New York, NY – Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan), Chair of the Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, author of multiple laws on electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and long-time sponsor of legislation (A.47) IN New York to ban the sale of flavored electronic cigarettes, released the following statement applauding Michigan for its aggressive action to protect young people against the dangers associated with e-cigarette use and urged similarly swift action in New York:

“New York may have missed the opportunity to become the first state in the nation to stand up to Big Tobacco 2.0 by banning the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, but I am committed to ensuring that we are number two. With the news that e-cigarette use may be connected to nearly 200 cases of serious respiratory illness in 22 states and one death in Illinois, it is beyond critical that we take to protect young people against the known and unknown dangers associated with e-cigarette use. The health and safety of millions of young New Yorkers depends on it.

Sadly, e-cigarette companies have taken a page out of Big Tobacco’s playbook, aggressively marketing their addictive products to children with reckless disregard for the consequences. As a result, e-cigarette use among young people in New York and across the country has exploded. The New York State Department of Health reports that e-cigarette use among young people nearly doubled between 2014 and 2016, with nearly 30% of all high school students surveyed reporting vaping within the last month.

Flavors like “Go Nanas,” “Naked Unicorn,” Unicorn Poop,” “Crazy Rainbow” and “Zombie Juice” are designed very specifically to lure young people. It’s the availability of these flavors, in large part, which has driven the meteoric increase in e-cigarette use rates among young people in the State, and exactly the reason that New York has a responsibility to every parent in the State to protect their children’s health by banning the sale of flavored e-cigarettes.”

In addition to Michigan, cities like San Francisco and Berkeley, CA have already taken action to protect their young citizens against this emerging public health risk.