Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement after a federal court ruled yesterday that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acted illegally when it delayed the regulation of newly regulated tobacco products like e-cigarettes.
“Yesterday a court ruled the Food and Drug Administration was wrong to delay regulation of newly regulated tobacco products, like e-cigarettes. As youth tobacco rates skyrocket-with as many as one-in-five high school students using e-cigarettes-it’s clearer than ever we can’t afford for the Food and Drug Administration to drag its feet on protecting our kids from a new generation of tobacco products. As we look for steps to address the crisis of youth tobacco use, I’m going to keep pushing the Food and Drug Administration to do more and develop a plan on this issue that offers decisive action rather than unnecessary delay."
Last December, Senator Murray also led a letter to FDA calling on them to take action to prohibit the use of kid-appealing flavors in e-cigarettes until or unless they have undergone a thorough FDA review that shows they benefit public health.
