Watchdog Condemns New Proposal to Ban E-Cigarettes

For Immediate Release
August 11, 2020
Contact: Grace Morgan
(202-855-4380)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) strongly condemned a proposal by Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) that would ban the sale of all reduced risk alternatives to tobacco products. Earlier today, Rep. Krishnamoorthi wrote to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn claiming that e-cigarette users are more likely to be diagnosed with Covid-19 and called on the FDA to, “clear the market of all e-cigarettes for the duration of the coronavirus crisis.”

TPA President David Williams slammed the proposal, noting, “the scientific evidence is overwhelming – e-cigarettes save lives. E-cigarettes are proven to be 95 percent safer than combustible cigarettes, and twice as effective as conventional nicotine replacement therapies.  Banning their sale will immediately lead to more Americans smoking deadly combustible tobacco products – and dying as a result.”

Williams continued: “This reckless proposal was based on a ‘study’ that consisted of one small online survey conducted in May. This lone sample contradicts more than 700 studies of Covid-19 patients that take into account data on smoking prevalence. These hundreds of analyses have added to the overwhelming weight of evidence demonstrating the exact opposite of what Rep. Krishnamoorthi writes in his letter. It is beyond belief that one online survey can be taken more seriously than mountains of data derived from real-time information on the coronavirus. This vast body of evidence has been collected not just from the US, but around the world.”

“It remains absolutely essential to enforce sale laws to ensure underage Americans are unable to purchase these products. However, punishing smokers who have successfully made the switch to reduced risk products just because of the actions of a small percentage of vaping teenagers is completely unwarranted and irresponsible.”

Williams concluded: “Rep. Krishnamoorthi’s proposal denies the overwhelming scientific evidence and would cause a public health disaster at the worst possible time. Commissioner Hahn should reject this misguided and harmful appeal.”

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