Protect our kids: Include e-cigarettes in stronger tobacco policies

We can and must do better when it comes to keeping our kids safe and protecting our health from the dangers of secondhand smoke and tobacco products — including e-cigarettes.

Tobacco use is on the rise with teens and young adults. It's no secret that tobacco companies have specifically marketed to kids, using e-cigarettes to addict the next generation. Meanwhile, these companies have spent big money to create exemptions for e-cigarettes — ensuring that they're not treated the same way as other tobacco products when it comes to taxation and smoke-free laws.

But these products should be treated equally given their risks to our kids and our health. There is no such thing as a safe level of secondhand smoke, and the aerosol from e-cigarettes contains heavy metals, formaldehyde, and other volatile compounds. No one deserves to breathe secondhand smoke when they're out in the community. We need strong investments in tobacco control to prevent kids using e-cigarettes, as well as comprehensive smoke-free laws that protect us from the dangers of secondhand smoke and apply to all tobacco products — including e-cigarettes.

It's time to protect our kids, our health and our future with stronger, comprehensive tobacco control policies that include e-cigarettes. Stand with ACS CAN to support commonsense policies that will help our state and our kids breathe easier.