WASHINGTON, DC – September 11, 2019 – The Trump administration just announced that it will seek to ban flavored electronic cigarettes. This move follows the news of six mysterious deaths linked to vaping. Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) commends efforts to ban flavors like gummy bear and cotton candy which are clearly aimed at children. The explosion in youth nicotine addiction because of e-cigarettes requires urgent action. Already several cities and the state of Michigan have taken this necessary step. The federal government must move quickly to implement the flavors ban.
We also hope that while the spotlight is on e-cigarettes, the federal government does not forget that combustible cigarettes remain the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S. and across the world. The FDA has it in its authority to ban the use of menthol in cigarettes, and ASH urges that it does so with haste.