Sen. John Cornyn leads discussion about e-cigarettes, vaping in Corpus Christi
The U.S. government on Thursday began enforcing restrictions on flavored electronic cigarettes aimed at curbing underage vaping. But some teenagers may be one step ahead of the rules
Sen. John Cornyn leads discussion about e-cigarettes, vaping in Corpus Christi
The U.S. government on Thursday began enforcing restrictions on flavored electronic cigarettes aimed at curbing underage vaping. But some teenagers may be one step ahead of the rules using disposables (Feb. 6) AP Domestic
Sen. John Cornyn wants to prevent online sales of e-cigarettes to children and Corpus Christi doctors back his efforts.
Cornyn hosted a roundtable discussion Friday afternoon at Driscoll Children's Hospital to discuss the dangers of vaping with area doctors, leaders and students.
A bill introduced by Cornyn, "The Preventing Online Sales of e-cigarettes to Children Act," would prevent online sales of e-cigarettes to minors by applying the same requirements to purchase cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products.
Cornyn also touted the bill had bipartisan support.
E-cigarettes and vaping often have been considered a better alternative to smoking cigarettes and have been seen as a step to quitting entirely.
"Unfortunately, nationwide about 28% of high school students and one in 10 middle school students use e-cigarettes," Cornyn said. "The impression I think some people have is that there's no health consequences associated with e-cigarettes, and we know otherwise."
The Texas Legislature recently passed a law that increased the age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21.
Two high school students and Dr. Paul Nolan, a pediatric pulmonologist, don't think the age limit is enough.
"I don't think that's slowed down teen usage at all," said Eli Susser, a Ray High School student. "Other people are buying them for (teens). I don't know how an age limit can help without banning (e-cigarettes) to keep it out of the hands of teens."
Doctors at Driscoll Children's hospital told Cornyn and a crowd of people about e-cigarette patients they have seen firsthand.
All of the patients were minors.
Some vaping-related symptoms they've seen included shortness of breath, collapsed lungs, holes in lungs and portions of lungs needing to be removed. In some cases, transplants were necessary.
Doctors urged Cornyn to take his efforts against e-cigarettes a step further and called vaping an "epidemic."
"We need to ban this poison. Go all the way. Knowing the data we have now we have to go all the way," Nolan said. "This is the poison we are legally selling to people in the United States. The FDA has the ability to do this."
The Food and Drug Administration has not regulated e-cigarettes.
Consumers can buy a cartridge containing 100 milligrams of nicotine, more than an entire pack of cigarettes - which has about 20 milligrams of nicotine, Dr. Jon Roberts said.
Mayor Joe McComb and Corpus Christi Independent School District Superintendent Roland Hernandez were among the participants in the roundtable discussion.
The Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act would require online retailers to verify the age of customers using an ID presented at delivery, according to the bill. Shipping packages would show they contain tobacco products.
Online e-cigarette sellers would have to register with the U.S. Attorney General, share the purchase data with state tobacco tax administrators and maintain a record of delivery sales accessible to federal law enforcement, the bill states.
The bill would require the U.S. Attorney General to maintain a list of non-compliant e-cigarette sellers and share it w