On Dec. 20, 2019 President Trump signed into law a $1.4 trillion spending bill that includes measures raising the age of purchase for tobacco products to 21, after long efforts by the ACC and other public health organizations to reduce youth tobacco usage and promote youth cardiovascular health. And on Jan. 2, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it will prioritize enforcing a new ban on flavors that "appeal to kids" used in e-cigarettes and vaping products, specifically mint and fruit.

"The ACC is celebrating a major leap forward in the fight against tobacco use among young people. In passing Tobacco 21 and raising the age to legally buy tobacco and nicotine products to 21 years old, America is finally drawing a line in the sand on this critical public health issue and protecting the well-being of our youth," said ACC President Richard J. Kovacs, MD, FACC. "The decision by the Trump Administration to ban the sale of fruit and mint flavored vaping products is a good first step in the fight to reduce e-cigarette use, especially given recent studies suggesting mint is one of the most popular flavors among teens. However, tobacco and menthol flavors are still left out of the ban on flavored e-cigarettes."

"The ACC strongly supports the additional removal of menthol flavored products from the market – as initially proposed by the Administration – given its similarity to mint flavors. As the policy only affects pod products, thousands of kid-friendly e-liquids will continue to be widely available which in turn would not stop the youth e-cigarette epidemic. With new and ongoing research suggesting very real impacts on heart and lung health, it is imperative that we do everything we can to slow and reverse the rising trend in youth vaping and e-cigarette use."

Tobacco issues were heavily focused on at the annual Legislative Conference. Stay up to date with new tobacco legislation by following ACC's Advocacy Twitter at @Cardiology.

Clinical Topics: Dyslipidemia, Prevention, Lipid Metabolism, Smoking

Keywords: ACC Advocacy, Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, Tobacco, Tobacco Products, Tobacco Use, Nicotine, Menthol, Flavoring Agents

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