Blog
Blame Anti-Tobacco Advocates for Youth Vaping “Epidemic”
Like most teenage crazes, youth interest in e-cigarettes once seemed a passing fad. In the early years youth vaping skyrocketed, but by 2016 began to…
Blog
Tobacco 21: Feel-Good Policy Could Backfire
Amid an outbreak of “vaping-linked” lung illnesses, a campaign of fear against vaping has reached a frenzied peak. For years, the Food and Drug Administration…
News Release
CEI Report Disputes Claims Tobacco 21 Laws Reduce Teen Smoking
A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report questions whether laws that hike the purchase age for tobacco and e-cigarette products to 21 actually reduce smoking rates…
Study
The Push to Raise the Legal Age to Buy Tobacco to 21 Has Little Basis in Fact
The notion that raising the tobacco purchasing age to 21 helps reduce adolescent smoking seems plausible enough. But there is little evidence in support of…
The Wall Street Journal
Why the U.K. Isn’t Having Problems with Vaping
The Wall Street Journal cites Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on e-cigarettes: Michelle Minton of the Competitive Enterprise Institute says: “A ban on flavors,…
Citation
Understanding a “Temporary” Vaping Ban
Vaping Post cites Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on e-cigarette bans: “There is every reason to believe that those interested in “temporary” bans will…
Forbes
Don’t Make the Vaping ‘Crisis’ Worse with Hasty New Regulations
Forbes cites Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on e-cigarettes:…
Blog
Killing Us with Kindness: Democrats’ War on Vaping Costs Lives
Liberals are supposed to the ones whose hearts “bleed” with concern for others’ welfare. That’s why modern liberals generally reject an abstinence-only approach to regulation.
The Orlando Sentinel
CON: E-cigarette Flavor Ban Ineffective and Dangerous
Never let a crisis go to waste. That could be the official motto for the anti-tobacco industry, which has irresponsibly exploited this summer's sudden outbreak…
Blog
UPDATE: Big Picture in ‘Vaping-Linked’ Lung Poisonings
Over the last three months, the news has been filled with stories of people falling ill from a mystery lung ailment supposedly caused by vaping.
News Release
Trump Ban on Flavored E-Cigarettes Will Cost Lives
President Trump today indicated his administration plans to seek a ban on flavored e-cigarettes, citing concerns over teen vaping and the spate of recent, much-reported…
News Release
CDC Putting Lives at Risk with Warning Against E-Cigarettes
Today, the Centers for Disease Control put out a dire warning against use of e-cigarettes in the aftermath of a spate of recent lung illnesses…
Blog
Lung Disease Outbreak Caused by Black Market, not Vaping
News media around the world have picked up on the story of “vaping-linked” hospitalizations. Most have omitted the fact that black market marijuana e-liquid has…
Blog
Heretics in the Church of Tobacco Control
H.P. Lovecraft opined in 1931 that “if religion were true its followers would not try to bludgeon their young into artificial conformity, but would merely…
Blog
Dietary Guidelines for Americans (Except Those with Eating Disorders)
The goal of the government's Dietary Guidelines for Americans is to provide simple advice that promotes nutritional health, but for millions of Americans it may do…
Washington Examiner
FDA Can Save Lives by Rejecting Scott Gottlieb’s Lies
E-cigarettes have proven effective at helping people quit smoking, a massive potential public health gain, considering nearly half a million people die every year from…
Blog
If You Vape (Illicit Street Drugs), It May Kill You (Duh)
Over the last four weeks, eight Wisconsin teenagers have been hospitalized with severe lung damage. The news that vaping caused these illnesses has swept across…
The Heartland Institute
Time Runs Out For Proposed Louisiana Fantasy Sports Tax
The Heartland Institute cites Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on a proposed tax on fantasy sports. The proposed tax would undermine Louisiana’s appeal to…
Blog
Bogus E-cigarette Panic Literally Killing People
Is this a story from The Onion? It’s a question we often ask ourselves these days when we encounter stories online that seem too ridiculous…
Marijuana Moment
Congress Clashes On Marijuana Amendments In Floor Debate
Marijuana Moment cites Senior Fellow Michelle Minton’s recent work on marijuana policy. Meanwhile, the amendment enjoys support from a coalition of fiscally conservative thought…
Marijuana Moment
