Witness Says Vaping Helped Her Quit Smoking. Rashida Tlaib Asks 'Are You a Conspiracy Theorist?'

"Vaping is a health miracle to me," said ex-smoker Vicki Porter. "Not safe, but less harmful."

A House subcommittee hearing on the allegedly harmful effects of e-cigarettes took a bizarre turn when Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D–Mich.) asked the panel's only pro-vaping witness, Vicki Porter, whether she was a conspiracy theorist.

Tlaib had apparently noticed Porter winking at one of the Republican participants, and thought this was possibly indicative of something nefarious. Porter patiently explained that she knew this man personally and was just saying hello.

Tlaib's larger concern, of course, was that Porter had directly and quite pointedly challenged the tortured logic of the Oversight and Reform Subcommittee hearing. Contrary to the other participant's assertions that vaping was bad, full stop, Porter thanked e-cigarettes for helping her to quit smoking—and reminded Congress that there were millions of other adults just like her.

"Vaping is a health miracle to me," said Porter. "Not safe, but less harmful."

Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Shultz (D–Fla.) dismissed Porter's comments, saying, "I want to confirm the testimony of Ms. Porter is anecdotal, related specifically to her opinion, and she is not a public health expert."

Tlaib celebrated the anti-vaping witnesses for "speaking truth about this, because the long-term effects are very dangerous" before attempting to discredit Porter with the conspiracy-theorist smear.

.@RashidaTlaib attacks conservative vaping advocate Vicki Porter: "Are you a conspiracy theorist?" pic.twitter.com/Czf5cALRks

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 24, 2019

Moments before, Tlaib had asserted secondhand smoke was "worse than directly smoking cigarettes." This, of course, is not true—indeed, it's utterly ludicrous. Who is the conspiracy theorist again?

For more on Tlaib's fact-free anti-vape agenda, read the Reason Foundation's Guy Bentley.

Comments

[TrickyVic (old school)]

""Tlaib had asserted secondhand smoking was "worse than directly smoking cigarettes""

Did Wasserman note that Tlaib was also not a public health expert?

[Mickey Rat]

She is, apparently, Dearborn's expert village idiot.

[MatthewSlyfield]

Around the world 540 villages are missing their idiots. The idiots are all in DC.

[josh]

SHE IS AS STUPID AS SHE IS UGLY, RACIST, AND HATEFUL

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Being an Arab, and given their proclivity to smoke, she's probably citing her own anecdotal experience as fact.

[Number 2]

Vaping is obviously a plot by the International Jewish Conspiracy. It says so right there on page 33 of “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” which Tlaib appears to believe is a work of non-fiction.

[icannotread]

With each inhalation the vaper is inhaling what equates to micro doses of Zyklon-B. The Jews have found a way to get a slow, but secretive revenge while stuffing their pockets.

[LarryA]

Tlaib was also not a public health expert
But she is. Every member of Congress is an expert on every subject they talk about. Says so on the label.

I find it "interesting" that a House Subcommittee Hearing on e-cigarettes consists of a "panel" of which one (count them, 1) member was pro-vaping, and that one member was not one of many "public health experts" who finds vaping less harmful than smoking. Instead, Porter is just an ordinary person who has more experience than most people in the room.
Stacked deck?

[Ron]

When your in Congress you automatically become an expert on everything, its like magic or something

[Ray McKigney]

Imbecile. And evil.

[Finrod]

She needs to be shot out of a cannon into a brick wall.

[OpenBordersLiberal-tarian]

There's no need to obsess over every minor misstep our Democratic Congressional allies make. I mean, what's the absolute worst interpretation of this — that Tlaib is not a perfect libertarian when it comes to vaping? Does that really matter when the other party has sold out to Russia and is literally running concentration camps?

In fact, Tlaib is exactly the type of person Shikha Dalmia was talking about when she wrote Why Minorities Will Save American Constitutional Traditions in the Age of Trump.

[ipsquire]

Yes, it does matter even if the other party sold out (which you're obviously sure of, despite the lack of sufficient evidence to impeach). It also matters that Obama is to blame for expanding the executive branch's power to make Trump possible even if you agreed with the aims of his abuses.

