APHA Legislative Update

In February, U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., introduced the Protecting Children from Electronic Cigarette Advertising Act, or S. 2047, which would prohibit the marketing of e-cigarettes to children and teens. U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn., introduced a companion bill, H.R. 4325, in March. The bills would ensure that the Federal Trade Commission could take action against those who violate the law.
 
The use of e-cigarettes among middle and high school students doubled from 2011 to 2012. As the popularity rises, so does the potential impact on the public’s health. Electronic cigarettes deliver varying levels of nicotine, a highly addictive drug, and may contain other potentially harmful chemicals. Youth may be more susceptible and receptive to nicotine than adults, and the adolescent brain may develop differently under the use of nicotine. Of additional concern, smoking an e-cigarette introduces youth to a behavior that is very similar to smoking tobacco, a behavior that continues to be the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, accounting for 480,000 deaths every year.
 
A recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that e-cigarette use may encourage conventional cigarette use among U.S. youth. Although further research is needed to fully understand the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes, it is not too soon to take congressional action to ensure e-cigarette manufacturers cannot use similar promotional techniques that cigarette manufacturers used to target and entice youth.

APHA submitted letters of support for the legislation to Boxer and Esty.