Monthly Archives: June 2022

The art of physics – Mid Day

Posted: June 5, 2022 at 3:11 am

Nothing can prepare you for a conversation with a physicist, certainly not one about abstract art. TIFR physicist Sukant Saran straddles both worlds with mastery

Sukant Saran depicts the notion that any observer in the universe, irrespective of position, would find space expanding in all directions. Pics/Shadab Khan

Sukant Saran would like you to know, right off the bat, that his pieces of art are not diagrams. The clay sculptures do not represent scientific concepts; it is not how he envisions them. They are conceptual melding of art and the laws of physics.

For instance, the story about Isaac Newton discovering gravity after an apple falls on his head, is just that, a story. Newtons great contribution to science, however, says the physicist was the observation that the force that made the apple fall from a tree was also responsible for keeping the moon in its orbit around the Earth. He connected the celestial and the terrestrial in his Theory of Gravitation. Sarans massive clay apple is pock-marked with lunar craters to represent this connection that Newton made. That there are vacuums in the universe is another myth he busted.

With craters on the fruits surface, Newtons Apple posits that the moon and the apple have the same status in Newtons theory of gravitation

The 59-year-old works at TIFR (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research) which is parked at the end of Homi Bhabha Road in Colaba, right next to the entrance of Old Navy Nagar. Too few would go looking for art there, never mind the security clearance. And that is unfair. My colleagues have all seen [the exhibition Sculpting Science: An experiment in art] and supported me, but yes, I dont know how others will find their way here. As it is, there is a bit of mystery about what we do here at TIFR.

Saran is born of a journalist father, and raised in Chandigarh amidst an environment rich with poets, artists and artistes, authors and other cultural elements of the day. I have been drawing and painting since I was a child. Initially, I was engaged in creating abstract pen art and then moved to digital art in 2000, says the scientist. Along the way, he realised that he was thinking in three dimensions and then translating it into two-dimensional art.

In quantum mechanics, particles are waves, and waves are particles. This sculpture shows particles coalescing to make waves, and waves are becoming localised particles

Sculpting seemed a more appropriate form. At first, he would play around with different types of clay, took some basic pottery classes and it became his chosen medium. A few experiments in, he realised that his hand was being informed by science and the sculptures grew into concepts about subatomic particles (particles as waves along the axis of time), physical processes such as evaporation, ductility and malleability (at the sub-atomic particle level), history and symbolism (the apple comes here, as well as an accurate depiction of a tree).

Traditionally, the tree is depicted only by what we see above ground, he says, but the tree as an organism is spread as much below ground as the branches are above it. I have modified the usual traditional symbol to show that this should be the actual drawing of a tree as informed by science. The secondary intent is to emphasise that unseen processes are as important as those seen.

Embryo day 18 shows the division and differentiation of cells as a foetus develops in the womb. The repeated folding, unfolding, stretching and contraction of two interacting layers forms all elements of a developed human body

More sculptures are grouped into Duality: Order/ Disorder, Wave/ Particle, Matter/Antimatter and Interaction; mathematical forms shown through abstract representations of Surfacing, Saddle and Idealisation. For instance, the Earth does not have a smooth surfacethere are mountains and trenches, oceans, overlapping or colliding tectonic plates. But for the sake of calculation, we assume it to be a smooth globe. With this, Saran tries to make the point that science is an abstract representation of nature, just like a poem or painting.

Dualities such as mind-body or good-bad are enmeshed in our daily routine in a way that our lives are governed by them. Wherever you look, whatever you do, some duality is part of our life. Science also has dualities and I have tried to depict some of them. Sometimes they appear as mathematical abstractions, and sometimes as manifestations in the physical environment, he explains. One sculpture shows order merging seamlessly into disorder. Though this is a scientific concept, it can be applied to any situation.

You have heard of the Mbius loop? he asks, walking to the next sculpture. We nod, dishonestly (Its the surface formed by attaching the ends of a strip of paper together with a half-twist, we find out later). I have just used the concept of half turn. If there is a protrusion [on one side], with half turn it becomes a depression. There is no actual theory that uses Mbius strip as a mechanism for pair production.

One of the last two groups is Biological forms that show science-art interaction. Multicellular life-causing mitochondria; the segmentation seen in an earthworm or the bark of a date palm being mimicked by an embryo as it grows; and representations of 18-day and 28-day embryos. The last group is Space and Time, seen in physics as one entity. Twenty four of the 80 pieces he has created are on display until June 10.

No amount of watching Dr Who or Big Bang Theory prepares you for a conversation with a physicist; certainly not one about abstract art. This writer asked him to explain the pieces as if he was addressing a six-year-old, and a round about the room stretches the imagination. Especially if one sat immobile through physics period, eye glazed over. Try understanding this: As per quantum mechanics, waves are particles and particles are waves.

The abstract depiction of space-time or wave-particle duality along the axis of time may need a more specific kind of mind, there is no denying the beauty of each sculpture. Strips of clay meld into each other to depict an expanding universe, with the galaxies going further and further away from each other. Its a complex and chaotic piece, one that draws you in. The biological forms and physical processes (evaporation, ductility, malleability and expansion) are much easier to wrap ones head around.

It was his peculiar position in space and time that guided Sarans education, as well as societal conditioning. I was good at studies and thus considered to be intelligent, and routed to science, he says, If you see this in a wider perspective, it is a very stupid way of thinking. Both disciplines are harmed by this; there is no interplay. It cultivates a very rigid form of thinking.

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The art of physics - Mid Day

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No, particle physics on Earth won’t ever destroy the Universe – Big Think

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Anytime you reach deeper into the unknown than ever before, you should not only wonder about what youre going to find, but also worry about what sort of demons you might unearth. In the realm of particle physics, that double-edged sword arises the farther we probe into the high-energy Universe. The better we can explore the previously inaccessible energy frontier, the better we can reveal the high-energy processes that shaped the Universe in its early stages.

Many of the mysteries of how our Universe began and evolved from the earliest times can be best investigated by this exact method: colliding particles at higher and higher energies. New particles and rare processes can be revealed through accelerator physics at or beyond the current energy frontiers, but this is not without risk. If we can reach energies that:

certain consequences not all of which are desirable could be in store for us all. And yet, just as was the case with the notion that The LHC could create black holes that destroy the Earth, we know that any experiment we perform on Earth wont give rise to any dire consequences at all. The Universe is safe from any current or planned particle accelerators. This is how we know.

The idea of a linear lepton collider has been bandied about in the particle physics community as the ideal machine to explore post-LHC physics for many decades, but only if the LHC makes a beyond-the-Standard-Model discovery. Direct confirmation of what new particles could be causing CDFs observed discrepancy in the W-bosons mass might be a task best suited to a future circular collider, which can reach higher energies than a linear collider ever could.

