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Sarbanes Warns of Looming Public Health Crisis from Vaping and E-Cigarettes [Video]

September 25, 2019

At Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Hearing, Congressman Sarbanes Says a New Crisis Is “Unfolding Before Our Eyes”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing today, Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) warned against the rising use of e-cigarettes among young adults and the impending public health crisis of vaping-related illnesses.

"I think this is horrifying, what's happening, and we're sort of playing the same reel over again that we saw with cigarettes before the tobacco settlement, with opioids before now the heightened scrutiny that it's receiving and all the litigation that has ensued…," said Congressman Sarbanes. "But even as we're dealing with those things, the after effects of those public health crises, we've got a new one unfolding before our eyes. And you can just predict that we're going to be having hearings 10 years from now looking back and picking up the pieces of a terrible public health crisis with incredible impacts on communities across the country."

Sarbanes continued: "The fact that it's starting, [that] it's breeding ground is among children, is what makes it even more horrifying. So, there's a lot of discussion about how we need to better regulate this, addressing industry practices, marketing and all the rest of it, which is important."

See below for the Congressman's full remarks.

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Issues:Health Care