Providing for Consideration of H.R. Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019
Floor Speech
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Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise to support the rule and this comprehensive legislation, which prohibits all flavored tobacco products.
Madam Speaker, I commend Chairman Frank Pallone and Congresswoman Donna Shalala for their leadership.
The youth vaping epidemic is a public health emergency that threatens our youngsters. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four high schoolers are using e-cigarettes, and not just occasionally. More than a third of users in high school said that they were smoking e-cigarettes at least 20 days a month.
My granddaughter, who is a high schooler, when I asked her about this, she said it is everywhere, that everyone is smoking e-cigarettes.
Last year, I hosted a hearing on the youth vaping crisis in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee. As experts have said, the flavors are a key factor in this. Seven out of 10 current youth e-cigarette users said that they used e-cigarettes because ``they come in flavors I like.''
Nearly all, or 97 percent, had used a flavored e-cigarette in the past month. Mango, mint, cotton candy, and gummy bears are just some of the 15,000 flavors still available, thanks to the loophole-laden action the Trump administration took in January.
The President made a promise in the Oval Office to American families to ban flavors, which are hooking our youngsters. They are becoming addicted. But special interests appear to be more important. He allowed popular flavors like menthol to remain for products like the popular Juul device. He allowed disposable vapes of all flavors to remain on the market.
It is unacceptable. The health of our children must be our priority. So, the Democratic majority of the United States House of Representatives is stepping up for our children by voting for this bill and this rule. We can ban flavors and take comprehensive action to defend our kids.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for the rule and the bill.
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