There are a few different approaches to making particle accelerators on Earth, with the biggest differences arising from the types of particles were choosing to collide and the energies were able to achieve when were colliding them. The options for which particles to collide are:

Travel the Universe with astrophysicist Ethan Siegel. Subscribers will get the newsletter every Saturday. All aboard!

In the future, it may be possible to collide muons with anti-muons, getting the best of both the electron-positron and the proton-antiproton world, but that technology isnt quite there yet.

A candidate Higgs event in the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. Note how even with the clear signatures and transverse tracks, there is a shower of other particles; this is due to the fact that protons are composite particles, and due to the fact that dozens of proton-proton collisions occur with every bunch crossing. Examining how the Higgs decays to very high precision is one of the key goals of the HL-LHC.

Regardless, the thing that poses the most danger to us is whatevers up there at the highest energy-per-particle-collision that we get. On Earth, that record is held by the Large Hadron Collider, where the overwhelming majority of proton-proton collisions actually result in the gluons inside each proton colliding. When they smash together, because the protons total energy is split among its constituent particles, only a fraction of the total energy belongs to each gluon, so it takes a large number of collisions to find one where a large portion of that energy say, 50% or more belongs to the relevant, colliding gluons.

When that occurs, however, thats when the most energy is available to either create new particles (via E = mc2) or to perform other actions that energy can perform. One of the ways we measure energies, in physics, is in terms of electron-volts (eV), or the amount of energy required to raise an electron at rest to an electric potential of one volt in relation to its surrounding. At the Large Hadron Collider, the current record-holder for laboratory energies on Earth, the most energetic particle-particle collision possible is 14 TeV, or 14,000,000,000,000 eV.

Although no light can escape from inside a black holes event horizon, the curved space outside of it results in a difference between the vacuum state at different points near the event horizon, leading to the emission of radiation via quantum processes. This is where Hawking radiation comes from, and for the tiniest-mass black holes, Hawking radiation will lead to their complete decay in under a fraction-of-a-second.

There are things we can worry will happen at these highest-of-energies, each with their own potential consequence for either Earth or even for the Universe as a whole. A non-exhaustive list includes:

If you draw out any potential, it will have a profile where at least one point corresponds to the lowest-energy, or true vacuum, state. If there is a false minimum at any point, that can be considered a false vacuum, and it will always be possible, assuming this is a quantum field, to quantum tunnel from the false vacuum to the true vacuum state. The greater the kick you apply to a false vacuum state, the more likely it is that the state will exit the false vacuum state and wind up in a different, more stable, truer minimum.

Although these scenarios are all bad in some sense, some are worse than others. The creation of a tiny black hole would lead to its immediate decay. If you didnt want it to decay, youd have to impose some sort of new symmetry (for which there is neither evidence nor motivation) to prevent its decay, and even then, youd just have a tiny-mass black hole that behaved similarly to a new, massive, uncharged particle. The worst it could do is begin absorbing the matter particles it collided with, and then sink to the center of whatever gravitational object it was a part of. Even if you made it on Earth, it would take trillions of years to absorb enough matter to rise to a mass of 1 kg; its not threatening at all.

The restoration of whatever symmetry was in place before the Universes matter-antimatter symmetry arose is also interesting, because it could lead to the destruction of matter and the creation of antimatter in its place. As we all know, matter and antimatter annihilate upon contact, which creates bad news for any matter that exists close to this point. Fortunately, however, the absolute energy of any particle-particle collision is tiny, corresponding to tiny fractions of a microgram in terms of mass. Even if we created a net amount antimatter from such a collision, it would only be capable of destroying a small amount of matter, and the Universe would be fine overall.

The simplest model of inflation is that we started off at the top of a proverbial hill, where inflation persisted, and rolled into a valley, where inflation came to an end and resulted in the hot Big Bang. If that valley isnt at a value of zero, but instead at some positive, non-zero value, it may be possible to quantum-tunnel into a lower-energy state, which would have severe consequences for the Universe we know today. Its also possible that a kick of the right energy could restore the inflationary potential, leading to a new state of rapid, relentless, exponential expansion.

But if we instead were able to recreate the conditions under which inflation occurred, things would be far worse. If it happened out in space somewhere, wed create in just a tiny fraction of a second the greatest cosmic void we could imagine. Whereas today, theres only a tiny amount of energy inherent to the fabric of empty space, something on the order of the rest-mass-energy of only a few protons per cubic meter, during inflation, it was more like a googol protons (10100) per cubic meter.

If we could achieve those same energy densities anywhere in space, they could potentially restore the inflationary state, and that would lead to the same Universe-emptying exponential expansion that occurred more than 13.8 billion years ago. It wouldnt destroy anything in our Universe, but it would lead to an exponential, rapid, relentless expansion of space in the region where those conditions occur again.

That expansion would push the space that our Universe occupies outward, in all three dimensions, as it expands, creating a large cosmic bubble of emptiness that would lead to unmistakable signatures that such an event had occurred. It clearly has not, at least, not yet, but in theory, this is possible.

Visualization of a quantum field theory calculation showing virtual particles in the quantum vacuum. (Specifically, for the strong interactions.) Even in empty space, this vacuum energy is non-zero, and what appears to be the ground state in one region of curved space will look different from the perspective of an observer where the spatial curvature differs. As long as quantum fields are present, this vacuum energy (or a cosmological constant) must be present, too.

And finally, the Universe today exists in a state where the quantum vacuum the zero-point energy of empty space is non-zero. This is inextricably, although we dont know how to perform the calculation that underlies it, linked to the fundamental physical fields and couplings and interactions that govern our Universe: the physical laws of nature. At some level, the quantum fluctuations in those fields that cannot be extricated from space itself, including the fields that govern all of the fundamental forces, dictate what the energy of empty space itself is.

But its possible that this isnt the only configuration for the quantum vacuum; its plausible that other energy states exist. Whether theyre higher or lower doesnt matter; whether our vacuum state is the lowest-possible one (i.e., the true vacuum) or whether another is lower doesnt matter either. What matters is whether there are any other minima any other stable configurations that the Universe could possibly exist in. If there are, then reaching high-enough energies could kick the vacuum state in a particular region of space into a different configuration, where wed then have at least one of:

Any of these would, if it was a more-stable configuration than the one that our Universe currently occupies, cause that new vacuum state to expand at the speed of light, destroying all of the bound states in its path, down to atomic nuclei themselves. This catastrophe, over time, would destroy billions of light-years worth of cosmic structure; if it happened within about 18 billion light-years of Earth, that would eventually include us, too.

The size of our visible Universe (yellow), along with the amount we can reach (magenta). The limit of the visible Universe is 46.1 billion light-years, as thats the limit of how far away an object that emitted light that would just be reaching us today would be after expanding away from us for 13.8 billion years. However, beyond about 18 billion light-years, we can never access a galaxy even if we traveled towards it at the speed of light. Any catastrophe that occurred within 18 billion light-years of us would eventually reach us; ones that occur today at distances farther away never will.