Federal Government Violated the Law in Marijuana Scheduling Evaluation, Group Says
Marijuana Moment cites Senior Fellow Michelle Minton’s request for correction on the Department of Health and Human Services’ medical marijuana evaluation. The Competitive…
Blog
Department of Health and Human Services Needs to Correct Record on Marijuana
Regulators at the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) had an opportunity in 2016 to move marijuana into a less restrictive category of controlled substances. This…
The Hill
Legalized sports betting is paying off
A year ago, New Jersey’s fight to overturn the failed federal ban on sports betting was vindicated by the Supreme Court, with the justices deeming…
Blog
New York Times Runs Stealth Anti-Vaping Ad as Op-ed
Readers of The New York Times deserve better than advertising masquerading as righteous opinion writing. While reporters at Times get credit for exploring and exposing…
News Release
CEI Praises FDA for Approving Lower Risk Cigarette Alternative
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today gave the green light to the marketing of new tobacco products manufactured by Philip Morris. The IQOS “Tobacco…
News Release
McConnell Plan to Raise Nicotine Access to Age 21 Could Backfire
Citing health concerns about youth vaping, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) announced legislation to raise the nationwide minimum age to buy tobacco products from…
Medium
The FDA’s Runaway Trolley Problem
If you’ve ever participated in a thought experiment, you know how fun that can be. The most famous is the Trolley Problem, entertainingly portrayed by…
Medium
Where Anti-Vaxxers and Anti-Vapers Meet
You might have more in common with anti-vaxxers than you want to believe. You might feel the need to reject the possibility because you would…
The Lars Larson Show
AUDIO: Michelle Minton Joins the Lars Larson Show
Senior Fellow Michelle Minton discusses vaping and seizures on The Lars Larson Show (1:30:25 mark)…
Blog
FDA Created the Youth Vaping Epidemic, Now It’s Doubling Down
E-cigarettes pose less risk than smoking. The science is clear: while cigarettes kill about half their users, e-cigarettes have perhaps five percent of the risk.
Comment
CEI Comments to FDA on Modifications to Compliance Policy for Certain Deemed Tobacco Products
Dear Dr. Gottlieb: The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) welcomes the opportunity to offer the following comments on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed modifications…
Real Clear Policy
Federal Pot Prohibition Nears its End
America has made up its mind on marijuana. Most Americans think it should be legal, and all but two states have decriminalized or legalized the drug in…
Blog
FDA’s Fake E-cigarette News
Journalists aren’t the only purveyors of “fake news.” Federal agencies also generate misleading headlines. Sometimes, they do it with a purpose. That seems to be…
Blog
Help Wanted: Seeking Commissioner for Food and Drug Administration
In a tidal wave of Washington drama, President Trump’s Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb abruptly and unexpectedly announced in March 2019 that he…
News Release
Trump Budget Seeks Ill-Advised E-Cigarette Tax
President Trump’s budget submitted to Congress today contains an ill-advised tax on e-cigarettes. CEI Senior Fellow Michelle Minton says such a tax would do less…
Blog
States Challenge Federal Internet Gambling Ban
This January, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued an opinion that threatens legal online gambling in the U.S. The tenuous rationale on which the opinion…
Blog
E-Cigarette Puritans Risk Lives
Tobacco companies faced a savage backlash in the 1990s when the public realized they willfully misled the world about the dangers of smoking. Yet when…
News Release
FDA, Activists Put Smokers’ Lives at Risk with Misleading Claims about E-Cigarettes
The FDA is working on a plan to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes from convenience stores nationwide -- which is precisely the sort of…
Study
Anti-E-Cigarette Puritans Put Lives at Risk
Big tobacco companies were publicly pilloried when they were found to have misled the public about the dangers of their products. To this day, that…
News Release
FDA Ban on Sale of Flavored E-Cigarettes Bad for Public Health
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has reportedly given the White House his plan for stopping the sale of flavored e-cigarettes in convenience stores…
Vaping Post