[Halykan]

Yeah, that piece was a bit of a head scratcher. I certainly think that some minorities in the US would be receptive to libertarianism - the political party talking about how the government's boot inevitably comes down regardless of the intentions could make a lot of headway with the folks who have the most personal experience with said boot. But to think that all of them, particularly those immigrating from places with little to no democratic tradition, would suddenly have an enlightened view of their civic self-interest seemed unreasonable then, and less reasonable now. If the rest of the americans can't perceive how their own political choices are screwing them, why would they?

[Ed Grinberg]

["Liberals"] advocate the sacrifice of all individual rights to unlimited majority rule — yet posture as defenders of the rights of minorities. But the smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights, cannot claim to be defenders of minorities. (Ayn Rand)

[Adans smith]

Another member of 'the squad' showing her unique grasp of an issue.

[RabbitHead]

Comes up with unfounded idea about a conspiracy based on a wink.

Accused the winker of being a conspiracy theorist.

It doesn't even rise to the level of moron

[Naaman Brown]

Does she even have a rational concept of what "conspiracy theory" means?

[MatthewSlyfield]

What's not rational about "anything that doesn't fit my world-view = conspiracy theory"?

[Finrod]

If she ever had a rational concept, it would be her first.

[Jerryskids]

Robby obviously didn't get Nick's memo about not engaging with hysterical retards.

[Uncle Jay]

Ms. Porter must be a conspiracy theorist since she quit smoking.
The CDC and the FDA would agree.
They work for the federal government, so they can't possibly be wrong.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Never underestimate the government's ability to regulate or ban something through sheer force of will.

[Naaman Brown]

Ban something that millions of people feel they have right to, that benefits them, and that their use does not harm others, and you are laying the foundation of a never ending "War On ..." by creating black markets and all the evils that means (which includes no industry standards in production of the product or service and quality control from passable to toxic.

I grew up under a regime of local option prohibition of alcohol 1953-1968.

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

Lying fucking NannyStater Donks.

[Mickey Rat]

So the only person on the panel who does not accept their premises is one they can dismiss as not being credentialed.

How convenient.

[NoVaNick]

Is Tlaib really that ugly?

[Don't look at me!]

Probably worse in person.

[Juice]

Yes, and she has a bit of an odor.

[NoVaNick]

I thought democrats in Congress had more important things to do, like impeaching Orange Man and saving the planet...oh, I get it, vaping causes climate change because it might cut into the 5 million deaths I am told are caused by cigarettes

[some guy]

They're merely taking a break from dealing with the long-term groundless hysterias to deal with a temporary groundless hysteria.

[CE]

I thought the climate worshippers wanted fewer people on Earth. It's all so confusing.

[Vernon Depner]

We really don't know yet if long-term vaping is less harmful than smoking. The vapers are conducting a research experiment in their lungs. Of course, they should have the right to choose to do that.

[Don't look at me!]

If you had to choose, would you pick smoke or water vapor?

[Hit and Run]

Smoke ON the water... Vapor.

[Vernon Depner]

Vaping cartridges contain more than just water.

[Vernon Depner]

In addition to high levels of nicotine, e-cigarette liquids also contain Propylene glycol and glycerin, which can irritate the user’s eyes and airways. When heated and vaporized, these ingredients can degrade into formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Both of these chemicals are carcinogens, although the research is not yet clear on how this exposure over time could lead to cancer

[mad.casual]

Standing over a hot grill all day is empirically worse by the same "standards". Virtually any amount of car exhaust is empirically worse by the same "standards".

We've known about inhaling drugs for over 2,000 yrs. and the therapeutic administration of drugs and chemicals via vaporization directly to the lungs predates the industrial revolution.

The only experiments that have/have not been conducted are in your head.

[Vernon Depner]

Long-term inhalation of these particular chemicals and their by-products has not been tested. The vapers are doing that test now. Only time will tell how the effects compare to smoking. The history of the inhalation of other things is not relevant.

[mad.casual]

The vapers are doing that test now. Only time will tell how the effects compare to smoking.

Incorrect. Time has already told. You can biopsy smokers, non-smokers, and vapers' lungs and there is an empirical difference between the smokers and the others. Moreover, even when it come to lungs black with tar, it's not even an exceedingly strong indicator of the presence of lung cancer, emphysema, etc., etc.

There is no experiment except everyone waiting around for you to find evidence to confirm your bias after you've wiped away the mountain of evidence to the contrary. Your standards for 'experimentation' are deliberately poor and obviously misapplied. The pseudo-science you're hocking to justify your own idiocy is obvious.

[Vernon Depner]

But whatabout _________!