There are tremendous uncertainties connected to these events. Quantum black holes could be just out of reach of our current energy frontier. Its possible that the matter-antimatter asymmetry was only generated during electroweak symmetry breaking, potentially putting it within current collider reach. Inflation must have occurred at higher energies than weve ever reached, as do the processes that determine the quantum vacuum, but we dont know how low those energies could have been. We only know, from observations, that such an event hasnt yet happened within our observable Universe.

But, despite all of this, we dont have to worry about any of our particle accelerators past, present, or even into the far future causing any of these catastrophes here on Earth. The reason is simple: the Universe itself is filled with natural particle accelerators that are far, far more powerful than anything weve ever built or even proposed here on Earth. From collapsed stellar objects that spin rapidly, such as white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes, very strong electric and magnetic fields can be generated by charged, moving matter under extreme conditions. Its suspected that these are the sources of the highest-energy particles weve ever seen: the ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, which have been observed to achieve energies many millions of times greater than any accelerator on Earth ever has.

The energy spectrum of the highest energy cosmic rays, by the collaborations that detected them. The results are all incredibly highly consistent from experiment to experiment, and reveal a significant drop-off at the GZK threshold of ~5 x 10^19 eV. Still, many such cosmic rays exceed this energy threshold, indicating that either this picture is not complete or that many of the highest-energy particles are heavier nuclei, rather than individual protons.

Whereas weve reached up above the ten TeV threshold for accelerators on Earth, or 1013 eV in scientific notation, the Universe routinely creates cosmic rays that rise up above the 1020 eV threshold, with the record set more than 30 years ago by an event known, appropriately, as the Oh-My-God particle. Even though the highest energy cosmic rays are thought to be heavy atomic nuclei, like iron, rather than individual protons, that still means that when two of them collide with one another a near-certainty within our Universe given the vastness of space, the fact that galaxies were closer together in the past, and the long lifetime of the Universe there are many events producing center-of-mass collision energies in excess of 1018 or even 1019 eV.

This tells us that any catastrophic, cosmic effect that we could worry about is already tightly constrained by the physics of what has happened over the cosmic history of the Universe up until the present day.

When a high-energy particle strikes another one, it can lead to the creation of new particles or new quantum states, constrained only by how much energy is available in the center-of-mass of the collision. Although particle accelerators on Earth can reach very high energies, the natural particle accelerators of the Universe can exceed those energies by a factor of many millions.

None of the cosmic catastrophes that we can imagine have occurred, and that means two things. The first thing is that we can place likely lower limits on where certain various cosmic transitions occurred. The inflationary state hasnt been restored anywhere in our Universe, and that places a lower limit on the energy scale of inflation of no less than ~1019 eV. This is about a factor of 100,000 lower, perhaps, than where we anticipate inflation occurred: a reassuring consistency. It also teaches us that its very hard to kick the zero-point energy of the Universe into a different configuration, giving us confidence in the stability of the quantum vacuum and disfavoring the vacuum decay catastrophe scenario.

But it also means we can continue to explore the Universe with confidence in our safety. Based on how safe the Universe has already shown itself to be, we can confidently conclude that no such catastrophes will arise up to the combined energy-and-collision-total threshold that has already taken place within our observable Universe. Only if we begin to collide particles at energies around 1020 eV or greater a factor of 10 million greater than the present energy frontier will we need to begin to worry about such events. That would require an accelerator significantly larger than the entire planet, and therefore, we can reach the conclusion promised in the articles title: no, particle physics on Earth wont ever destroy the Universe.

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No, particle physics on Earth won't ever destroy the Universe - Big Think

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E-Cigarettes, Vapes, and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems …

Posted: at 3:08 am

What are E-Cigarettes, Vapes, and Other Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) Products?

Vapes, vaporizers, vape pens, hookah pens, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or e-cigs), e-cigars, and e-pipes are some of the many tobacco product terms used to describe electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).

These products use an e-liquid that usually contains nicotine derived from tobacco, as well as flavorings, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and other ingredients. The liquid is heated to create an aerosol that the user inhales.

ENDS may be manufactured to look like conventional combusted cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some resemble pens or USB flash drives. Larger devices, such as tank systems or mods, bear little or no resemblance to cigarettes. These products may have reusable parts, or they may be disposable and only used once before they are thrown away.

The longer ENDS and other e-cigarettes are on the market, the more information we know about their impacts on health. This includes data on youth use of these products, which has led to development of several educational programs designed to prevent adolescents and teens from using these products. Through tobacco product problem reports and tobacco product violation reports, the FDA also knows much more about many safety and health hazards they may pose.

FDA is committed to protecting the public health of all Americans while regulating an addictive product that carries health risks. Were conducting ongoing research on potentially less harmful forms of nicotine delivery for adults, including studies of e-cigarettes and ENDS. Many studies suggest e-cigarettes and noncombustible tobacco products may be less harmful than combustible cigarettes. However, there is not yet enough evidence to support claims that e-cigarettes and other ENDS are effective tools for quitting smoking.

To date, no e-cigarette has been approved as a cessation device or authorized to make a modified risk claim, and more research is needed to understand the potential risks and benefits these products may offer adults who use tobacco products.

The FDA monitors the national usage rates for all tobacco products, including an annual youth survey, and has seen a drastic increase in youth use of e-cigarette products in recent years. Due to what has been called an epidemic of youth use of these products, FDA has prioritized prevention efforts. The agency has taken a multitude of actions to keep ENDS out of the hands of youth, from policy making to enforcement to education.

Learn about public education efforts and resources that have been created to reach youth who are at higher risk of or more vulnerable to cigarette use and nicotine addiction.

The Real Cost E-Cigarette Prevention Campaign

FDAs award-winning public education campaign, The Real Cost, continues to prevent youth from tobacco initiation and use. In 2017, the campaign began prioritizing e-cigarette prevention messaging to combat increasing youth vaping rates. The Real Cost campaign also educates teens on the health consequences of smoking cigarettes.

Resources in the FDA Tobacco Education Resource Library

The FDA Tobacco Education Resource Library, from FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, provides tobacco education resources. This site offers digital and print content for state and local health officials, nonprofit organizations, and schools to support public outreach efforts.

See E-Cigarettes and Vaping Resources

Scholastic Materials for Educators

FDA has joined forces with Scholastic to provide e-cigarette prevention information in English and Spanish to middle and high school educators.

Content includes:

There are no safe tobacco products, including ENDS. In addition to exposing people to risks of tobacco-related disease and death, FDA has received reports from the public about safety problems associated with vaping products including:

These problems can seriously hurt the person using the ENDS product and others around them. There may be added dangers, for example if a vape battery catches fire near an oxygen tank, a propane tank (such as used in backyard grills), or a gas pump, or if a person has a vape-related seizure while driving. FDA has a webpage with tips to help users avoid vape fires or explosions.

