e-cigarettes. [Newsweek / Kashmira Gander]
Several states have passed their own bans on vaping, and, somewhat unexpectedly, some teens are leading the charge. [The Guardian / Jessica Glenza]
Rolling Stone explores if the ban would really have a significant impact for Trump in the upcoming election. [Rolling Stone / EJ Dickson]

What’s happening to China’s Uighurs

Leaked papers published by the New York Times show how China’s repression and detention of the minority Uighur Muslim population began, with harsh rhetoric and surveillance as early as 2014. [New York Times / Austin Ramzy and Chris Buckley]
When students started returning to their Uighur families in the western province of Xinjiang, they were met by officials who said their family and friends were in points-based “schools” for their reeducation — free of charge and well-provided for. [Independent / Zoe Tidman]
In 403 pages of internal documents, the Chinese government details efforts to control and reeducate the Uighurs. There were also directives informing family members outside of the camps that release of their imprisoned relatives would depend on their behavior. [New York Times / Austin Ramzy and Chris Buckley]
Despite the Uighur population not being a threat to the Chinese government, Chinese President Xi Jinping primed his country for the “reeducation” programs with speeches that spoke to the need for “struggle against terrorism, infiltration and separatism” that implied the danger of the minority population. [Axios / Rashaan Ayesh]

Miscellaneous

Chicago’s teachers union voted to accept a new contract created after the nearly two-week strike.
Immigrants aren’t looking for states that will provide them health insurance, according to a new study. [Vox / Nicole Narea]
After Google set out to purchase Fitbit, users are becoming wary of the company’s privacy practices. Some are even getting rid of their fitness smart devices. [CNBC / Jennifer Elias]
Thousands of Iranian intelligence documents reveal the extent to which Iran worked to expand its influence in Iraq. [New York Times / Tim Arango, James Risen, Farnaz Fassihi, Ronen Bergman and Murtaza Hussain]
HBO adds mental health viewer advisory warnings before several of its shows, including Euphoria. [Forbes / Lisette Voytko]