Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Alarming Poison Control Report Data Reveals That Thousands Of Toddlers In U.S. Have Ingested Vaping Liquids
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Thousands Of Toddlers Have Ingested Vaping Liquids
Data from the nation's 55 poison control centers indicate that at least 1,892 children ages 5 or under were exposed to vaping liquids in 2018, in most cases by swallowing them. The consequences for a toddler-age child ingesting vaping liquids could be devastating or even fatal. (Avril, 1/2)
Georgia Health News: Report Slams Georgia Spending Against Tobacco As Inadequate
A recent report ranks Georgia No. 49 among the states and the District of Columbia on preventing kids from using tobacco products. The report, released by several public health organizations, measures states’ spending of tobacco settlement dollars on prevention, in fighting both tobacco use and the rise in e-cigarette use among kids. (Miller, 1/2)
KCUR: Missouri Vapers Are Unlikely To Pay More Sales Tax — And It's Costing The State Millions
More and more young people are vaping, which has led states like Vermont and Illinois to tax vaping products. That’s unlikely to happen in Missouri. In 2014, Missouri lawmakers decided that vaping products and alternative nicotine products shouldn’t be taxed or regulated as tobacco products, part of a bill that banned selling vaping products to minors. While a couple of bills introduced for this year’s session deal with vaping, none add a tax and the governor hasn’t indicated support for a tax. Illinois, meanwhile, expects to get about $15 million in 2020 due to a new 14.5% tax. (Okeson-Haberman, 1/2)
The Washington Post: D.C. Council Weighs Banning Flavored E-Cigarettes And Menthol Cigarettes
Anti-tobacco advocates on Thursday urged the D.C. Council to add menthol cigarettes to its list of banned items as lawmakers consider prohibiting all flavored vaping products in the nation’s capital. The testimony came during a five-hour hearing on bills meant to rein in youth vaping and the rise of electronic cigarettes. But advocates also revived a decades-old fight over menthol cigarettes, a minty flavor disproportionately marketed to and used by African Americans. (Nirappil, 1/2)
Meanwhile —
The Associated Press: Smokers, Do Not Apply: U-Haul Won't Hire Some Nicotine Users
U-Haul has a New Year's resolution: Cut down on hiring people who smoke. The moving company said that it won't hire nicotine users in the 21 states where it is legal to do so, saying that it wants to ensure a “healthier workforce." The new policy will start Feb. 1, and won't apply to those hired before then. (1/2)