If you have experienced undesired health or quality problems with any tobacco product, including ENDS, you can report it to FDA. Knowing more about adverse experiences can help FDA identify concerning trends and causes or contributors for particular incidents or health or quality problems beyond those normally associated with tobacco product use. You can read some tobacco-related adverse experience reports on the Tobacco Product Problem Reports page.

If you think ENDS or other tobacco products are being sold to underage users, or you see another potential violation of the FD&C Act or FDAs tobacco regulations, please report the potential tobacco product violation.

FDA regulates the manufacture, import, packaging, labeling, advertising, promotion, sale, and distribution of ENDS, including components and parts of ENDS but excluding accessories.

Examples of regulated components and parts of ENDS include:

Products marketed for therapeutic purposes (for example, marketed as a product to help people quit smoking) are regulated by FDAs Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). FDA published a rule clarifying when products made or derived from tobacco are regulated as tobacco products, drugs, and/ or devices.

If you make, modify, mix, manufacture, fabricate, assemble, process, label, repack, relabel, or import ENDS, you must comply with the requirements for manufacturers.

CTP's Office of Small Business Assistance can answer specific questions about requirements for small businesses and how to comply with the law. This office also provides online educational resources to help regulated industry understand FDA regulations and policies.

This is Our Watch is a complete toolkit of resources to help tobacco retailers better understand and comply with FDA tobacco regulations. Tobacco retailers play a direct role in protecting kids from nicotine addiction and the deadly effects of tobacco use. Learn what tobacco retailers need to do to comply with the rules designed to prevent our nation's youth from becoming the next generation of Americans to die prematurely from tobacco-related disease.

Retail Sales of Tobacco Products offers more information about federal rules that retailers must follow as well as information on regulations, guidance, and webinars for retailers.

Did you know?Beginning December 2019, it is illegal for a retailer to sell any tobacco product including cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes to anyone under 21.

If you operate a vape shop that mixes or prepares liquid nicotine or nicotine-containing e-liquids, or creates or modifies any type of ENDS, in addition to product sales, you may be considered a manufacturer and have to comply with the requirements for manufacturers linked above.

Some vape shops may have legal responsibilities as both manufacturers and retailers of tobacco products.

For information about ENDS products that are authorized for marketing in the U.S., see:

Note: This page does not provide a comprehensive list of all ENDS products that may be marketed in the U.S. Retailers should discuss with their suppliers about the current status of any particular tobacco products application or any products marketing authorization.

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FDA and US government working to slow teenage vaping – ABC 57 News

