June 11, 2018 – Flavors and Tobacco

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Anchor lead: A new law restricting flavored tobacco products has been upheld in California, Elizabeth Tracey reports

A new law banning the sale of flavored tobacco products in the city of San Francisco was being challenged by big tobacco, but has been upheld by voters, making the city the most restrictive in the nation with regard to the sale of flavored vaping liquids and other products. Enid Neptune, a lung expert and tobacco activist at Johns Hopkins, applauds the action.

Neptune: Everyone accepts that these flavorings are an initiating tool for young people, especially adolescents and young people to start using these devices. The point of controversy is whether you need to have thousands and thousands of flavorings in order to encourage established smokers to use these products. And the evidence thus far is that you don’t. these flavorings have a unique appeal to teenagers. They don’t have the same appeal to established smokers.  :33

E-cigarettes have been positioned as quit assist devices for smokers of combustible cigarettes. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.