House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

NEW!

Subscribe to receive notifications of new Co-Sponsorship Memos circulated

By Member | By Date | Keyword Search

House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	September 7, 2018 08:33 AM
From:	Representative Stephen McCarter
To:	All House members
Subject:	Increasing the Age to Purchase Vaping Products to 21 Years

As you are aware, e-cigarettes and vaping pens have become popular in the last decade. In particular, young people have taken up this habit in alarming numbers. As of 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that roughly 11% of high school students and 4.3% of middle school students were using e-cigarettes. Steps need to be taken to protect young people from developing bad habits based off of novelty flavorings, fads, and new technology. This is why I am proposing a bill that would prohibit the sale of nicotine delivery devices to anyone under the age of 21. E-cigarettes use “e-liquid” to deliver the nicotine to the user in a vapor. E-liquids come in a variety of flavors, making them attractive to children and young people. Surveys have shown that the variety of appealing flavors are the primary reason young people start using these products. By keeping these products out of the hands of people under the age of 21, we are ensuring that these potentially dangerous products are not widely available to young people. I hope you will join with me in co-sponsoring this bill that will protect young people across the Commonwealth.

---