Posted: at 3:08 am

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if(sWidth > 900 && WADS.IS_STICKING){ $('#media-container-' + videoId).addClass('desktop-ad-is-sticky'); } else if(WADS.IS_STICKING){ if(!TOP_AD_VIEWED){ $('#media-container-' + videoId).addClass('mobile-ad-is-sticky'); }else{ $('#media-container-' + videoId).addClass('mobile-ad-is-sticky-noad'); } } else if(!WADS.IS_STICKING){ if(!TOP_AD_VIEWED){ $('#media-container-' + videoId).removeClass('desktop-ad-is-sticky'); }else{ $('#media-container-' + videoId).addClass('desktop-ad-is-sticky-noad'); } } //set right var sWidth = window.innerWidth || document.documentElement.clientWidth; var sHeight = window.innerHeight || document.documentElement.clientHeight; if(deviceName == 'desktop' || sWidth > 900){ var leftPos2 = $('aside').get(0).getBoundingClientRect().left; var leftPos = $('aside').offset().left ; $('#media-container-' + videoId).css('left', leftPos + "px"); var newWidth = Math.floor(sWidth / 3.5); $('#media-container-' + videoId).css('width', newWidth + "px"); } else{ $('#media-container-' + videoId).css('width', "100% !important"); $('#media-container-' + videoId + ' .now-playing-container').css('display', 'block'); $('#media-container-' + videoId + ' .next-dropdown-accordion').css('display', 'block'); } //floating-video $('#media-container-' + videoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').hide(); setTimeout(function(){ var hWrapper = $('.floating-video .hlsvideo-wrapper').height(); var npWidth = $('.floating-video .now-playing-container').height(); var ndWidth = $('.floating-video .next-dropdown-header').height() + 20; var scrollerHeight = sHeight - (hWrapper + npWidth + ndWidth); scrollerHeight = 180; //scrollerHeight = parseInt(scrollerHeight * 0.5); if(WVM.device_name == 'desktop'){ $('#media-container-' + videoId + " " + " .mobile-list-videos").height(scrollerHeight); } }, 100); }else if($(window).scrollTop() 0){ var container = document.querySelector('#page-carousel-' + fullVideoId); imagesLoaded( container, function() { var screenWidth = window.innerWidth || document.documentElement.clientWidth; if(screenWidth > 850){ WVM.IS_DESKTOP = true; $('#page-carousel-' + fullVideoId + ' .page-carousel-lg-slides').css('display', 'block'); WVM['player_settings' + fullVideoId].slider = $('#page-carousel-' + fullVideoId).bxSlider({ maxSlides: 4, minSlides: 4, slideWidth: 305, infiniteLoop: false, hideControlOnEnd: true, useCSS: true, pager: false, slideMargin: 15, moveSlides: 1, nextText: '', prevText: '' }); }else{ WVM.IS_DESKTOP = false; $('.page-carousel-wrapper').css('display', 'block'); } }); } }; WVM.setupToggleButton = function(fullVideoId, player){ if($('.nextplay-switch-' + fullVideoId).length > 0){ new DG.OnOffSwitchAuto({ cls:'.nextplay-switch-' + fullVideoId, height: 24, trackColorOn:'#F9F9F9', trackColorOff:'#222', textColorOn: '#222', textColorOff: '#222', textOn:'On', textOff:'Off', listener:function(name, checked){ var theVal = 1; if(!checked){ theVal = 0; } $.ajax({ url: '/ajax/update_autoplay_video/', data: { autoplay_on: theVal }, type: 'POST', dataType: 'json', success: function(data) { WVM['player_settings' + fullVideoId]['autoplay'] = checked; }, error : function(){ console.log("Error loading video"); } }); } }); } }; WVM.setupAccordionButton = function(fullVideoId){ var deviceName = 'desktop'; $('#next-dropdown-accordion-button-' + fullVideoId).on('click', function(){ if($(this).find('i').hasClass('fa-chevron-up')){ //hide $(this).find('i').removeClass('fa-chevron-up'); $(this).find('i').addClass('fa-chevron-down'); if(deviceName == "desktop" && !$('#media-container-' + fullVideoId).hasClass('floating-video')){ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').slideUp(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').hide(); }else{ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').slideUp(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').hide(); } var currVideoId = WVM['player_state' + fullVideoId]['VIDEO_ID']; var nextVideoId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currVideoId); //playerId, mediaId, fieldName var myTitle = WVM.getPlaylistData(fullVideoId, nextVideoId, 'noprefixtitle'); //alert("Getting title " + myTitle); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).css('display', 'inline'); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).html(myTitle); }else{ //expand $(this).find('i').addClass('fa-chevron-up'); $(this).find('i').removeClass('fa-chevron-down'); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').css('display', 'block'); if(deviceName == "desktop" && !$('#media-container-' + fullVideoId).hasClass('floating-video')){ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').css('display', 'block'); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').slideDown(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').hide(); if(!WVM.player_state187341['CAROUSEL_INIT']){ WVM.setupCarousel(fullVideoId); } }else{ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').slideDown(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').hide(); if(!$('#media-container-' + fullVideoId).hasClass('floating-video')){ if(!WVM.player_state187341['CAROUSEL_INIT']){ WVM.setupCarousel(fullVideoId); } } } $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).css('display', 'none'); } }); var currVideoId = WVM['player_state' + fullVideoId]['VIDEO_ID']; //console.log("current Video " + currVideoId); var nextVideoId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currVideoId); var myTitle = WVM.getPlaylistData(fullVideoId, nextVideoId, 'noprefixtitle'); //console.log("setting title " + myTitle); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).css('display', 'inline'); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).html(myTitle); }; WVM.sendbeacon = function(action, nonInteraction, value, eventLabel) { var eventCategory = 'Video'; if (window.ga) { //console.log("sending action: " + action + " val: " + value + " label " + eventLabel); ga('send', 'event', { 'eventCategory': eventCategory, 'eventAction': action, 'eventLabel': eventLabel, 'eventValue': value, 'nonInteraction': nonInteraction }); } }; WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex = function(mediaId, returnArrayIndex){ var currId = null; if(mediaId == null){ return null; } for(var x =0; x 20){ if(fullDuration > 1 && ((fullDuration - fullCurrent) > 1) && !$('.vjs-loading-spinner').hasClass('badspinner')){ console.log("hiding spinner"); $('.vjs-loading-spinner').addClass('badspinner'); } } var duration_time = Math.floor(this.duration()); //this is a hack because the end video event is not firing... var current_time = Math.floor(this.currentTime()); if ( current_time > 0 && ( fullCurrent >= (fullDuration - 10) )){ var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); //if(playerSettings.autoplay_next && newMediaId){ if(newMediaId){ if('desktop' == "iphone" && playerState.AD_ERROR){ console.log("skipped timeupdate end"); }else{ WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); } } } if(!playerState.START_SENT){ WVM.sendbeacon('start', true, playerState.VIDEO_ID, playerState.VIDEO_TITLE); playerState.START_SENT = true; } var currentTime, duration, percent, percentPlayed, _i; currentTime = Math.round(this.currentTime()); duration = Math.round(this.duration()); percentPlayed = Math.round(currentTime / duration * 100); for (percent = _i = 0; _i = percent && __indexOf.call(playerState['PERCENTS_TRACKED'], percent) 0) { playerState['PERCENTS_TRACKED'].push(percent); } } } }); //player.off('ended'); player.on('ended', function(){ console.log("ended"); playerState.IS_PLAYING = false; WVM.sendbeacon("complete", true, playerState.VIDEO_ID, playerState.VIDEO_TITLE); var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); //if(playerSettings.autoplay_next && newMediaId){ if(newMediaId){ WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); }else{ console.log("Playlist complete (no more videos)"); } }); //player.off('adserror'); player.on('adserror', function(e){ //$('#ima-ad-container').remove(); WVM.lastAdRequest = new Date().getTime() / 1000; console.log(e); console.log("ads error"); var errMessage = e['data']['AdError']['l']; playerState.AD_IS_PLAYING = false; playerState.IS_PLAYING = false; // && errMessage == 'The VAST response document is empty.' if(!playerState.AD_ERROR){ var dTime = new Date().getTime(); WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl = WVM.getFirstPrerollUrl(); console.log("calling backup ad tag url: " + WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl); WVM.activePlayer.ima.changeAdTag(WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl + "?" + dTime); WVM.activePlayer.ima.requestAds(); //WVM.activePlayer.src({ // src: masterSrc, // type: 'video/mp4' //}); //WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl = ""; } playerState.AD_ERROR = true; }); //player.off('error'); player.on('error', function(event) { if (player.error().code === 4) { player.error(null); // clear out the old error player.options().sources.shift(); // drop the highest precedence source console.log("now doing src"); console.log(player.options().sources[0]); player.src(player.options().sources[0]); // retry return; } }); //player.off('volumechange'); player.on('volumechange', function(event) { console.log(event); var theHeight = $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .vjs-volume-level').css('height'); var cssVolume = 0; if(theHeight){ cssVolume = parseInt(theHeight.replace('%', '')); } var theVolume = player.volume(); if(theVolume > 0.0 || cssVolume > 0){ $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .mute-overlay').css('display', 'none'); }else{ $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .mute-overlay').css('display', 'block'); } }); WVM.reinitRawEvents(playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); setInterval(function(){ WVM.reinitRawEvents(playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); }, 2000); } if(!WVM.rawCompleteEvent){ WVM.rawCompleteEvent = function(e){ var playerState = WVM['player_state187341']; console.log("firing raw event due to all other events failing"); var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); //if(playerSettings.autoplay_next && newMediaId){ if(newMediaId){ WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); } }; } if(!WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent){ WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent = function(e){ var playerState = WVM['player_state187341']; var rawVideoElem = document.getElementById('html5-video-' + playerState['ORIGINAL_ID'] + '_html5_api'); var fullCurrent = rawVideoElem.currentTime * 1000; var fullDuration = rawVideoElem.duration * 1000; var current_time = Math.floor(rawVideoElem.currentTime); console.log("raw timeupdate: " + fullCurrent + " out of " + fullDuration); if ( current_time > 0 && ( fullCurrent >= (fullDuration - 50) )){ var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); if(newMediaId){ console.log("loading new video from rawtimeupdate"); WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); } } if(!$('.vjs-loading-spinner').hasClass('badspinner')){ $('.vjs-loading-spinner').addClass('badspinner') } }; } WVM.reinitRawEvents = function(playerId){ var playerState = WVM['player_state' + playerId]; var rawVideoElem = document.getElementById('html5-video-' + WVM['player_state' + playerId]['ORIGINAL_ID'] + '_html5_api'); //COMPLETE EENT if( WVM['player_state' + playerId].COMPLETE_EVENT){ rawVideoElem.removeEventListener('ended', WVM.rawCompleteEvent, false); } rawVideoElem.addEventListener('ended', WVM.rawCompleteEvent, false); //TIME UPDATE EVENT if( WVM['player_state' + playerId].TIMEUPDATE_EVENT){ rawVideoElem.removeEventListener('ended', WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent, false); } rawVideoElem.addEventListener('ended', WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent, false); WVM['player_state' + playerId].COMPLETE_EVENT = true; WVM['player_state' + playerId].TIMEUPDATE_EVENT = true; };

South Bend, Ind. -- Smoking has been around for many years, but it looks different now. Vaping comes in many different forms and flavors, targeting teens and potentially introducing them to the bad habit.

