Attorney General Josh Stein Leads Bipartisan Coalition Pushing FDA to Protect Kids from E

For Immediate Release:Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Contact: Nazneen Ahmed919-716-0060

(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today led a bipartisan coalition of 33 attorneys general calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and its Center for Tobacco Products to do more to protect kids from e-cigarettes. Attorney General Stein’s suggestions include limiting the flavors that draw kids in, reducing nicotine levels to prevent addiction, and protecting young people from marketing. He is co-leading this coalition with the Attorneys General of South Dakota, New Hampshire, and Nevada.

“E-cig companies don’t care if you’re a Republican or a Democrat – they’re targeting your kids either way,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “My fellow state attorneys general and I are taking action to fight back, but we cannot play whack-a-mole. We need the FDA to put in place rules that stop these companies from making and selling dangerous products that harm our kids and that fuel another generation of nicotine addiction.”

More than 9,000 types of e-cigarette devices are sold in the United States, and nearly 6,000 of those are disposable devices. Last year, 14 percent of high school students reported that they were currently using e-cigarettes. Teen nicotine consumption is linked to nicotine poisoning, mental health and behavioral problems, academic issues, and future addiction to other substances.

Attorney General Stein has been leading the nationwide effort to cut down on youth nicotine addiction and hold e-cigarette manufacturers accountable for harming young people. North Carolina was the first state in the nation to take Juul to court and hold the company accountable for addicting North Carolina teens. He has also sued Juul founders James Monsees and Adam Bowen and is currently investigating Puff Bar and other e-cigarette manufacturers, distributors, and retailers due to ongoing concerns about flavors, age verification, and marketing.

In a letter submitted to the FDA responding to a request for comments on the Center’s proposed five-year strategic plan, the coalition of attorneys general urge the FDA to set up guardrails to prevent young people from getting addicted to nicotine through e-cigarettes.

The attorneys general recommend that the FDA:

The attorneys general are also asking the FDA to promptly enforce the law against companies and sellers across the e-cigarette supply chain who are flouting federal regulations.

Attorney General Stein is joined in sending this letter by the Attorneys General of Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

A copy of the letter is available here.

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