E-cig companies are targeting youth -- Democratic investigation says. [View all]

[pnwmom]

Last edited Wed Apr 16, 2014, 06:27 PM - Edit history (4)

A "smoking cessation" product is only marketable as long as there are large numbers of people trying to stop smoking. If they don't get addicted to nicotine in the first place, then they won't be. So, in order to grow their market, they need to appeal to new vapers, too -- not just to the diminishing market of people trying to quit tobacco cigarettes.

We also know that in many states there are no restrictions on marketing e-cigs and vape pens to teens or even middle schoolers. In states where it's legal, why would the manufacturers not market to them ? Does anyone really think these corporations would unnecessarily restrict their own profits by voluntarily not marketing to teens?

Here is the PDF of the report:

http://democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Report-E-Cigarettes-Youth-Marketing-Gateway-To-Addiction-2014-4-14.pdf

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/02/17/276558592/candy-flavors-put-e-cigarettes-on-kids-menu

At a middle school in the San Francisco Bay Area, Viviana Turincio, an 8th grader, recently noticed some kids smoking in class — or at least, that's what it looked like.

"There was a group at the table," she remembers. "And they were just smoking on the vape pen, and the teacher was right there — and the teacher didn't even notice."

That's because her classmates were smoking an electronic cigarette, sometimes called a "vape pen." It's a hand-held, battery-powered device that vaporizes a liquid that is often infused with nicotine. You inhale the vapor through a mouthpiece, and exhale what looks like smoke. In this case the smoke smelled like candy.

"My favorite flavor is gummy bears because it tastes really good," Viviana says.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/15/health/e-cigarette-makers-targeting-youth-congressional-report-says.html?src=rechp

WASHINGTON — An investigation by Democratic members of Congress into the marketing practices of electronic cigarette companies has found that major producers are targeting young people by giving away free samples at music and sporting events and running radio and television advertisements during youth-oriented programs.

The inquiry, led by Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, and Representative Henry A. Waxman, Democrat of California, was conducted as the Food and Drug Administration prepared a major package of tobacco control rules that would place e-cigarettes under federal regulation for the first time.

SNIP

“It’s time for the F.D.A. to step up and regulate these products,” Senator Durbin said during a conference call with reporters. “We’ve got to put an end to the marketing of these products to kids.”

SNIP

The report surveyed nine major producers, though only eight responded: Altria, R. J. Reynolds Vapor Company, NJOY, Eonsmoke, Logic, VMR, Lorillard and Green Smoke. Six of them said they had sponsored events, and eight said they had given away free samples. In all, 348 events featured free giveaways and sponsorship in 2012 and 2013, “many of which appeared geared toward youth,” the report said.