[Roger Knights]

"When heated and vaporized, these ingredients can degrade into formaldehyde and acetaldehyde."

Wikipedia says: "a study in 2015 using a third-generation device found levels of formaldehyde were greater than with cigarette smoke when adjusted to a maximum power setting.[80] While e-cigarettes cannot be considered safe because there is no safe level for carcinogens, they appear to be safer than traditional cigarettes.[89]”

IOW, when a SPECIFIC DEVICE is deliberately OVERHEATED, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde can be produced in slightly higher amounts than in an ordinary cigarette. Not quite as alarming.

[mad.casual]

Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde are essential for human and plant metabolism. They're present in virtually every food you eat, even organic fruits and vegetables. Bananas are notorious for their relatively high concentrations of both. Both compounds are generated and aerosolized when you cook. Neither are as potent either as acute or chronic toxins as the exhaust from pretty much any car. If the goal was to eliminate lung cancer or environmental toxins or whatever, we should be banning cars, various cooking methodologies, and bananas before vaping.

[Vernon Depner]

The tetrodotoxin venom of the Blue Ringed Octopus is 1,000 times more deadly than cyanide. We should be exterminating deadly octopuses and giving free e-cigarattes to kindergartners!

[icannotread]

That's true, but the temperatures needed to create formaldehyde are so high vapers aren't going to experience that. If they do, it will taste terrible and they will cease use.

[jph12]

Is there anything less valuable than a typical congressional hearing?

[Hit and Run]

Lena Dunham's used panties?

[Dr Fallout]

you win the internet today, friend.

Shut it down. Shut it all down. full stop.
I am going back to bed.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

Porter's testimony sounds essentially valueless. She has stopped smoking, at least temporarily, perhaps for the tenth time. She apparently figures getting children hooked on nicotine is a reasonable price for excusing her from some (depending on research) self-inflicted consequences. And whatever a self-described "converted conservative and reformed Marxist" is, it doesn't sound like a strong candidate for reliable judgment.

[Don't look at me!]

Adults forced to live in Disneyland.
The way of the future.

[NoVaNick]

There is a strong genetic component to nicotine addiction and nicotine seeking behavior, reverend in something like 20% of the population. If these kids weren’t getting hooked on juul, they would probably get hooked by other, more toxic, means. Perhaps in your progressive utopia, fetuses can be genetically screened and aborted if they might be future addicts.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

A genetics component seems likely. Education (general and on-point), income, and general quality of life and judgment also appear to be relevant.

None of that, however, makes mango- or bubble gum-flavored nicotine delivery devices for 13-year-olds, provided by sellers with school outreach programs, desirable or tolerable.

[Verbum Vincet]

Which manufacturer with school outreach programs is selling mango- and bubble gum-flavored nicotine delivery devices to 13-year-olds?

After extensive searching, the only 'school outreach' programs about vaping I've found were:
1. an ANTI-vaping/ANTI-nicotine propaganda campaign conducted by UMass Lowell nursing students using dubious NIDA statistical data.

and

2. 'Resisttobacco.org' which is run by the state of Kansas and offers students $250 to shill for Prohibition. Their organizational statement :

Who is Resist?
Big Tobacco's WORST NIGHTMARE
Resist is a youth-led, statewide movement created to FIGHT against the tobacco industry’s influence on Kansans.
We know that we are targets for Big Tobacco Companies’ deceitful marketing tactics and we REFUSE to fall into their trap. We recognize and resist against big tobacco influences and we are DETERMINED to reduce tobacco-use rates in Kansas.
WE ARE RESIST.

#WOKE, #LMAO!

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

I recall watching a representative of one of the major vaping manufacturers acknowledge in Congressional testimony that her company had conducted and funded a "school outreach program." She assured the questioner that the program had been terminated when it was publicized.

I could find and provide the details, but how are you going to improve if you don't learn how to perform research?

Perhaps you could travel to a modern, successful community and ask an educated person to assist you with basic research?

[Finrod]

Like you have a fucking clue how to do research, idiot slaver.

[Chipper Jones]

Thanks Rev. Good stuff. We anxiously await your thoughts on whatever Rashida Tlaib, your favorite Cooley law grad, had to say this time.

[Anomalous]

So she moved up ahead of Michael Cohen?

[mad.casual]

I must say it's refreshing to see you taking the conservative stance for once here Rev.