The Department of Health and Human Services and Vaping: A tale of Bootleggers and Baptists
Vaping Post cited Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on e-cigarettes. To further understand the concepts that I’m presenting, we need to consider some basic…
Fox News
Super Bowl – Here’s Why it’s a Big Deal That You Can Place Your (Legal) Bets on the Big Game
For the first time since 1992, Americans outside of Nevada can legally wager on the outcome of the Super Bowl. This comes thanks to a recent…
News Release
Court Ruling Against Soda Warning Labels Praised by CEI Experts
Today, a federal appeals court blocked a San Francisco law mandating health warning labels on ads for soda and other sugary drinks, saying the law…
Reason
Georgia’s ‘Mimosa Mandate’ Is a Victory for Alcohol Freedom
Reason cited Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on alcohol regulations: Why stifle alcohol sales when they’re clearly the miracle elixir society needs? Michelle Minton…
Daily Mail
Chips are Down for Online Gamblers as US Moves Toward New Ban
Daily Mail cited Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on online gambling: But Michelle Minton, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said the…
Blog
Department of Justice Disregards Intent of Congress on Internet Gambling
Congress was not vague in its intent when it enacted the Wire Act in 1961. The law, developed and supported by then-Attorney General Robert Kennedy,…
News Release
Trump Justice Department Pits 1961 Law Against Online Gambling
In an effort to strike at online gambling, the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel this week issued a new opinion that will allow…
Blog
Agenda for the 116th Congress: Consumer Freedom
The second-to-last chapter in the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s agenda for the 116th Congress focuses on consumer freedom. Specifically, the chapter recommends ways Congress can rein…
The American Spectator
Is DOJ Undermining Trump’s Commitment to Drain the Swamp?
The American Spectator cited Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on online betting and the Department of Justice: Michelle Minton of the Competitive Enterprise Institute,…
Reason
The DOJ Shouldn’t Reignite the Fight Against Intrastate Gambling
Reason cited research by Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on state gambling regulations and the Department of Justice. Research into a history of the Wire…
Inside Sources
Unfounded E-Cigarette Panic Puts Public Health at Risk
E-cigarettes pose a tiny percent of the risk of cigarette smoking, just 1 percent to 5 percent according to authorities like the United Kingdom government.
Inside Sources
Vaping and Harm Reduction: A Brief Analysis of Policy, Academic Conclusions, and Hysteria
Inside Sources cited CEI’s study by Senior Fellow Michelle Minton, “Fear Profiteers.” Additionally, in a recent commentary piece written for the Capital Research…
News Release
CEI: Rumored DOJ Memo to Restrict States’ Power to Regulate Intrastate Gambling Would be “Dangerous Precedent”
According to reports, the Department of Justice is considering releasing a memo that reverses a 2011 decision by the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) which…
The Washington Examiner
Think Tank: Make Fed Policy More Market-Driven
The Washington Examiner cited Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on the prohibition mindset. Michelle Minton for the Competitive Enterprise Institute: On December 5, 1933…
Blog
85 Years after Repeal, Prohibition Lingers in Your Beer
On December 5, 1933 the federal government’s nationwide prohibition against alcohol ended. Eighty-five years later, the beer market seems to have finally recovered. Today, there…
Life Zette
Gov’t May Use Dubious Research To Attack E-Cigs, Report Claims
Life Zette cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on electronic cigarettes. Federal agencies and activist groups have been propping up dubious research in…
News Release
Unfounded E-Cigarette Fears Help Health Activist Groups But Harm Public Health
A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report reveals how health activist groups and government agencies jeopardize public health by promoting the unfounded notion that e-cigarettes are…
Blog
Can You Buy Alcohol on Christmas (and New Year’s Day) in Your State?
The holidays bring parties, feasts, and libations. But some celebrants may find themselves without a cup of cheer if they wait until the day of a…
Fox News
John Stossel: Is Vaping E-Cigarettes Really A Health Crisis?
