Saud Anwar

Public Health Committee to Hold Public Hearing on Proposed Ban of Flavored Vaping Products, Limits on Nicotine Content

Today, the Public Health Committee will hold a public hearing regarding proposed legislation that would prohibit the same of flavored vaping products and place a limit of 35 milligrams of nicotine per milliliter on vaping products. This proposal seeks to remove products from the marketplace that could appeal to children and reduce nicotine dependence and addiction among the public; State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), who co-sponsors the legislation and is Senate vice chair of the Public Health Committee, will lead the public hearing.

“When nearly 90% of adult smokers today started smoking before the age of 18, and smoking continues to have lifelong health risks that could reduce lifespans and cause serious medical conditions, we know we need to continue to act to reduce smoking however we can, and as early as we can,” said Sen. Anwar. “Targeting flavored vaping products is a key way we can reduce youth exposure to smoking – as many as 85% of youths using vaping products use flavored products. Reducing acceptable nicotine levels in these products will go further by reducing the amount of nicotine a user consumes, potentially reducing reliance on the addictive substance.”

Senate Bill 367, “An Act Concerning Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and Vapor Products,” if made law, would prohibit the sale of flavored vaping products, as well as vaping products that have nicotine content greater than 35 milligrams per milliliter. The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services would perform compliance checks to ensure businesses follow such standards. Violations would result in fines of $600, $1,500 and $2,000 on first, second and third offenses; after a third violation, a business would have its dealer registration suspended for at least 30 days, and for a fourth, they would face that registration being revoked.

Flavored vaping products have been shown to correlate to youth smoking and e-cigarette consumption habits. According to a report by The Truth Initiative, 81% of youth using e-cigarettes reported their primary reason for using a tobacco product was its flavor, and youth use flavored tobacco products more than other age groups. The 2021 National Youth Tobacco Survey further found that as many as 13.1% of middle and high school students used flavored vapes in a 30-day period in 2020; in 2021, that figure rose further to 13.9%. More than 40% of surveyed high schoolers reported using e-cigarettes in at least 20 of the last 30 days. Students reported using fruit and candy flavors most predominantly. Youths who use e-cigarettes are more likely to become smokers; many would otherwise not have smoked cigarettes.

Reducing nicotine content in vaping products can help lower the odds of continuing use; on average, a single cigarette contains anywhere from 6 to 28 milligrams of nicotine, with an average cigarette containing about 10 to 12 milligrams. Reducing the nicotine content of a vaping product below 35 milligrams can prevent a user from inhaling high amounts of nicotine, reducing the potential addictive nature of the product.