Juul or denial?
If you follow nicotine and tobacco policy in the United States, the big news recently is that Juul was made illegal… until it wasn’t. The FDA’s Juul ban lasted less than two weeks. A federal court first granted an emergency stay against enforcing the marketing denial order, then the agency itself brought Juul products back under review. What happens next is anyone’s guess and Juul may still end up on the chopping block, especially given the political pressure the FDA faces to ban the products.
Right after the initial order forbidding the sale of Juul products was handed down, I wrote for Slate about the consequences of banning the most popular safer alternative to cigarettes ever devised. The most obvious is that many vapers will go back to the far more dangerous habit of smoking. Another is that the rule will cause illicit markets to thrive, if not for Juul than for a wide array of other vaping products. The FDA’s failure to authorize e-cigarettes that adult vapers actually want to use makes this virtually inevitable and indicates a breakdown in the agency’s “comprehensive plan” to transition smokers to lower-risk sources of nicotine. Read the piece here, with expert comments from Clive Bates and Kenneth Warner.
Relatedly, Reason has adapted my story from the May issue into a great video on the new era of nicotine prohibition that we are stumbling into. Featuring myself, Reason’s Natalie Dowzicky, and founder and former director of the Drug Policy Alliance Ethan Nadelmann, you can watch below:
Dealer’s choices
To read, now: In my latest review for the Examiner, I recommend Alex Segura’s new novel Secret Identity. Set in 1970s New York City, it’s a murder mystery that doubles as a love letter to superhero comics. This is also my first foray into reviewing fiction and I’m enjoying the opportunity to broaden the scope of what I cover, especially when it gives me an excuse to write about Superman.
To read, soon: In case you missed the previous newsletter, I have a new book coming out! Raising the Bar, my pandemic project with Brett Adams on how to become an expert home bartender, is now available for pre-order. Get the details here.
To listen: I’ve been making up for lost time going to concerts, taking every opportunity to see live music. Here’s a summer Spotify playlist of mostly newish music I’ve been listening to, including a few covers, with more than an hour of songs from Jade Bird, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Belle and Sebastian, Cat Power, and many others. Listen at the link or below:
To drink, in Portland: Last week I turned 40. I celebrated with what has become tradition for me, hosting a soccer scrimmage party, and despite being newly eligible for the over-40 futsal league I’m still having fun scoring hat tricks against high schoolers. But this being something of a milestone, I also brewed a beer for the occasion. I proposed the idea to Alex Ganum of Upright Brewing (one of my all-time favorites) and was delighted when he said yes. We teamed up to make Nordic saison: mostly pilsner malt with a little rye, fermented with Forager yeast first propagated from Oregon honeycombs by Wolves and People, lightly hopped with Cascade hops, and flavored with chopped fennel bulbs and fresh dill that we added a few days into fermentation. It came out tasting fantastic, with a subtle herbal quality, and at just over 4% ABV it’s perfect for summer imbibing. If you’re in Portland, you can still grab a pint at the Upright tasting room. A few kegs went out for distribution, so you may also find it on tap in discerning bars and restaurants. Keep an eye out!
To drink, with or without alcohol: My latest for Inside Hook explores a simple cocktail that’s versatile at a variety of strengths, from no-proof to relatively low-proof. I’ve previously mentioned the Spaghett, a drink made by dosing a light lager with Aperol and lemon, but with the rise of quality non-alcoholic beers and aperitifs you can make this with as little alcohol as you like. Find out how to make it here.
To drink: On a similar theme, here’s a throwback to one of my favorite drinks from Cocktails on Tap, my 2015 book on mixing with beer. Made with saison (maybe Nordic saison?), Aperol, and citrus, it’s bittersweet, herbal, refreshing, and more complex than the drink above. “Beer and Loathing” from Karen Grill:
3/4 oz Aperol
3/4 oz grapefruit juice
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz rich honey syrup (3:1 honey to water)
2 sprigs marjoram, plus one for garnish
3-4 oz saison
grapefruit peel, for garnish
Shake all but the saison with ice. Strain into an ice-filled rocks or collins glass, top with saison, and garnish with marjoram and grapefruit peel.