A recent press release by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) expresses displeasure over a Connecticut bill that says all vapor products would have to be sold in age-restricted locations.
Despite helping millions of American adults quit smoking, organizations like CTFK have exaggerated the issue of youth use of these products while ignoring the benefits these products provide for adults who smoke.
Since 2019, the legal age to use commercial nicotine products in Connecticut is 21. The state needs to do a better job of enforcing current laws to prevent youth use of nicotine instead of passing more laws. Restrictive laws don’t fix problems, they generate additional problems by creating customers for illicit products.
The Connecticut bill offers a compromise in the years-long heated debate over youth use of age-restricted vapor products and adults using these products to quit smoking. If it becomes law, vapor products would no longer be able to be sold at convenience stores, grocery stores or pharmacies. The bill would require all vapor products to be sold at age-restricted locations. Ultimately, these products would be removed from the regular view of youth and exclusively be accessible in adult-only stores.
Unfortunately, CTFK finds this compromise unacceptable and still wants the state to remove all flavored vapor products, in all stores, age-restricted or not.
Kim Murray – InsideSources – 2022-05-08.
Want More Investigative Content?