Due in part to the success of anti-smoking campaigns by organizations like the American Cancer Society and QuitNet, cigarette-smoking has decreased steadily amongst teens in the past decades.

Cigarettes have been considered to be "off-putting" for the younger generation, however, there is a new smoking trend that has now become popular with teens.

Vaporizers and e-cigarettes first came to the market in 2007 and have 38.9% of high schoolers addicted as of 2020.

Sandi Pontius, a Tobacco Education Coordinator Saint Joseph Health System said, They (tobacco companies) went into schools and they talked to classes and they told them that this is a product for adults that you dont want to use this it is for adults, but just know that when you are an adult it is a perfectly safe product to use.

Cigarettes in America were the popular smoking trend, but over time and many campaigns later, smoking cigarettes was seen in a different light.

Now vaping has taken center stage for the younger generation.

Sandi Pontius, a Tobacco Education Coordinator with St. Joseph Health System, says that the smoking industry targets youth through flavors, attracting them before they turn 21.

Flavors have always been one of the tactics that the tobacco industry has used to lure young people to smoke. Fortunately, the government had said no more pod flavors for the Juuls, but they did not extend that to disposables, said Pontius.

Vape pens have seen a transformation over the years; from thick, handheld devices (mods) that emit more smoke to now smaller pens that more closely resemble flash drives (pods).

Schools are trying to combat the use of vapes by installing sensors and rules against the use of vape pens.

Some of them have installed sensors that can sense when vapes are being used in the bathrooms. Its not as effective as you would hope because you still have to get there and catch them,Pontius said.

The tobacco industrys marketing isnt toward those who already smoke, because they are already addicted. Rather, the industry is more interested in keeping the cycle going by attracting new users

Youth are not already smoking they are not looking to quit for the most part. That stuff wouldnt have already happened they wouldve left it or kept that marketing toward smokers, but they didnt, said Pontius

It is never too late to quit.

Smokefree.gov recommends setting a date to quit, building a support system, creating healthy habits to distract from cravings and learning what factors trigger cravings in the first place.

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FDA and US government working to slow teenage vaping - ABC 57 News

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Secaucus limits vaping vendors in town – The Hudson Reporter

Posted: at 3:08 am

Secaucus has updated its regulations regarding the licensing of establishments that sell electronic smoking devices.Mayor Michael Gonnelli and the Secaucus Town Council voted unanimously to do so at its May 24 meeting.

The town has previously adopted regulations, that among other things restrict smoking in public areas and set license requirements for establishments that sell electronic smoking devices. According to the ordinance, this is in the interest of public health.

Upon recommendation of the Secaucus Board of Health through the Secaucus Drug Free Coalition, Gonnelli and the council have determined that the licensing regulations and fees need to be updated.The ordinance caps the limit of licenses to operate a retail electronic smoking device establishment within the town at nine, the current number of locations selling the products currently in Secaucus.

This deals with our vaping ordinance, Town Administrator Gary Jeffas told the Hudson Reporter. It sets the maximum number of licenses at nine. We currently have nine in town, so the Board of Health just wanted to make sure that the vaping didnt continue to expand. So we just capped it off at that.

Other aspects of the licensing changes

The ordinance also raises the licenses fee from $1,000 to $1,200. And it also adds in a section about inspections.

The Board of Health will inspect every retail electronic smoking device establishment in the Town of Secaucus. Any retail electronic smoking device establishment which upon initial inspection is rated conditionally satisfactory or unsatisfactory will be subject to a re-inspection fee of $200.

One follow-up inspection after the initial application inspection may be done for a minor violation or correction without a fee at the sole discretion of the Board of Health Inspector. Subsequent re-inspections deemed necessary by the Health Inspector shall be at a fee of $200 per inspection.

As far as the inspections, it sets a fee of $200 for an inspection, Jeffas said. And if youre conditionally satisfactory or unsatisfactory, the inspectors have to come back until you get it right and that there would be an additional charge for further inspections.

Failure to pay said fee prior to the re-inspection date established by the Department constitutes a violation. Violations were raised from a range of $5 to $500, to $50 to $1,000.

It changed the fines too, Jeffas said. It was written a while ago, so the fine was $5 to $500, and now its, $50 to $1,00 depending on the violations.

License updates for retail food establishments too

Also recommended by the Board of Health, the Town Council adopted an ordinance regarding the licensing of retail food establishments.

The ordinance raises fees for re-inspection of conditionally satisfactory or unsatisfactory retail food establishments to $200.

Added to the existing regulations was that one follow-up inspection after the initial application inspection may be done for a minor violation or correction without a fee at the discretion of the Board of Health Inspector. Subsequent re-inspections by the Health Inspector will cost $200 per inspection.

Failure to pay said fee prior to the re-inspection date established by the Department is a violation. Violations were raised from a range of $5 to $500, to $50 to $1,000.

This is just a fee change on food licensing, Jeffas said. So if theyhave a health inspection and its conditionally satisfactory or unsatisfactory, its just setting forth the fee of $200. It covers an additional inspection. If the inspectors have to continue to come out, then there can be additional inspection fees beyond those first two.

For updates on this and other stories, check http://www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

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Secaucus limits vaping vendors in town - The Hudson Reporter

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Dangers of Teens Vaping and How to Spot It – catcountry1073.com

Posted: at 3:08 am

Just when teenagers finally got the message about the dangers of smoking, vaping and e-cigarette have exploded in popularity in our youth, giving them a new addiction. A study by the Centers for Disease Control found almost all e-cigarettes or vapes contain nicotine the addictive drug in regular cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products. The adolescent brain keeps developing until about age 25. Nicotine use in adolescence can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. Nicotine addiction has also been linked to anxiety and depression. Plus the CDC warns that nicotine use in adolescents may also increase the risk for future addiction to other drugs. Unlike cigarette smoking, vaping does not leave an odor and vaping devices are easier to hide than cigarettes. Noticing vaping in children is difficult, but we have some tips on how to recognize vaping and how to talk to your kids about it.

Since nicotine addiction has been linked to depression and anxiety, a teen who vapes will mostly exhibit these mental problems. Sudden mood changes, not enjoying things that they used to, or seeming distant can all be signs of depression. Most importantly, you need to make sure you dont assume these signs are because of anything, as they may just be having these emotions.

