NACDD Calls for Stronger FDA Action Against Flavored E-Cigarettes
to Protect America’s Youth from the Dangers of Tobacco Use

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Paige Rohe, prohe@chronicdisease.org, 404-924-8295

ATLANTA (Jan. 3, 2020) – The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) believes that the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recent policy to ban flavored electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), while a step forward, falls short in implementing a full ban on these products. A full ban on flavored e-cigarettes is critical to protecting youth from these highly addictive and harmful products.

“NACDD has long been involved with state and territorial tobacco prevention and cessation programs as part of our comprehensive approach to addressing the root causes of chronic illnesses like cancer and cardiovascular disease,” said John W. Robitscher, MPH, CEO of the Association. “We especially are concerned by the data that youth use of flavored e-cigarettes creates a gateway to other tobacco products and can lead to a lifetime of addiction to nicotine and other harmful chemicals. The availability of flavored e-cigarette products—including mint and menthol—has made e-cigarettes attractive to young people, including youth who otherwise wouldn’t use tobacco products.”

In addition to preventing youth use of e-cigarettes, NACDD supports policymakers’ efforts to increase access to FDA-approved tobacco cessation aids for those that use tobacco products and want to quit.

“There are still large disparities in smoking rates across populations, and half of the people who continue to smoke will die of a smoking-related disease,” said Dr. Susan Kansagra, NACDD Board President-elect and Chief of the Chronic Disease and Injury Section in the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. “We need to provide smoking cessation opportunities and support to those who want to quit, especially people in the populations and communities where we find higher smoking rates.”

NACDD commends the technical assistance and support that CDC is providing to states and territories as investigations into the risks and public health impact of e-cigarette use continue.

NACDD encourages the FDA and other federal agencies involved with the regulation of e-cigarettes to continue their close collaboration with State Health Departments to address the public health consequences of vaping and to develop community-based interventions and solutions to protect health.

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The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors Promoting Health. Preventing Disease.

The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) and its more than 7,000 Members seek to strengthen state-based leadership and expertise for chronic disease prevention and control in states and nationally. Established in 1988, in partnership with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NACDD is the only membership association of its kind to serve and represent every chronic disease division in all states and U.S. territories. For more information, visit chronicdisease.org.