Author: Newark Independent

Mark Zuckerberg’s shock announcement on Monday that the company would scrap its fact-checking programme has sparked renewed fears over the dangers of social media.Zuckerberg’s move will also see the removal of curbs on discussions on Facebook and Instagram around topics such as immigration and transgender issues.It could lead to a host of negative effects, and real-world harm in the UK, including inspiring extremist views and body dysmorphia, Dr Kaitlyn Regehr of University College London told Yahoo News.The change – which will affect Facebook, Instagram and Threads – will retire a fact-checking programme launched in 2016 and is seen as the…

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could get CBD into your system and enjoy its potential benefits without having to drop everything you’re doing to stick a few drops of one of the leading CBD oils under your tongue? Fortunately, you can now do this, thanks to the evolution of vape pens. CBD vape pens are available to those looking for a more convenient way to consume CBD quickly. Broad-spectrum CBD and full-spectrum CBD vapes are everywhere at the moment. This should make it easier than ever before for you to begin vaping CBD with a disposable vape pen.  We’ve…

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (WPTV) – A lithium-ion battery in a vape pen started a fire at a Florida home on Monday, officials said.Marc Theaman, who is renting the home with his family, said it was around noon when he heard a loud noise coming from the backyard.“And I could smell the smoke, and I could see the flames from the backyard had made their way into the dining room,” he said.The home’s owner, Kayla Ogilbee, said firefighters told her a vape pen’s lithium-ion batteries caused the fire.“Just such a small device could cause this type of damage is unbelievable…

Two U.S. states have paused enforcement of new PMTA registry laws, set to take effect early this year, following legal challenges from vaping industry interests. Utah and Iowa were among the six states that passed PMTA registry laws (described below) last year, as Big Tobacco lobbyists flooded state legislatures with campaign donations in exchange for introducing bills that would hamstring the independent vaping industry. More than two dozen registry bills were introduced in 2024 state legislative sessions.Utah: a temporary restraining order granted just in timeUtah passed SB 61 last March, which included both a PMTA registry and a flavor ban. The legislation was quickly signed…

Democratic lawmakers in Washington are pushing this year to ban flavored tobacco products, with the support of the state schools chief. State Rep. Kristine Reeves, D-Federal Way, filed the legislation Wednesday on the House side. State Sen. T’wina Nobles, D-University Place, is set to sponsor the Senate version. Their proposal includes bans on flavored electronic cigarettes, also called vapes, menthol cigarettes and nicotine pouches, like Zyn. The ban would be effective Jan. 1, 2026. The legislation, House Bill 1203, also targets so-called “entertainment vapor products” that include video games or music. “The prevalence of flavored products is bringing way too…

SEQUIM, Wash. — Local audiophile and longtime smoker Dale McGovern preferred the crackling sound and imperfections of cigarettes to the glossy frequency of a vape, confirmed sources who immediately tried to get out of a conversation with him. “Nothing compares to the imaging response tonality and balanced output resolution of a Parliament Light,” said McGovern before asking his friend to turn off the vinyl record they were playing so that he could listen to his lit cigarette. “It just has a much warmer and richer sound than a Juul. Plus, it’s how nicotine was meant to be inhaled. Vapes are…

Washington lawmakers have tried to ban flavored vape products before. This time, they’re also going after menthol cigarettes. OLYMPIA, Wash — A bill filed for consideration by Washington lawmakers would ban the sale of flavored tobacco and nicotine products in the state – this includes flavored vape cartridges and menthol cigarettes.  The legislation, HB 1203, was filed on Wednesday. It would also ban newer products that pair the act of consuming tobacco or nicotine with a gaming component.  The bill text specifically cites how the tobacco industry is targeting young people and people of color with their product marketing and…

Snakes and other strange items intercepted at TSA checkpoints Snakes and other strange items intercepted at TSA checkpoints 03:06 Frequent flyers know what not to bring on a flight, but some travelers still come up with creative ways to bypass Transportation Security Administration officials.The TSA released its annual list of “best catches” this week and the majority of the discoveries include strange ways people attempted to bring drugs and weapons on board planes. A growing number of Americans are bringing guns to the airport, CBS News previously reported, but not all of them are found inside a LEGO box or a…

IDAHO FALLS – A local lawmaker is drafting a bill aimed at keeping vaping products away from teens. Rep. Jerald Raymond, R-Menan, tells EastIdahoNews.com there have been a rising number of deaths from teens across the state who used vaping products laced with fentanyl or other illicit drugs. County officials throughout Idaho brought this to his attention about three years ago. Among them is Valley County Coroner Scott Carver. Carver saw a steady increase in these types of deaths between 2021 and 2023. The number of deaths peaked at six in 2023, he says. RELATED | ‘Nic Sick’ documentary raises…

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (WSOC) – A vape store owner is accused of raping a 15-year-old girl twice in exchange for vapes.Authorities say this is not the first time the man has asked minors for sex in exchange for vapes.According to court documents, the owner of Mo’s Vape and Tobacco in Kannapolis, North Carolina, sent a message to a 15-year-old girl on Snapchat and provided her vapes in exchange for sex.“I have a daughter myself and I don’t understand what goes through people’s minds to make them think that’s OK,” customer Summer Starns said.According to the affidavit, the girl told Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police…