Fox News cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on e-cigarettes. Yet compared to regular cigarettes, e-cigarettes are “extraordinarily less harmful,” says Michelle Minton…
Study
Fear Profiteers
The rise of a vibrant market for e-cigarettes has been a blessing for many smokers. After many failed attempts to quit, e-cigarettes provide an exciting…
Reason
Declines In Adolescent Smoking Accelerated As Vaping Rose, Suggesting The FDA’s Campaign Is Fatally Misguided
Reason cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on FDA anti-vaping ads. In the midst of a federal campaign against underage vaping, a new…
Reason
Stossel: Let Them Vape
Reason cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on e-cigarettes. Our government says e-cigarettes and vaping are the latest “epidemic” among teens. So the…
News Release
New FDA Rules on E-Cigarettes Will Limit Adult Smokers’ Access to Safer Alternatives
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced new regulations restricting the sale of flavored e-cigarettes. The new rules would restrict sales at convenience stores…
Reason
The FDA’s Plan To Ban Flavored E-Cigarettes From Most Stores Is Unfair And Dangerous
Reason cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on the FDA’s ban of flavored e-cigarettes. In an effort to curtail underage vaping, the Food…
One News Page
FDA To Restrict E-Cigarette Flavors
One News Page cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on FDA restriction of flavored e-cigarettes. Competitive Enterprise Institute consumer policy expert Michele Minton:…
News Release
FDA Ban on Flavored E-Cigarette Sales Will Put Lives at Risk
The FDA is expected to impose imminent new restrictions on the sale of e-cigarettes by convenience stores, gas stations, and online, according to news reports.
Legal Sports Report
What We Learned About Sports Betting In Congress: Questions And Answers
Legal Sports Report cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on sports gambling. Minton’s testimony advocates for state regulation of sports betting, noting that…
West Virginia Public Broadcasting
How Much Will Sports Leagues Make From Legal Betting?
West Virginia Public Broadcasting cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on sports gambling. With more viewers, the leagues will be able to charge…
Washington Examiner
Congress Already Ruined Sports Betting Once; Don’t Let Them Do it Again
After a prohibition lasting more than two decades, Americans outside Nevada can at last bet on sports without breaking the law.
Comment
Testimony of Michelle Minton on Post-PASPA: An Examination of Sports Betting in America
Chairman Sensenbrenner, Ranking Member Jackson Lee and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present comments on behalf of my organization, the…
Blog
Congress Should Stay out of Sports Betting Regulation
For the first time in twenty-five years, Americans can legally wager on the outcome of sporting events outside of Nevada. Thanks to a Supreme…
Blog
No, One or Two Alcoholic Drinks a Day Is Not Unsafe or Unhealthy
Here we go again. A new round of news headlines implies any level of alcohol consumption is bad for you, based on the findings…
Blog
One Year Later, Federal Plan on Tobacco Harm Reduction Needs Improvement
The Food and Drug Administration has failed to approve a single reduced-harm nicotine product in the past year, despite unveiling a new “roadmap” in…
Blog
Science Reporters Get it Wrong: Moderate Alcohol Consumption Isn’t Dangerous
Joel Achenbach, a science and politics reporter, once asked why “many reasonable people doubt science.” He should look at his own reporting on alcohol…
Blog
For Sake of Public Health, FDA Should Not Ban E-cigarette Flavors
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gotlieb, a medical doctor and cancer survivor, has had a long-term interest in tackling tobacco-related diseases. But unfortunately…
Comment
CEI Comments on the Regulation of Flavors in Tobacco Products
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) welcomes the opportunity to offer comments regarding the regulation of flavors in tobacco products.
Blog
Last Chance for the 115th: Protect Lifesaving Vaping Products
Congress must act before anti-tobacco zealots in and outside of government eliminate life-saving vaping products. Anything that makes e-cigarettes less attractive to smokers will result in…
Comment
CEI Comments to FDA on Modified Risk Tobacco Product Applications
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) welcomes the opportunity to offer comments regarding modified risk tobacco product applications (MRTP), particularly in the case of the MRTP…
Blog
Prop E Win in San Francisco Would Be Loss for Public Health
“Big Tobacco” is pouring millions into a campaign to maintain their ability to keep selling harmful products that target children. At least, that’s the narrative…
Blog
Supreme Court Ends Sports Betting Prohibition—Now What?