Vaping causes immediate damage to the lungs. If your child is not out of shape nor has any existing lung conditions, this is an easy thing to spot. Getting winded after climbing the stairs, carrying in groceries, or doing other non-intensive chores are easy ways to spot this. If this happens once, it could be a one off occurrence, but if this happens often enough for you to take note, definitely bring it up with your child.

Sudden weight loss can be a sign of many disorders, but one of them can be a nicotine addiction. Nicotine satiates hunger, so vaping everyday will make a teenager not want to eat while at school or while theyre with their friends. Talk to your child about why they are not eating, if they get defensive or have a weak excuse like, Im just not hungry then there is most likely something else going on.

While it may seem obvious that finding a vape is a sign of vaping, it is hard to figure out exactly what a vape looks like. They come in all shapes and sizes. E-cigarettes like JUULs and Phixs are discreet in their packaging. They can easily be passed off as USB drives. Some even can charge by being plugged into a laptop. If your child suddenly has a USB without any mention, you should look into it a little more.

If you approach your teenager in a calm and understanding manner, they may open up to you and admit that they are vaping. If they do, you cannot get upset at them and punish them. Explaining to your children why vaping is harmful and how it can harm them for life will help to convince them to quit. Talk to your childs friends parents as well and let them know that you found them vaping and to talk to their kids as well. If one kid still vapes, it is likely that they will reform their habit.

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Gwinnett County broadens prohibitions on smoking and vaping – The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Posted: at 3:08 am

The new ordinance reduces the exemptions to three: private residences, cigar bars and hookah lounges.

Smoking and vaping are now also banned in outdoor arenas, stadiums and amphitheaters in Gwinnett, as well as outdoor public transportation stations. The ban extends to outdoor common areas of multi-unit residential facilities, except in designated smoking areas that must be at least 15 feet from entrances, windows or ventilation systems.

People who violate the ordinance can be fined up to $50. People who own or operate public spaces or workplaces that violate the ordinance can be fined up to $100 for the first offense, $200 for a second violation within a year and $500 for each additional violation within a year.

The American Heart Association, American Lung Association and GUIDE, Inc., a substance abuse prevention organization, collaborated with the county to strengthen the ordinance, Deputy County Attorney Theresa Cox said.

Several people spoke in favor of the new restrictions at last weeks commission meeting and no one spoke in opposition.

Borregos twin brother, Marco, referenced the popularity of youth vaping and its harmful effects. The twins founded Vaping-Attention to Prevention, a national nonprofit. Their mother, Justine Henao, is a doctor.

At a time when my boys are being exposed to more and more youth vaping, this policy will ensure a healthier community and will limit the number of people my boys, and the youth, see smoking and vaping in public places, Henao said.

Onjewel Smith of Boca Raton, Florida, spoke on behalf of Americans for Nonsmokers Rights, a national organization advocating for smoke-free workplaces.

This policy is not about banning smoking, but it is about asking people who wish to smoke to do so in ways that do not harm other people, Smith said. Smoke-free policies are good for business. They create environments that are welcoming to everyone.

County Commission Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson commended the youth who spoke.

This is how you demonstrate leadership, is to show up and advocate for things that you believe in, Hendrickson said.

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Gwinnett County broadens prohibitions on smoking and vaping - The Atlanta Journal Constitution

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EDM Parties Are Linked To Vaping – Can They Provide Less Harmful Options? – The Groove Cartel

Posted: at 3:08 am

Until fairly recently, not much research had been done into the consumption of tobacco and related products at EDM parties. However, a 2020 study posted by PubMed Central dove into this topic and found some troubling links. Specifically, the study concluded that among EDM party attendees, the prevalence estimates of ever- and past-month use of tobacco and nicotine products (like cigarettes and e-cigarettes, or vapes) were found to be more than double those in the general population. Just over 59% of EDM party attendees surveyed had used cigarettes before (36.2% in the past month as of that time), and 40.5% had used e-cigarettes (15.6% in the past month as of that time).

This research was done in part to contribute information for designing preventive measures with EDM attendees. And that of course raises the question of what the industry (including venues, party organizers, and even artists) might do to curb the use of unhealthy tobacco products.

Some of this will likely be taken care of by bans and restrictions beyond the scope of EDM. Just last year, Politico reported on an FDA ban of more than five million e-cigarette products. The same report noted that the FDA had delayed decisions on some of the biggest names in the industry (like Juul and NJOY). But the table has clearly been set for more expansive prohibition of vaping products which in time could make them illegal in some big venues and at some major events.

At the same time, however, there are also alternative products that if sold at EDM parties could help to curb the negative first- and second-hand health effects caused by cigarettes and vapes. Namely, wed point to three products:

Nicotine Gum Nicotine gum has long been an option meant to help people who wish to quit smoking. However, it can also satisfy nicotine cravings in the short term. Typically the product is chewed until the user tastes flavor, then lodged against the gums until the flavor fades, and so on. This provides nicotine and reduces the urge to smoke, and would enable EDM party attendees to enjoy shows without turning to cigarettes or vapes.

Nicotine Pouches Nicotine pouches are newer to the U.S. market, but work much like gum without the chewing (and arguably with more interesting flavor ranges). Pouches are simply kept inside the upper lip and left alone to release nicotine in a controlled and gradual manner. These products also have the advantage of being somewhat up-and-coming, which may make them more appealing to EDM audiences than gum. According to a look at the nicotine pouch trend at Prilla, pouch sales had already topped $200 million by 2020, and some convenience stores had reported as much as 40% growth in the category over a years time. These numbers point to a product thats already heading toward supplanting e-cigarettes for some users and could thus be an intriguing alternative at major music shows and parties.

Hemp Cigarettes Smokable hemp has also become an intriguing option. Hemp cigarettes look and work like ordinary ones, but contain CBD rather than tobacco (or nicotine, or marijuana for that matter). They do not satisfy cravings the way nicotine gum or pouches do, but they can provide users with alternatives as well as solve the dilemma that some smokers simply want something to do at an event (meaning the physical act of smoking). Additionally, these are also trendy products that may appeal to audiences. While theyre not quite on pace with nicotine pouches, hemp cigarettes in the U.S. represented an $80 million market in 2020, with projections around $300 to $400 million by 2025.

The nature of EDM parties isnt going to change. As is made clear in our own Parties section here at Groove Cartel, these events occur frequently and still attract the biggest names in the genre from David Guetta to Swedish House Mafia. They are big, festive raves at which people want to let loose and enjoy themselves without inhibitions.

This, within reason, should be encouraged. But given the clear link between these parties and cigarette and vape use, there is also something to be said for striving for a healthier environment. Alternatives like those suggested above could be offered at these parties without detracting from the atmosphere or enjoyment.

