NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8688
SPONSOR: Rosenthal TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the public health law, in relation to
prohibiting the sale and distribution of flavored e-liquid for use in
e-cigarettes
PURPOSE:
This bill prohibits the sale and distribution of flavored "e-liquids"
for use in electronic cigarettes and electronic cigarettes containing
such flavoring.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one amends the public health law by adding a new section
1399-mm-1.
Section two sets forth the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
While conventional cigarette use has declined, electronic cigarette use
is on the rise; especially among adolescents and young adults. Accord-
ing to a 2016 report by the U.S. Surgeon General, young adult users of
e-cigarettes (ages 18 through 24) are much more likely to use flavored
e-cigarettes than are users over the age of 25. The Surgeon General also
reported that the majority of youth who have tried e-cigarettes first
used a flavored product. In these surveys, youth noted flavoring as
being one of their biggest draws to try electronic cigarettes, in addi-
tion to curiosity and a perceived lower risk than using traditional
tobacco products.
Electronic cigarette companies use colorful packaging and enticing
flavors to lure young people when they are at the most common age to
begin smoking. According to a 2014 report from the Surgeon General, nine
out of ten smokers began before the age of 18, and studies show the
likelihood of their starting to smoke decreases as they enter their
twenties. Tobacco companies have long been using creative tactics to
draw in adolescents and young adults to begin smoking and are now using
flavoring to entice young people to begin using e-cigarettes. This bill
would eliminate the temptation for young people in New York State to try
flavored electronic cigarettes and in turn reduce the number of people
who become regular users of tobacco products.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill shall take effect immediately.
