No exceptions when it comes to our kids’ health

Imagine a world in which our children are not using tobacco or addicted to nicotine — a world in which tobacco products that appeal to youth cannot be sold, the tobacco industry is prohibited from preying upon youth with their deceptive marketing, and tobacco no longer represents a grave health threat to children.

With tobacco and nicotine use among youth at epidemic levels in this country, we must address this public health crisis. The House of Representatives has an historic opportunity to do just that this week by passing the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act, a bill that takes bold action to remove all flavored e-cigarettes and other tobacco products, including menthol, from the market.

Until recently, the goal of a tobacco- and nicotine-free generation seemed within reach. Youth smoking rates, which were at 28 percent in 1997, fell to just 5 percent in 2018. But this hard-fought public health success against youth tobacco use is threatened by the skyrocketing popularity of e-cigarettes. More than 1 in 4 high-school students and more than 5 million youth nationwide now report using e-cigarettes, which pose serious health risks to users and could increase the likelihood of traditional cigarette use. An American Heart Association study released last year found that kids who use e-cigarettes are more likely to start smoking traditional cigarettes.

The reasons for this surge in youth e-cigarette use is clear. Tobacco companies introduced thousands of products with fruit, candy, mint, and menthol flavors specifically intended to appeal to youth. The companies then designed sophisticated and well-funded marketing campaigns that relentlessly target youth on social media. While the Trump administration pledged last fall to halt the sale of all flavored e-cigarettes, the policy it released last month fell far short of that goal. Urgent action is still needed to stem the youth e-cigarette epidemic given menthol products, disposable e-cigarettes, and flavored liquid nicotine used in open tank systems are being allowed to remain on the market.

Congress took an important first step in December by raising the national minimum legal sales age for tobacco products from 18 to 21. But we know that just raising the sales age for these products is not enough to counteract the actions of an industry intent on addicting another generation of youth. The industry has known for decades that cigarettes and other tobacco products flavored with menthol are less harsh and more appealing to users – especially youth smokers, . Tobacco companies have been especially aggressive with retail advertising and price promotions for menthol products in minority communities. As a result, more than 70 percent of adolescent African-American smokers and more than half of adolescent Latino smokers use menthol  .

Where existing policies have fallen short, the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act will fill the gaps. The bipartisan legislation, first introduced by Reps. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Donna Shalala (D-Fla.), will remove all flavored tobacco products from the market within a year and subject all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to the same advertising restrictions that currently apply to cigarettes. It will also require e-cigarette companies to stop selling any flavored product without pre-market authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) within 30 days. Additionally, the bill directs the FDA to prohibit online sales of most tobacco products, cutting off a way many youth access these products.

We are at a pivotal moment in the fight to protect our children from tobacco-caused addiction and disease. We urge lawmakers to listen to and stand with parents and health advocates to support this important legislation.

Rep. Bobby Rush represents Illinois’ 1st District, serving since 1993. He is a senior member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, as well as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Heart and Stroke Caucus. Nancy Brown is CEO of the American Heart Association.