July 23, 2015
Washington DC — Today, the U.S. House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade approved the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act of 2015. The bill now moves to the full Committee for its consideration. Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, and Kids In Danger issued the following joint statement:
With the increasing popularity of e-cigarettes, poison-control centers are reporting a sharp increase in the number of people sickened by exposure to the toxic, highly-concentrated nicotine used for vaping. Most of those affected are children, who may be attracted to the often brightly-colored liquid that can be marketed as having a sweet, candy-like flavor.
Only one teaspoon of this liquid nicotine can be fatal to a young child. That’s why a child-resistant packaging requirement, which the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act would include, is so important. This bill also ensures that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can continue to work to address the hazards posed by liquid nicotine to children. We thank the Subcommittee for their attention to this issue. We urge Congress, the FDA, other federal agencies and stakeholders to act to protect children from the hazards posed by liquid nicotine.
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Contacts:
Rachel Weintraub, CFA 202-939-1012
Nancy Cowles, KID 312-595-0649
William Wallace, CU 202-462-6262