(December 9 2016, New York, USA) – Vital Strategies, a global health not-for profit organization, welcomes the publication of the Surgeon General’s report into e-cigarettes. Vital Strategies – like World Health Organization and others – has previously urged a precautionary approach toward e-cigarettes and called for tighter regulation of the sale and use of these products.
The report calls e-cigarette use by youth a major public health concern and makes clear that e-cigarettes makers are targeting children with flavorings and advertising that appeal to young people.
José Luis Castro, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vital Strategies said:
“The Surgeon General’s report shows that an opportunity was missed when e-cigarettes were not more strictly regulated when the FDA finalized deeming.
“In recent years, we have followed unbiased scientific studies on e-cigarettes and our concerns have only increased. E-cigarettes are currently believed to be less harmful than combustible cigarettes, but that does not invalidate concerns about the safety of the products themselves, the safety of their constituent ingredients – especially youth-friendly flavorings, that they would be widely adopted by youth, and that they would be a gateway to traditional cigarettes and other products. This report validates many of those concerns.
“It’s increasingly clear that big tobacco’s “risk reduction” strategy is simply a tactic to help shore up its profits. The imagery and marketing strategies used by the industry are obviously aimed at attracting youth who are predisposed to be interested in the new consumer goods of the age, and who want to be perceived as more mature than their years. That is the lesson the tobacco industry has brought from its combustible tobacco marketing experience – and it shows. Whether youth become addicted to traditional cigarettes or e-cigarettes, all the industry cares about is revenue. Meanwhile, America’s children are being drawn into addiction and harm.
“We can stop this epidemic before it really takes hold. Congress can legislate for the health of the nation, rather than the vested interests of the tobacco industry, by funding the FDA so it has full oversight of all these products. And it can act to protect America’s youth by strengthening the regulation of e-cigarette marketing and sales, as Europe and other countries have sought to protect their youth.
“For some time now, we have been calling for more research on this topic. Health policy should be based on evidence. We thank the Surgeon General for the thoughtful insight and analysis in this landmark report that adds so much to our collective understanding of the risks of this emerging market.”
About tobacco use in the United States
According to The Tobacco Atlas, 17.2 percent of men and 14.2 percent of women smoke tobacco in the United States. This means that over 40 million adults smoke cigarettes every day. A further 3.4% of adults use smokeless tobacco products, which also cause harm. Nearly 200,000 boys and girls say they smoke cigarettes every day. Every year, tobacco-related disease kills nearly half a million US citizens. In 2010, 19.2 percent of male deaths and 15.8 percent of female deaths were caused by tobacco.
About Vital Strategies
Vital Strategies is a global health organization that seeks to accelerate progress on the world’s most pressing health problems. Our team combines evidence-based strategies with innovation to help develop and implement sound public health policies, manage programs efficiently, strengthen data systems, conduct research, and design strategic communication campaigns for policy and behavior change. To find out more, please visit vstrategystage.wpengine.com or Twitter @VitalStrat.
For further information or to arrange an interview with a Vital Strategies public health and tobacco control expert, please contact Tracey Johnston, Vital Strategies, at +44.7889.081.170 or tjohnston@vitalstrategies.org