Thread by @kirk_bado

It's the most consequential day on the Hill in months, and I'll be covering the most important committee.

That's right, catch me at the House Oversight hearing on 🌬️🌬️JUULING 🌬️🌬️ this AM.

Wow look at this massive crowd all here for the JUUL hearing

Apparently there’s a big celebrity witness testifying in the next committee room over.

House Oversight hearing is underway. The committee details the youth vaping “epidemic” as the CDC says 20.8% of high schoolers use e-cigs

First witness Meredith Berkman, co-founder of Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes, tells the committee about an anti-smoking meeting her son attended at school put on by JUUL. She describes the stealth marketing campaign the company conducted targeting kids in high school

Up now is Rae O'Leary. She describes JUUL's successful campaigns in Native American communities. The use of vaping and e-cigs is rampant in these vulnerable communities

Pediatric Dr. Jonathan Winickoff has first hand knowledge of teen vaping. Says most of his patients do not know the health risks of JUULing.

"One JUUL pod has as much nicotine as 20 cigarettes. Doctors lack effective tools to stop youth vaping," he said.

Winickoff says the best way to curb youth vaping is targeting kid-friendly flavors like mint.

"From candy canes to mints, kids are introduced to the mint flavor from a very young age."

Dr. Robert Jackler is dissecting JUUL’s advertising campaign, and the committee fact sheet includes these memes, which I must admit I’ve see in the wild

Would be very interested to hear @TomScibelli testify before the House Oversight committee on the youth JUULing epidemic

All the witnesses today have put on a full court press against JUUL, basically blaming them for the youth vaping epidemic by targeting teens.

Dr. Raymond Niaura is the first to really acknowledge the benefits of e-cig use for adults trying to stop smoking and says there is some good JUUL can do.

Meredith Berkman’s two high school sons have taken the stand now, and they’re telling the committee about the “unsupervised” presentation at their school conducted by JUUL. The boys said the presenter told them JUUL was safe with no harmful side effects.

Rep. Mike Cloud begins questioning the witness panel about conclusive studies about the health risks of JUULing

Rep. Ayanna Pressley: "School bathrooms have become vaping lounges smelling of mint and cherry."

Committee members and panel are trying to draw a line between the early days of Big Tobacco advertising targeting children and other vulnerable populations. Pressley just finished describing how susceptible black high schoolers are.

Kentucky Rep. James Comer, who notes that he represents the biggest tobacco producing district in the country, wants to make sure the committee does not overreach and vilify perfectly legal tobacco uses like adult smoking and dipping.

Another big take away from this JUUL hearing: Vaping is such a nascent industry that we don't really know the long term effects or whether or not they help smokers wean off traditional cigarettes in large numbers.

Rep. Glenn Grothman cuts to the chase: Is this an effective way to stop smoking?

Dr. Robert Jackler: It's marginally better than patches and gums, but we need more research.

Dr. Raymond Niaura refutes Jackler, says there is a building evidence base that shows e-cigs help smokers quit.

Berkman tells Grothman they are not vape prohibitionists, but just want to ban the flavors that are popular with kids. She is explaining to the Wisconsin rep that JUUL is like the Kleenex to the vaping industry tissue.

Side note, it really is crazy to think how Americans have turned their collective backs to public smoking in the last twenty years. Every time I watch a movie from the 90s it's jarring to see how common smoking was.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib uses her time to sternly rebut Rep. Grothman's skepticism on the scope and severity of youth vaping. She says as a mother she has a moral imperative to combat this health epidemic.

First half of the hearing is ending now. Panel of doctors, researchers and advocates is dismissed and Sen. Dick Durbin is getting called to testify. He is an avowed opponent of youth smoking. durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press…

Durbin: "Today's youth vaping epidemic is a new version of an old battle."

At 15, Durbin lost his father to lung cancer and has fought for tobacco regulations since his election in 1987.

Que drum roll, Durbin concludes his prepared remarks with the line "most parents care when their teenage is lost in a cloud of vape smoke. Does Congress?"

The JUUL hearing wraps up after Durbin's prepared remarks. The committee will reconvene tomorrow with James Monsees, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer of JUUL Labs