The Vapor Technology Association (VTA) formally called on voters to voice their opposition to the proposed national ban on flavored vapor products and commenced an aggressive multimedia campaign to raise awareness of the significant adverse public health and economic impacts of such a ban.
As part of this effort, VTA launched vapersdovote.com, a platform through which adults who rely on flavored vapor products to quit or reduce smoking can urge the federal government to preserve their access to this critical tool.
VTA also unveiled “Promises,” an advertisement airing on national television this week, which demonstrates the significant and negative impact that a ban on flavored vapor products would have.
Ten to 13 million American adults rely on e-cigarettes to quit or reduce smoking. A flavor ban would drive these men and women to either revert to combustible cigarettes, which take the lives of nearly half a million Americans each year, or turn to a new and larger black market. Additionally, the licensed, FDA-registered and FDA-regulated American vapor product distribution chain would shutter, resulting in the closure of 14,000 small businesses and the loss of upwards of 166,000 jobs. Notably, more than 31,000 of the jobs at risk are in Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Fortunately, there exist many alternatives to a flavor ban that would effectively limit youth access and appeal without adversely affecting public health and the economy. VTA last month announced “21 & DONE!” a comprehensive plan to address the serious issue of underage use, including: raising the age to 21; implementing 21 serious marketing restrictions, including bans on all television advertising and bans on product names with references that are likely to appeal to minors such as candy, cartoon characters, and video games, among other things; a strong “three strikes and you’re out” enforcement regime; and increased taxes to fund education and enforcement, among other key policies.
Tony Abboud, executive director of the VTA said, “Bans don’t work; they never have. As we have said from the start, we stand ready to work with the administration, regulators and lawmakers on the many real solutions that should be implemented to achieve the twin goals of restricting youth vaping, which is already illegal, and preserving flavored alternatives for adults desperately trying to quit smoking.”
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