[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 6 (Monday, January 11, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S19]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Liquid Nicotine
Mr. NELSON. Mr. President, in the Senate last year we passed the
childproofing of caps on liquid nicotine. That legislation just passed
today in the House and will go to the President for signature. This is
important because we found that these bottles of liquid nicotine for
these e-cigarettes, or electronic cigarettes, have not been
childproofed. Therefore, if a child gets one of these bottles and it
does not have the cap that they can't get off, we now know the
experience from several poison centers across the country in the last
couple of years. If a drop of that liquid nicotine gets onto the
child's skin or, as infants typically do, they put things in their
mouth and they ingest that liquid nicotine, indeed it is fatal.
We have had a couple of fatalities in this country. Therefore, it was
common sense for us to require--and thankfully, the liquid nicotine
industry went along and did not object--to make these childproof. But
that will now be in the law. Let me point out something. This is aside
from the question of whether you should be inhaling this stuff in an e-
cigarette. I think people are finding out that this is becoming quite
dangerous as well. But aside from that issue, this was the issue of
protecting children.
Look at this. It has pictures of fruit all over the label, and it is
called ``Juicy ejuice.'' It is something that is going to attract an
infant's or a child's attention. It is the same thing over here. It has
pictures of all kinds of happy things. I have seen others that have
labels of juicy fruit. I have seen others that have multicolored labels
that are very attractive. Common sense tells us if you are putting a
product out that can kill children--just like some of the soaps that
are put out for washing detergent in these little plastic bags that
disintegrate when they get into water in your dishwasher or in your
washing machine, and it smells so good, and they are grape scents--a
child smells that and it feels so good and it is so soft. Where is it
going to end up in an infant? They are going to put it in their mouth.
We have had some deaths there. But that is another battle for another
day. At least we have won one little battle.
I am happy to report to the Senate that what we passed in the Senate
in a bipartisan manner last year now passed the House today and will go
to the President to be signed into law.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.