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Though tobacco use has waned over the years, e-cigarette use has become more common among teens and young adults.

The CDC reports that in 2014, nearly 2.4 million middle and high school students were regular e-cigarette users, and the number has since risen to more than 5 million1.

Much of this shift is blamed on deceptive marketing practices that portray e-cigarettes as a safer alternative to tobacco2.

Money spent on e-cigarette advertising has been rapidly increasing since 2011, and according to the CDC, at least 69% of middle and high school students are exposed to these advertisements in places like retail stores, newspapers and magazines, TV shows or movies, and on the internet. Between 2011 and 2014, e-cigarette companies increased spending from $6.4 million to $115 million. During the same time period, e-cigarette use increased among high school students from 2% to 13%3.

Since then, e-cigarette usage has increased further among middle school and high school students, with one study showing more than 20% of high schoolers used e-cigarettes in 20204.

Just like tobacco companies before them, e-cigarette companies target their marketing on a young adult audience5, while spending even more money on political influence 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 laws6.

We need to fight back, for the sake of our children’s health!

Increasing tobacco taxes is proven to stop kids from smoking before they ever start. Similar policies also help adults quit smoking7.

As of March 14, 2021, the average state cigarette tax is $1.91 per pack. Some localities have an additional excise tax on top of the state tax. The federal tax has remained at $1.01 per pack since 2009, and there is yet pressure to reduce taxes on e-cigarettes8.

Since the vast majority of these products contain nicotine, e-cigarette use and vaping can be highly addictive — especially to a young, developing brain. Still, tobacco companies know that if they can hook a customer on their products when they are young, they have likely earned a life-long customer9.

Every state and the federal government can achieve significant health and revenue gains by including e-cigarettes in the tobacco category and further increasing tobacco taxes.10.

Help us put the health of our children and ourselves first. Sign the petition and ask the government to subject e-cigarettes to the same rules and regulations as tobacco products and ensure a healthier future for all!