Flavored E-Cigarette Ban Passes House Subcommittee; Senators Want Information On Administration’s Plans
The movement in Congress over e-cigarettes comes as the nation awaits the Trump administration's decision on the matter.
The Hill:
House Panel Advances Flavored E-Cigarette Ban
A proposal to ban flavored e-cigarette products advanced out of a House health panel on Wednesday. Democrats, public health groups and some experts argue that flavors such as fruit and mint appeal to kids and have gotten a new generation addicted to nicotine. ...In addition to banning manufacturers from adding nontobacco flavors to e-cigarette liquids, the bill, sponsored by Pallone and Rep. Donna Shalala (D-Fla.), would raise the age to purchase tobacco to 21 and ban online sales of e-cigarettes and tobacco products. (Hellmann, 11/13)
Politico Pro:
House Panel Backs Ban On Flavored Tobacco Products
Some Democrats on the panel argued that a menthol ban would disproportionately impact African-Americans who primarily buy the products, while Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) pushed for premium cigars to be exempted from FDA regulation except for buying-age requirements. The subcommittee adopted an amendment from Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.) that would instruct CDC to focus on smoking cessation among underserved communities and particularly racial minorities. Lawmakers also adopted language from Texas Republican Michael Burgess to require the FDA submit annual reports on how it spends user fees collected from industry. (Owermohle, 11/13)
The Hill:
Senators Press FDA Tobacco Chief On Status Of Vaping Ban
Senators from both parties pressed the Trump administration’s top tobacco official on Wednesday for information about the administration’s efforts to remove e-cigarette flavors from the market. Mitch Zeller, the head of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products, told members of the Senate Health Committee that the agency is working on an e-cigarette policy, but declined to give more information about when it will be released, what the policy will be, or even if the administration still intends to remove flavors from the marketplace. (Weixel, 11/13)
In other news on the vaping crisis —
Kaiser Health News:
A Regulatory Haze: Vape Marketers Are Online, Creating New Headaches For Feds
In one picture, Hannah — or, as her 133,000 Instagram followers know her, @__justpeachyy — reclines in a car, her blue vape accenting the matching tattoo ink on her arms. Her curls are messy by design, and eyes heavily lined. (The post has more than 1,300 likes.) In another, she gazes at the camera, her hair brushing against her right eye, her blouse slightly unzipped. You swipe left to see the vape juice she’s using today: a mix of strawberry custard, sugar cookie and vanilla custard, paired with, this time, a black device (2,994 likes as of Nov. 2). (Luthra and Giles, 11/14)
KQED:
Marin Woman Dies Of Vaping-Related Illness In First Recorded Bay Area Fatality Linked To E-Cigarettes
Marin County Chief Deputy Coroner Robert Fielding identified the victim as Amanda Arconti, a 45-year-old Marin County resident who also had an apartment in Vacaville, KTVU reported. She died on Nov. 7 at Novato Community Hospital. Her death appears to be linked to either vaping or previous tobacco use, Fielding said, but noted that a coming autopsy would determine the final cause of death. (Green, 11/13)
