Tobacco companies continue to target our kids with highly-addictive, candy-flavored, nicotine-loaded products like e-cigarettes. And they're lobbying Congress to weaken federal policies that protect kids. Our message to Congress: Protect kids, not the tobacco industry. Congress must protect FDA's authority to regulate tobacco products, support funding for CDC programs that prevent kids from using tobacco and help smokers quit, and push federal agencies to clear the market of illegal, kid-friendly, candy-flavored vapes.
Sign now to send this message to key members of Congress!
Dear [representative / senator],
I urge you to support FDA and CDC efforts to protect kids from tobacco products – including nicotine-loaded, kid-friendly, flavored e-cigarettes.
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in our nation. It kills nearly 500,000 Americans every year and costs over $241 billion in annual health care expenses, more than 60% of which are paid for by taxpayers through government programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
Smoking is the top cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., responsible for about 30% of all cancer deaths. It is also a major cause of other chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke, COPD and diabetes. Our nation cannot end the chronic disease epidemic without taking on tobacco.
That starts with protecting kids because nearly all tobacco users start and become addicted as kids. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm kids' brain development, impacting parts of the brain responsible for attention, learning, mood and impulse control.
Flavors play a key role in attracting youth to tobacco products. Nearly 88% of youth e-cigarette users use flavored products.
Today, e-cigarette manufacturers continue to target kids with fun flavors, like cherry crush and cotton candy, and massive doses of nicotine. The latest vapes contain as much nicotine as 20 packs of cigarettes or more, putting kids at risk of quick and severe addiction. Some e-cigarettes even include built-in video games, increasing their appeal to kids.
Almost all these products are on the market illegally. The FDA has authorized 34 e-cigarette products, but more than 6,000 products are available for sale in the U.S. It's critical that these illegal e-cigarettes be removed from the market.
To protect kids, I urge you to take the following actions:
- Support the FDA's authority over tobacco products and reject tobacco industry efforts to weaken that authority.
- Push the FDA and other federal agencies to clear the market of illegal, kid-friendly flavored e-cigarettes.
- Support funding for the CDC's programs to prevent kids from using tobacco and help smokers quit.
These actions will protect kids from tobacco addiction, save lives and save money by reducing tobacco-related healthcare costs.
[Your comment here]
Sincerely,
[Your name here]
