There's a public health emergency unfolding right before our eyes — and the cause couldn't be clearer.
The tobacco companies are using flavored products to hook kids — and it's working. Flavored tobacco products, especially e-cigarettes, have addicted a new generation of kids and threaten to reverse the decades-long progress Washington has made in reducing youth tobacco use. Eight out of ten kids who have used tobacco started with a flavored product.
Washington can protect kids by ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products, one of the most promising ways to prevent the industry from addicting our kids.
Tobacco companies continue to aggressively market menthol-flavored cigarettes to kids, communities of color and LGBTQ+ folks, as they have for decades. Youth smokers are more likely to use menthol cigarettes than any other age group. Menthol cigarettes pose a tremendous public health threat — they make it easier to start and harder to quit.
There are thousands of e-cigarette flavors and over 200 cigar flavors. Flavors like like Cotton Candy, Pink Lemonade, Orange Soda, Cherry Dynamite, Mango Mania, and Cool Mint are still readily available, clearly targeting our kids. 85% of youth e-cigarette users report using flavored products.
Flavored products, especially Juul, fueled a youth e-cigarette epidemic over the last decade. Today, over 1.6 million kids nationally use e-cigarettes. In Washington, 7.6% of 10th grade students have used an e-cigarette in the last 30 days. Kids are not just experimenting, but becoming addicted to these sweet, nicotine-loaded products. Many e-cigarettes can contain as much or more nicotine as a pack of 20 cigarettes.
James Layman: Big Tobacco cannot keep harming our students
The Spokesman-Review
WA lawmakers consider flavored tobacco ban
The Seattle Times
More than three-fifths of Washingtonians support ending the sale of flavored tobacco products, Flavors Hook Kids poll finds
The Cascadia Advocate
Washington lawmakers begin push to ban flavored vapes
WA State Standard
WA lawmakers propose statewide ban on flavored tobacco products; businesses warn of economic impact
KXLY
State Superintendent supports ending the sale of flavored tobacco products in Washington
Lynnwood Times
Protect our youth from tobacco addiction
The Spokesman-Review
Washington lawmakers to introduce a ban on flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes
NBC King 5
New coalition targets vape use in Washington
Federal Way Mirror
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