Schumer calls for e-cigarette regs; Fruity flavors are lure for kinds

Posted 8/21/12

ALBANY, NY — By labeling their e-cigarette flavors with names such as Cotton Candy and Gummy Bears, Sen. Chuck Schumer says the manufacturers are targeting teens and children and he wants to put an …

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Schumer calls for e-cigarette regs; Fruity flavors are lure for kinds

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ALBANY, NY — By labeling their e-cigarette flavors with names such as Cotton Candy and Gummy Bears, Sen. Chuck Schumer says the manufacturers are targeting teens and children and he wants to put an end to it.

At a news conference in Albany on April 25, he said, “They are making a campaign to go after kids and that must stop. The only reason these companies are marketing flavors like gummy bear and cherry crush is to lure kids in and then addict them to nicotine.”

In the past, e-cigarette companies have denied aiming their marketing at minors, but use of the electronic devices has increased dramatically among young consumers. According to a study from the Centers for Disease Control, the use of e-cigarettes has tripled from 2012 through 2014 among high school and middle school students, with more than two million students saying they have tried them.

Schumer is promoting the Protecting Children From Electronic Cigarette Advertising Act in the Senate, which would tighten advertising laws and prohibit marketing e-cigarettes to minors.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed to regulate e-cigarettes, but the rule is not yet final. The agency is holding a third and final workshop on the topic on June 1 and 2 in Hyattsville, MD. Residents may submit comments on the topic through www.fda.gov.

According the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the regulations proposed by the FDA are a start, but do not go far enough. The regulations would prohibit sales to anyone younger than 18, and would require health warnings on packaging and would block manufacturers from claiming that the products are safe or healthy.

However, AAP says, “These proposed FDA rules do not address the use of candy and fruit flavors which appeal to youth, do not require child-proof packaging to prevent poisonings, and would not go into effect until at least two years after the rule is finalized. In absence of strong federal regulation, states have been acting to restrict e-cigarette purchases by minors, marketing targeted at children and adolescents, and the use of the devices in public places.”

Two states, New Jersey and Utah, currently have laws banning sale to minors and prohibiting the use of e-cigarettes in all work places, while 40 states prohibit the sales to minors.

E-cigarettes don’t create smoke, but instead create vapor. This is done with a battery fueling a heating element that heats liquids and flavorings and nicotine held in a cartidge. According to WebMD, “The nicotine inside the cartridges is addictive. When you stop using it, you can get withdrawal symptoms including feeling irritable, depressed, restless and anxious. It can be dangerous for people with heart problems. It may also harm your arteries over time.”

There is general agreement that they are less dangerous than traditional cigarettes because they don’t create smoke, but that the health impacts of e-cigarettes need more study.

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