Merkley Denounces Lack of Action on E-cigarette Rules

Statement

Today on the Senate floor, Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley denounced the Administration's ongoing inaction in finalizing the proposed tobacco deeming rule, and called for the rule to be finalized as quickly as possible. Finalizing the rule is essential to putting in place regulations for e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products, such as minimum age limits, limits on advertising, health warnings, and more.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released the proposed rule two years ago this week. In the intervening time, the rule has not yet been finalized, despite the fact that it is now nearly seven years after the passage of the law that required the FDA to complete the rules, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009.

"When the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act was signed into law, it was heralded as a major victory -- giving the FDA real power to crack down on the marketing of tobacco products to our children," Merkley said today on the floor.

"After a year, no action," he continued. "Two years, no action--that took us to 2011. Three years, no action. Four years, no action. Five years, no action. Six years, no action. Seven years, no action.

"Over the course of those seven years, a lot of young Americans can become addicted to nicotine products. In seven years, the industry had time to develop new, innovative products to entrap our youth. And they've utilized that time well.

"How much longer will this inaction continue while our children are addicted to products newly invented and aimed directly at them?"

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