A bill introduced in Congress could cripple the e-cigarette and vaping industry. The “Resources to Prevent Youth Vaping Act” (S. 3461) was introduced by Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Patty Murray (D-WA) with bipartisan support.
The bill is a direct attack on the vape industry. It’s being supported by five anti-vaping groups: Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Truth Initiative, American Lung Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Heart Association.
TFA’s stance is that the bill is a good first step toward giving the FDA authority over e-cigarettes. The problem with that is that there are currently no health problems associated with e-cigarettes—the dangers these organizations speak of do not actually exist. The purported goal of the bill is to curb underage vaping among teens. But, as always in Washington, there’s more going on beneath the surface.
The proposed legislation is to require e-cigarette manufacturers to pay a user fee to the FDA to do more rigid oversight of the e-Cigarette businesses and spread awareness about its potential dangers. This is part of a trend in which anti-vaping activists and legislators are attempting to cripple the vaping industry by adding tremendous financial burdens that would force most manufacturers and retailers out of business.