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EDM Parties Are Linked To Vaping - Can They Provide Less Harmful Options? - The Groove Cartel

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Camila Giorgi’s father caught vaping in the stands at French Open – New York Post

Posted: at 3:08 am

The father of Italian tennis star Camila Giorgi has been caught red-handed at the French Open, with cameras capturing the hilarious moment he tried to hide his vaping on Monday.

Giorgi suffered a 6-2 6-2 straight sets defeat to Russian No. 20 seed Daria Kasatkina in the fourth round, the furthest she has ever progressed at Roland Garros.

The 30-year-old is coached by her father, Sergio Giorgi, who was seated courtside at Court Suzanne-Lenglen. But when cameras panned towards the curly-haired coach in the stands, he discreetly covered his face with a towel before blowing a puff of smoke.

Fans quickly picked up on Sergios cheeky act, with some conjecture on whether he was smoking or vaping in the viral clip that circulated on social media.

Giorgi made headlines earlier this weekafter French Open officials took issue with an advertising logo on her dress during her upset victory over No. 7 seed Aryna Sabalenka.

The fashion faux pas was reportedly related to the size of the logo for kitchen appliance manufacturer DeLonghi on Giorgis chest. She had worn the same style of dress earlier in the grand slam tournament, but without the DeLonghi logo.

Giorgi altered her outfit slightly ahead of Mondays fourth-round clash, with the logo appearing on her sleeve instead.

The world No. 30 will next compete on the grass courts of Nottingham for a WTA 250 tournament, while Kasatkina will take on Russias Veronika Kudermetova in the French Open quarter-final on Wednesday.

Kasatkina and Kudermetova, who are both 25, played against each other from a young age and were part of the Russian squad who won last years Billie Jean King Cup.

(We played) many times in juniors. We played so many times, Kasatkina said on Monday.

We were on one team winning Billie Jean King Cup last year, so we have many good memories to share together.

Even before we played many European championships together because were the same age, so we have a lot of memories to share.

We will have one more, playing quarters at Roland Garros, I think its a very nice moment.

The draw guarantees at least one Russian semi-finalist in Paris. That heightens the prospect of the newly-crowned French Open champion not being able to play at Wimbledon, where Russian and Belarusian players have been banned over Russias invasion of Ukraine.

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Camila Giorgi's father caught vaping in the stands at French Open - New York Post

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Five Things to Know in Alaska Politics: Army reboot, pilot numbers, and vaping tax heads to governor – Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Posted: at 3:08 am

Army Alaska will get a new name and a new logo Monday. The union representing Alaska Airlines pilots is disputing claims of a pilot shortage. And a tax bill before the governor seeks to address a rise in tobacco use by teenagers.

Theres more news this week in Five Things to Know.

Army pours resources into Alaska bases

On Monday, the Army formally re-designates U.S. Army Alaska and two brigade teams as the 11th Airborne Division and the 1st and 2nd Brigade Combat Teams, 11th Airborne Division.

Along with the new names comes a new insignia the No. 11 encircled in red and held aloft by a pair of angelic white wings.

The branding is part of a larger effort to improve morale and better reflect the role of soldiers in Alaska, after a spike in suicides at Alaska installations.

There are more changes coming to Alaskas Army bases at Fort Wainwright, Fort Greely and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Family life counselors will be arriving this month to provide annual wellness checks for every soldier. The check-ins will occur as the Army adds mental-health specialists and more support from clergy and chaplains.

The Army also will make it easier for soldiers to get off the base in their free time by improving shuttle services.

The shuttles will now go to gyms, restaurants and other stops popular with service members.

Union disputes claims of pilot shortage

The union that represents Alaska Airline pilots is disputing claims that a national pilot shortage is behind flight delays and cancellations at Alaska Airlines and other commercial carriers.

Alaska Airlines and the Air Lines Pilots Association are in protracted contract talks with no signs of agreement.

The union, which represents 64,000 commercial pilots in the U.S. and Canada, is claiming that some commercial airlines are limiting hiring to inexperienced pilots for less pay. The union asserts that there are more than two pilots available for every position in demand.

But United CEO Scott Kirby said in a shareholder meeting that there simply arent enough pilots, at least for the next five-plus years.

The union is calling on the federal government to invest in U.S. pilot education and training by subsidizing student loans at aviation colleges. The union also wants training and education improvements for commercial airline pilots to align standards with other skilled professions.

Vaping and teen tobacco use

A newly released study points to vaping for a rise in tobacco use by young people.

The journal "Pediatrics Pharmacology" reports that more than a million teenagers started vaping tobacco from 2017-2019. The increase reverses a long-term decline in tobacco use by minors.

Instead of smoking cigarettes, teens are turning to vaping systems with liquid tobacco cartridges. The cartridges may be fruit or mint-flavored.

The popularity of Juul in particular led a new generation of 14- to 17-year-olds to get hooked, one of the studys authors told Axios.

The Alaska Legislature recently adopted a 45% excise tax on vaping systems that is designed in part to discourage young people from buying the devices.

The bill has been forwarded to the governors office for his signature. The bill also raises the tobacco use age from 19 to 21 to align with federal requirements.

When asked Friday whether Gov. Mike Dunleavy will sign the bill, Shannon Mason, spokesperson for the governor said in an email: We dont usually say if the governor will or will not sign a bill until he officially has it on his desk. If I hear anything more, I will let you know!

Oil companies exit the Arctic

Major oil companies have had a frigid response about drilling in Alaskas Arctic.

Chevron paid $10 million last week to break its lease to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Now 88 Energy of Australia has announced that it too will give up its drilling rights in the area.

Chevron has stated that Arctic production does not align with the overarching goals for its energy portfolio.

The company received a refund for the $770,000 it spent in 2021 for a federal oil lease in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

The decisions to back off from Arctic oil drilling have occurred since the Biden administration suspended future lease sales in the area pending an environmental review.

The two oil giants already held leases that were grandfathered in, but they were under pressure from activist shareholders raising environmental concerns.

The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority now is the major leaseholder in Alaskas Arctic. The state-owned agency bought seven leases in 2021.

Lawsuit over fishing rights

The state of Alaska and the federal government are at odds over fishing rights in a river that runs through the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge.

At issue is a decision by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to allow fishing for all Alaskans on the Kuskokwim River where it passes through the national refuge.

The federal government had restricted fishing to local communities that largely are home to Alaska Natives who harvest the fish for subsistence.

Indian Country Today reported that the Biden administration is now suing the state for opening up fishing to all Alaskans during periods when it was limited to local communities because of a decline in fish populations.

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Five Things to Know in Alaska Politics: Army reboot, pilot numbers, and vaping tax heads to governor - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Posted in Vaping | Comments Off on Five Things to Know in Alaska Politics: Army reboot, pilot numbers, and vaping tax heads to governor – Fairbanks Daily News-Miner