Some would consider vaping and flavored vaping to be a progressive behavior. A way of moving away from the old, entrenched cultural norms where hard men smoked strong tobacco and towards a society where people were more able to liberally and openly indulge in their trivial vices.

Good for you taking the backwards conservative, anti-vice hard line that you usually deride. Makes you look much more intelligent than you actually are.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

I support sensible regulation of the vaping industry -- protecting minors (from the greed, stupidity, and low character of adults as much as from a minor's lack of judgment), promoting safety. I also believe our society should apply the lessons from its experience with the tobacco industry.

What inclines you to assert I am prudish? I consider drug warriors among the most objectionable people in our society. I believe that adults should be entitled to engage in harmful or dangerous conduct, such as that involving large quantities of sugary soft drinks, motorcycles, chewing tobacco, empty-calorie fast food, organized religion, energy drinks, immoderate alcohol consumption (without driving), or even rattlesnake-juggling (without minors or endangerment of others).

[mad.casual]

What inclines you to assert I am prudish?

I didn't say you were prudish. You're anti-flavoring because, according to your belief system, they represent an increased risk of bad things happening to children. You shouldn't be ashamed of your stance, it's good to see you supporting families and taking candied flavors away from children like any good, Donald J. Trump-loving conservative would.

[Finrod]

"sensible regulation", the old leftist oxymoron.

Go die in a fire, you useless waste of oxygen.

[Roger Knights]

"She apparently figures getting children hooked on nicotine is a reasonable price for excusing her from some (depending on research) self-inflicted consequences."

If e-cigs can be sold only by pharmacists, or if existing laws against sales to minors were more stringently enforced, flavorings (which help most adults quit) will not attract youth, and diversion will be low.

Many of the youth now smoking e-cigs are smoking fluids without nicotine. And many of those vaping fluids with nicotine would be smoking cigarettes In light of that, If it were not possible to restrict sales to youth as I mentioned above, then additional child-nicotine addiction WOULD be a reasonable price to pay for a dramatic reduction in cancer. Matt Ridley wrote:

"The vaping revolution took the world by surprise. Invented in China in 2006, the e-cigarette has caused massive declines in smoking in Britain — more than almost any other country — because of an early decision by the Cameron government to resist calls to ban it. It is the reason we have the lowest cigarette consumption per capita in the G7, and the second lowest in Europe, and one of the lowest incidences of lung cancer."
http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/vaping-and-freedom/

[icannotread]

This thing about minors is kinda BS. Just have campaigns that say "Vaping is for Fags" and adults that don't care will continue. Everyone knows that when you're underage it is easier to acquire booze than any kind of cigarette because you're going to run into more people that drink than smoke.

[Vernon Depner]

When you're underage it's easy to get alcohol because there is no shortage of adults who would like to get your pants off when you're drunk.

[icannotread]

Is that why my gym teacher always bought me beer? I always thought it was because I was fun to hang out with and he thought I was cool. Eh. Whatever. The sex was good.

[MatthewSlyfield]

Are you sure he wasn't trying to get in your pants?

[Eman]

I had my fair share of underage alcohol experiences, but it was always me taking my own pants off...

[Vernon Depner]

Not sure if that's a good thing or sad...

[Robert]

But nicotine is harmless, so who cares if they're hooked on it?

[HouseHubby]

When you're ready to ban the sales of alcohol, cigarettes, sugary drinks, etc etc etc, and all other "vices" kids may indulge in that are KNOWN killers, get back to me about vaping. Until then, keep your child bubble wrapping needs to your OWN children please.

[RabbitHead]

Duh Rev:
"Sounds...valueless"..."perhaps"..."apparently"

Is there anything substantive here or are these just emanations of the penumbra of pomposity and preconceived notions?

[Finrod]

You can't expect anything substantive to come from a vacuum.

[Naaman Brown]

We already have black market vaping products in the alleged THC variety contaminated with ingredients NOT used in the legal products, causing illness blamed on vaping in general.

Sure. Ban vaping, like alcohol 1919, like marihuana 1937, with a black market already in place? I think that is going to have unintended consequences.

[Bongo Prime]

Do you still pretend to be libertarian?

[Rufus The Monocled]

Wow.

What.

A.

Cunt.

[Truthteller1]

Someone is electing these idiots and it isn't people with adult reasoning skills.

[Hit and Run]

Public education, everybody, your tax dollars at work.

