Congress is set to pass a bill that would ban the sale of cigarettes and e-cigarettes to anyone who is below 21 amid ongoing vaping epidemic across the United States.
Lawmakers and public health officials are extremely worried about the increasing use of e-cigs among young people.
The proposed bill, which is more likely to pass with bipartisan support, has already has gained momentum in Congress as lawmakers are leaving no stone unturned in curbing the ongoing vaping epidemic that has affected more than 2,400 and killed 52 as of December 10.
Currently, the federal smoking age is 18; however, 19 states have raised it to 21 on their own.
Although some anti-smoking groups and some people in the vaping industry have supported the move, others said it might not go far enough to bring down the use of e-cigs in youth.
Altria, which owns 35 percent of Juul, the largest e-cigarette manufacturing company, has supported the move.
Vaping and anti-tobacco groups want Congress to bring a total ban on flavored e-cigarettes. They want lawmakers to take action against the websites that are selling tobacco and vaping products online. They have also urged Congress to bring more transparency around tobacco ads.
Erika Sward, a spokesperson for the American Lung Association, told Forbes, “It’s an important step forward. It’s a down-payment on comprehensive action. Congress and the administration to do more to end the e-cigarette epidemic.”
In September, President Donald Trump announced that his administration would ban flavored e-cigarettes. However, his administration pulled back his proposal to ban flavored vaping products due to pressure from his political advisors and legislators. The House will vote on the proposed bill on Tuesday and it is likely to pass. And then the Senate will pass the measure by Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown.
