Recently, according to the Vermont Business Journal, the Vermont Action to Stop Tobacco Flavors Harming Children and the Tobacco-Free Vermont Alliance recently announced that 50 Vermont organizations signed a letter to the Vermont House of Representatives Committee on Health and Human Services. letter asking lawmakers to end the sale of flavored tobacco.
The letter advocates passage of S.18, which has already passed the Senate. The bill will be considered in a House committee this week.
The list of organizations supporting the bill includes the Vermont Medical Society, University of Vermont Children's Hospital, Windham County NAACP, Outright Vermont, Prevention Works VT, Vermont Association for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery (VT Recovery), American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and others.
Wichie Artu, a member of the Windham County NAACP, said: "Tobacco companies have ruthlessly targeted the black community with menthol-flavored ads, attracting new users with aggressive marketing tactics, and then removing them from their and profiting from addicts. We need to remove these deadly products from the market. It’s time for Vermont legislators to prioritize the health of Vermonters over Big Tobacco’s profits."
Jay Nichols, director of the Vermont Principals Association, noted that school leaders across the state are seeing an increase in students becoming addicted to nicotine through e-cigarettes: “The attraction to e-cigarettes often begins with the appeal of flavored e-cigarette products to Our children are hooked and addicted starting in middle school. We know that almost all of these children use flavored products."
According to a poll released in December, 68% of Vermont residents support legislation to end the sale of flavored tobacco products. Vermont Governor Scott said at a press conference on January 10 that if the bill could be sent to his desk, he would probably sign it.
The No Tobacco Flavors Harm Kids Vermont Initiative brings together the Tobacco Free Vermont Coalition and dozens of local, state, and national organizations dedicated to protecting children from all tobacco products and addiction.
