Tobacco Endgame Initiative in California
Tobacco Endgame Initiative in California: Clear Position against E-cigarettes March 23, 2023 | Background: ASH USA points to California’s proposed legislation restricting nicotine products and phasing them out of the market. As part of this initiative, e-cigarettes are considered detrimental to ending the smoking epidemic.
“If e-cigarettes are safe, the e-cigarette companies should prove it. At present, they are in the business of selling an addictive drug, and they are targeting children. Simply saying e-cigarettes are “safer” than cigarettes does not say very much; cigarettes are the most dangerous consumer product ever conceived. Almost anything is safer. For now, while the safety of e-cigarettes remains in doubt, they should be treated like cigarettes are now treated. This means:
• No “vaping” in places that ban smoking;
• No advertisements on television, radio, or billboards;
• No marketing to children whatsoever;
• No flavors (including mint or menthol);
• No sales to children, with a ban on internet sales;
• No misleading health claims.
A growing number of states and cities in the U.S. and foreign countries already regulate e-cigarettes, and ASH encourages all jurisdictions to do the same.”
https://ash.org/programs/e-cigarettes-the-fight-against-tobacco/
Note: Strict regulation of e-cigarettes is recommended, although a complete ban is only recommended for children but not adults until the ‘safety’ of e-cigarettes is determined. In Thailand, TRC finds research showing that e-cigarettes are not safe to the respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological systems. A ban is justified on this basis, not just because vaping interests are misrepresenting and illegally selling many of their products, especially to children.
Stephen Hamann
