Reps Esty, Degette, Schakowsky, Bustos, Ruiz, and Bishop Introduce Legislation to Protect Children from E-Cigarettes

Press Release

Today, U.S. Representatives Elizabeth Esty (D-CT), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), and Tim Bishop (D-NY) introduced the Protecting Children from Electronic Cigarette Advertising Act to prohibit the advertising of e-cigarettes to children.

Despite serious health concerns, e-cigarettes are currently unregulated. Manufacturers are targeting children and teens through advertising to get them hooked early on nicotine. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1.8 million middle and high school students nationwide have tried e-cigarettes, and over 75% of them have also smoked traditional cigarettes. And these numbers are increasing dramatically. In a single year, 2011 to 2012, the percentage of middle and high school students using e-cigarettes more than doubled.

"Having actively worked on smoking prevention and cessation throughout my career and in my kids' classrooms, I am very concerned about the widespread marketing of e-cigarettes to children," said Rep. Esty. "Nicotine, a highly addictive drug, has serious impacts on children and adolescent brain development. Advertisements that highlight flavors like bubblegum or gummy bears and promote cartoon characters are shameless efforts to addict our kids. We've made too much progress reducing tobacco use to roll back the clock. This bill is an important first step, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to get it passed."

"The e-cigarette industry has revived past tactics used to promote tobacco products to America's youth," said Rep. DeGette. "In essence, they are using "Joe Camel' campaigns in the era of Facebook and Instagram. For far too long, advertising tactics just like these were used to hook generations of Americans to addictive and deadly tobacco products. We have significantly reduced smoking in part by banning the marketing techniques aimed at younger consumers, and we need to hold e-cigarettes to the same standard."

"As a mother of three sons, the health and well-being of our nation's children will always be a primary concern," said Rep. Bustos. "That's why I'm joining with my colleagues today to lead a new effort to help prevent e-cigarettes from getting into kids' hands. Though e-cigarettes don't share all of the qualities of tobacco cigarettes, they are still proven to be addictive and pose a variety of health risks, and companies shouldn't be allowed to market them to young people, period. Our bill will help snuff out these deplorable advertising tactics before a new generation becomes hooked on nicotine."

"As a physician, I have seen the devastating effects of nicotine addiction first hand," said Dr. Ruiz. "It is unconscionable that tobacco companies, through the marketing of candy-like flavors, are targeting our youth. This legislation aims to prohibit the advertising of e-cigarettes to children and stop tobacco companies from creating a new generation of addicted smokers."

"After decades spent working to curb youth tobacco use and the cigarette advertising targeted at children, we must remain vigilant for new attempts to get kids hooked on nicotine products," said Rep. Bishop. "Although the electronic cigarettes that are being marketed may not contain tobacco, they contain many of the other harmful substances found in cigarettes -- including nicotine. We cannot allow these products to be marketed towards children."

Electronic cigarettes, also called e-cigarettes, are battery-operated products designed to deliver chemicals, often nicotine, in the form of an inhaled aerosol. Currently, unlike traditional cigarettes and other tobacco products, e-cigarettes can be legally sold to minors under the age of 18 in many states. According to the Surgeon General, 9 out of 10 smokers began smoking before age 18.

There are serious health concerns with e-cigarettes, which may contain carcinogens and toxic chemicals like diethylene glycol, a chemical used in antifreeze. Studies have shown that nicotine use negatively impacts children's brain development.

The Protecting Children from Electronic Cigarette Advertising Act prohibits advertising, promoting, or marketing e-cigarettes in a manner that increases children's use of e-cigarettes. The bill would allow for enforcement by state attorneys general and other officials, while also providing a mechanism for states to work with the Federal Trade Commission. This bill is a U.S. House counterpart to the U.S. Senate bill, S.2047.

The bill has been endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

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