It’s hard to believe it was just last Monday the U.S. Supreme Court ended the federal law that, for 25 years, prevented the states…
The Daily Mail
The Race Is On for Slice of Lucrative US Gambling Pie
The Daily Mail cited Michelle Minton on the conditions which observers ought expect will rise across different states concerning the management and taxation of online…
NPR
Sports Betting Ruling Could Have Consequences, Especially For College Athletes
National Public Radio cited Michelle Minton on the consequence of betting on college sports where student players are not paid. The amateur athletes are…
Watchdog
U.S. Supreme Court Opens Door For States To Allow Sports Betting
Watchdog cited Michelle Minton on the financial benefits to states on the deregulation of online sports betting, and on the stained-glass landscape which people should…
News Release
Supreme Court Ruling in New Jersey Sports Gambling Case: A Win for States, Consumers, and Rule of Law
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of New Jersey’s right to set its own laws on whether to allow sports gambling – a…
The Hill
High Stakes in Supreme Court Sports Betting Case
In just a few days, the Supreme Court is expected to announce a decision on Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Blog
Senseless Menu Labeling Rules Go into Effect in May
Within days, chain restaurants and grocery stores nationwide will have to comply with a high-cost, low-value Obamacare menu labeling mandate. Failure to comply with the…
Blog
How States Can Win Big from Legal Sports Betting
Every March, millions of Americans join friends, relatives, and coworkers in “March Madness” betting pools, centered on the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Men’s Basketball…
News Release
Report: States Should Bet on Sports Gambling Laws that Work
Despite the popularity of March Madness brackets, all sports betting remains illegal in the United States. States that hope to legalize sports betting should start…
Study
Legalizing Sports Betting in the United States
Every March, millions of Americans join friends, relatives, and coworkers in “March Madness” betting pools, centered on the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Men’s Basketball…
PGRI
Supreme Court Decision Could Open Door for Sports Betting in Pennsylvania
PGRI cited Michelle Minton on the liklihood that judges will overturn the federal sports betting ban on behalf of the state of New Jersey. …
Townhall
Beware the Dangers of Online Gambling Says Wildly Rich, Totally Uninterested Casino Owner
Townhall cited Michelle Minton on the fact how at least one-percent of gamblers, no matter the restrictions or type of gambling, they will develop a…
Forbes
Online Gambling — None Of Washington’s Business (But Its Enemies Don’t Care)
Forbes cited Michelle Minton on the history of Pennsylvania Representative Charlie Dent and others to pass an amendment illegalizing state-based internet gambling within the state…
News Release
CEI Praises House Plan to Fix Obamacare Menu Labeling Mandate
House Republicans are expected to vote tomorrow, February 6, on a bipartisan bill to scale back the most onerous provisions of the Obamacare menu labeling…
InsideSources
In the Sports-Subsidy Game, Taxpayers Always Lose
Few events unite our diverse country and bring people together like sports. No matter where we are from, which team we root for, or even…
Blog
States: Protect Taxpayers and Reject Sports Gambling Rent-Seekers
For the last 25 years, the states have lost out on millions in tax revenue they could have collected from sports betting, thanks to a…
Las Vegas
Think Tank Releasing Report On New Jersey Challenge To Sports Betting Act
Las Vegas Review-Journal quotes Michelle Minton the impact on consumer freedom which a federal sports gambling known as PASPA poses. When the U.S.
Blog
California’s Cancerous Coffee Nonsense
If you have ever visited California, you have probably encountered the warning labels that appear on everything from seaweed to soft drinks, informing you…
NBC News
Cigarette Company Philip Morris Tries to Sell Idea of ‘Safer’ Tobacco
NBC News covers smoking alternatives. When Philip Morris International took out an ad campaign in Britain claiming it wanted to “give up” smoking, American…
The American Spectator
Pennsylvania’s Entry Into Online Gaming May Kill Federal Ban Effort
The American Spectator covers Pennsylvania’s online gambling law and how it could affect the federal ban effort. The impending implementation of Pennsylvania online gaming…
Blog
Justice Department Breaks Trump Vow to Leave Marijuana up to States
It is Congress’s responsibility to finally update federal drug laws in a way that reflects America’s changing values and priorities. …