WASHINGTON, D.C.- Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) today praised U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy for issuing a new report on electronic cigarettes.
“I commend Surgeon General Murthy for highlighting the danger of e-cigarettes," Pallone said. “E-cigarette companies are using slick marketing campaigns and sweet flavors that appeal to kids to get an entire generation addicted to nicotine. It’s disturbing, but certainly not surprising based on these marketing campaigns, that e-cigarettes are the most common tobacco product used by kids and teens. This report demonstrates the need for Congress to take action to reduce the use of e-cigarettes among young Americans."
The Surgeon General’s report marks the first comprehensive review of the public health impact of e-cigarettes on U.S. youth and young adults. The report reaches several major conclusions regarding the dangers e-cigarettes pose to young people:
* Kids are using e-cigarettes in large numbers. E-cigarettes are now the most commonly used tobacco product among youth, surpassing conventional cigarettes. In 2015, more than 3 million middle and high school students said they used e-cigarettes in the last 30 days.
* Youth use of any nicotine containing products, including e-cigarettes, is unsafe, can cause addiction, and can harm the developing adolescent brain, disrupting attention and learning.
* E-cigarette aerosol is not harmless. It can contain harmful and potentially harmful constituents, including nicotine.
* In one of its most troubling findings, the report finds that while more research is needed, e-cigarette use is “strongly associated" with the use of other tobacco products among youth and young adults, including conventional cigarettes. This raises serious concerns that e-cigarette use is undermining the tremendous progress our nation has made in driving down smoking and other tobacco use among youth.
