Democrats Look to Combat E-Cigarette Epidemic, Reintroduce Youth Prevention Initiative

Washington, D.C.- Senate and House Democrats have submitted the bicameral Preventing Opportunities for Teen E-Cigarette and Tobacco Addiction (PROTECT) Act to reduce tobacco use by millions of American teens.

Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) led the House initiative, which intends to set aside $100 million for combatting youth e-cigarette and tobacco addiction.  

“Through research, guidance, and messaging, this legislation would develop targeted strategies to aggressively address the dangers caused by e-cigarettes,” said Representative Schultz via press release.

The Florida representative emphasized the danger posed to America’s youth by e-cig and tobacco products. 

“At all costs, we need to ensure our young people do not become addicted to these harmful products,” continued Schultz.  

The PROTECT Act would direct the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to initiate an expansive investigation into teen and young adult use of e-cigarettes and related tobacco products. In collaboration with professional medical organizations, the CDC would also create strategies for schools to implement when intervening in youth use of modern tobacco products. 

According to the Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey results, “more than 1 in 10 middle and high school students (3.08 million) had used a tobacco product during the past 30 days - including 16.5% of high school and 4.5% of middle school students.”

Survey results also demonstrate e-cigarettes are the most used tobacco devices by a wide margin. 

A whopping 27.2% of survey respondents noting e-cig use were those with low academic achievements (mostly Fs) while 18.3% reported severe symptoms of psychological distress. 

A Senate lead for the PROTECT Act, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CN), underscored the generational significance of the act. “This bill will help prevent yet another generation from getting hooked on tobacco,” said Senator Blumenthal.