Barbara Boxer: “I also thank Senators Alexander and Murray for including my provisions on a dangerous product that is gaining popularity…”

“I also thank Senators Alexander and Murray for including my provisions on a dangerous product that is gaining popularity among our children, e-cigarettes. The language in the bill allows schools to use their same Federal funding that goes toward alcohol, drug, and tobacco education to teach children about more novel tobacco products such as e-cigarettes. According to the CDC, youth use of e-cigarettes has tripled in 1 year from 2013 to 2014. Let me tell you, our kids are not getting accurate information. There is advertising that is aimed at them that makes it sound like this is just a wonderful opportunity for them. What are our children being exposed to? It is not just nicotine-- clearly, e-cigarettes are a nicotine delivery system--but even more. Now the Surgeon General has said nicotine has a negative impact on adolescent brain development. So for God's sake, let us stop our kids from being able to smoke e-cigarettes on campus. I have an amendment that would do just that, and I hope it will be unanimously accepted because these e-cigarettes also contain benzene, cadmium, formaldehyde, propylene glycol, and nanoparticles that are present in traditional cigarettes, according to the California Department of Health. So we need the FDA to finalize their rule on e-cigarettes. But in the meantime, youth use is soaring. We finally are making progress on reducing smoking among teens, and yet this e-cigarette situation is out of control.…”