ALBANY, N.Y. – Like many state, local and federal rule makers, New York state officials are jumping on the flavored e-cigarette regulation bandwagon, expressing concerns about what they describe as an increasing number of teenagers choosing to vape, according to the New York Post.
Promising corrective action, State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker told the Public Health Council on Oct. 11 that the agency is concerned. “There’s a lot of marketing to children of this, and we need to tackle it,” Zucker said.
State lawmakers are garnering momentum to ban flavored e-cigarettes, the news agency reported.
“The use of e-cigarettes and exposure to nicotine by youth is especially concerning to the Department of Health,” said Jonah Bruno, director of communications for the Public Affairs Group for the New York State Department of Health, New York. He told CSP Daily News that at Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s direction, the state health department will monitor compliance with the state’s Clean Indoor Air Act to ensure reduced exposure to secondhand e-cigarette aerosol in public places such as restaurants, workplaces and schools.
“We look forward to working with e-cigarette retailers to help us meet these goals,” Bruno said.
Citing Department of Health data, Bruno said e-cigarette usage among high school students in New York state nearly doubled in the past two years from 10.5% in 2014 to 20.6% in 2016 and it now “far exceeds” the rate of cigarette smoking.
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