[Number 2]

Winking at someone is evidence of being a conspiracy theorist? Seriously?

And while we’re on the subject, isn’t Tlaib the one who resurrected the old antisemitic conspiracy theory about Jews corrupting the world with their money? I’d mention an old saying about a pot, a kettle and a certain color, but that is probably considered racist today.

[Juice]

Of course Reason would totally support this anti-vaping crusade and completely deep throat Talib here!

[Rich]

"Are you a conspiracy theorist, motherfucker?"

[HouseHubby]

I have to say that seeing Talaib embarrass herself with her attempts to dunk on Ms. Porter was an utter delight. It just shows how un-woke she really is on this subject and showcases her deep need to moralize to the rest of us...despite facts smashing her narrative.

[CE]

The Dems used to be violently anti-smoking. Now they want to defend those sweet, sweet cigarette tax revenues.

[Tony]

So I checked out the video, as you must, and yeah, Tlaib is a fucking cunt to that lady. Like really goddamn rude. Like almost an eighth of a Jim Jordan. Of course she didn't look the other way while her fellow gym colleague molested little boys, but that's Congress for you!

[Naaman Brown]

In the 1950s Congress saved us from the evils of juvenile delinquency by attacking the comic books that were leading the youth of America into lives of crime.

Now they are going to save us from the evils of vaping.

By sending people dependent on nicotine back to smoking tobacco by outlawing the Demon Vape.

(Unless it's all a ruse to get the vape industry to pay them off.)

Who is dumb enough to take Congressional hearings seriously any more? They are like a cross between the Salem witch trials and the Stalinist show trials. And the media eating them up and exaggerating everything is a cross between 1890s Yellow Journalism and 1960s Advocacy Journalism. The American people are ill served by both Congress and the established media.

[macsnafu]

The only pro-vaping speaker at these hearings, and she wasn't a scientist or expert of some kind? It's no conspiracy if they're *really* out to get you, as Tlaib apparently is.

[HouseHubby]

It's kinda bizarre to see the so called "progressives" turn into puritanical prohibitionists.

Tlaib suggested that Ms. Porter was pro-vaping because of her political beliefs (you know, because people vape based on their politics) and Porter pushed back that her politics are irrelevant to the issue...oh naive Ms. Porter...politics is relevant to EVERY issue that can score political points. As they say, never let a good crisis go to waste.

[mad.casual]

It’s kinda bizarre to see the so called “progressives” turn into puritanical prohibitionists.

The nineteenth century decided to have no religious authority. The twentieth century seems disposed to have any religious authority. - G.K. Chesterton

[Tony]

You know the old quip about how if cigarettes were invented today, they'd be automatically illegal. There's some virtue in getting ahead of a health crisis rather than waiting for it to kill millions. But the evidence on vaping is not quite so solid.

[Libertarianitis]

Oh God. Do I have to vape to be a libertarian now?

[Vernon Depner]

Not if you have a qualifying pre-existing addiction or perversion.

[Anomalous]

Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.

[spork]

It would be a shame if dear old RT were to die in a cigarette-caused structure fire. A real shame.

[Eman]

It would be almost as much of a shame if this comment came to the attention of some enterprising bureaucrat. Almost.

[Eman]

There you republicans go taking things out of context again...

[mocasonah]

hArper. true thAt nicole`s report is exceptionAl... lAst tuesdAy i got A new fiAt multiplA sincee geting A check for $5231 this lAst month And-just over, 10 grAnd this pAst month. with-out Any doubt it's the most-rewArding i've hAd. i begAn this seven months/Ago And pretty much strAight AwAy eArned minimum $72.. per hour. i went to this web-site, HERE☛  www.cashin3.com

[Neptus67]

I wonder why Tlaib would be concerned whether or not someone were a "conspiracy theorist".

[Pod]

These problems and deaths associated with vaping seem to have come out of nowhere. Why weren't people dying last year? To me it seems like the problem isn't neccessarily vaping but something to do with what you're vaping.

[Pod]

If these fuckers were worthy of authority they would be trying to discover exactly why these deaths are happening all of a sudden. But again it's people looking at the surface of things.

[jsnider]

If people didn't want there to be conspiracy theorists, they should stop engaging in conspiracies.

[iwinesry]

Poker tournaments with millions of prizes are waiting in front of you, register at idnpokerace99 and play now. For more information visit our site at http://www.idnpokerace99.com