Press Release: Councilmember Cheh moves to ban flavored e-cigarettes in the District

By Press Release On Sep 17, 2019 Last updated Sep 17, 2019

News Release — Ward 3 DC Council member Mary Cheh

September 17, 2019

Communications Director: Kelly Whittier

Research shows that nearly all youth e-cigarette users use flavored products and 70% cite flavoring as a key reason for e-cigarette use

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, September 17^th, Councilmember Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) introduced the Flavored Electronic Smoking Device Prohibition Amendment Act of 2019. Introduced with a majority of the Council, this legislation will prohibit the sale or distribution of any flavored electronic smoking devices, such as flavored e-cigarettes, flavored e-liquids, and flavored e-cigars.

Councilmember Cheh’s statement on the bill is below:

“Over the past few years, e-cigarette use has exploded among young people and continues to rise at an exponential pace. The e-cigarette industry has built this youth market by targeting children through advertising and widely available flavored products—taking a note from the playbook of the closely-aligned tobacco industry.

Further, as the popularity of these addictive products continues to grow, we’ve seen the proliferation of e-cigarette stores appear across the District without regard to the proximity to our schools or spaces intended specifically for children. The federal government has recently indicated its intent to also ban flavored e-liquids, but we cannot wait for the federal government to act while flavors such as cotton candy and gummy bear e-cigarettes remain on District shelves.”

Statistics on e-cigarette use among high school students from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids:

97% of current youth e-cigarette users used a flavored product in the past month and 70% cite flavors as a key reason for their use.
Between 2017 and 2018, e-cigarette use rose by 78% among high school students and 48% among middle school student nationwide.
In 2017, more than 3.6 million middle and high school students used e-cigarettes, a 1.5 million increase over 2016 users.

Councilmembers Gray, Silverman, Grosso, R. White, Allen, Evans, Nadeau, and Bonds co-introduced the bill with Councilmember T. White signing on as a co-sponsor.

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