[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 27 (Monday, February 10, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S952-S953]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              E-Cigarettes

  In December, I visited the University of North Texas Health Science 
Center in Fort Worth to learn more about the danger of e-cigarettes, 
particularly among adolescents. I heard from a young Texan named Anna 
Carey, who used to be among the many students at her high school using 
e-cigarettes. Like so many young people across the country, she became 
addicted. That is the point. E-cigarettes are not harmless. They 
deliver nicotine, which is an addictive drug, into your body, and that 
is the point of the e-cigarette.

  The one advantage it does have over tobacco is you don't have to burn 
it, which also produces carcinogenic byproducts of combustion, but like 
so many people in the country, Anna became addicted, and it didn't take 
her long to experience severe health consequences as a result of the 
use of this product.
  The once active 16-year-old became extremely lethargic and would 
experience random and severe chest pain. Eventually, she was admitted 
to Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth and diagnosed with chemical-
induced pneumonia in both her lungs. She said that was her wake-up 
call. Anna quit using e-cigarettes, and I am glad to report she has 
made a full recovery. Others have not been so lucky.
  She now shares her story in an effort to raise awareness and prevent 
other young people her age from going down the same path, but we can't 
let young people like Anna lead this fight alone. We need to do more in 
Washington to do our job. This has been a high priority for Members on 
both sides of the aisle. One of our colleagues on the HELP Committee, 
the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, continues to work 
to address this health challenge.
  The most effective way to prevent adolescents from facing the harmful 
consequences of these devices is to stop them from getting addicted in 
the first place. A recent survey found that one-third of underage e-
cigarette users bought them over the internet, where it is easy to 
skirt the age requirements. That has to change. It has already changed 
for tobacco. We just want to apply the same standard to e-cigarettes.
  I have introduced a bill with the Senator from California, Mrs. 
Feinstein, to protect our children from becoming addicted to the 
nicotine produced by e-cigarettes, and I hope we will be able to make 
progress on this legislation soon.
  As I said, e-cigarettes and tobacco are on totally different playing 
fields when it comes to online purchases. For traditional cigarettes, 
there are clear guardrails in place to prevent minors from using online 
purchases to skirt the age requirements. At the time of delivery, the 
buyer has to sign and show an ID proving their age, which just makes 
sense. You are required to show an ID when you purchase cigarettes at a 
gas station or convenience store, and online purchases should be the 
same, but in the case of e-cigarettes, it is different. Anyone, no 
matter how old or young, can go online and buy e-cigarettes and have 
them delivered to their front door without the legal requirement of an 
ID, and you better believe that too many young people are taking 
advantage of that loophole without really fully understanding the 
dangers they are subjecting themselves to.
  A recent survey found that about one-third of underage e-cigarette 
users bought them online. This legislation would change that. It 
wouldn't add additional requirements. It would simply apply the same 
requirements for the online sale of traditional cigarettes to e-
cigarettes.
  As I said, this bill has broad bipartisan support, as you think it 
would. So I am hopeful we can pass it and get it to the President's 
desk soon so we can address this wave of addiction among our young 
people.
  With impeachment in the rearview mirror, I hope the Senate will come 
together and cross these critical items off of our to-do list. Our 
constituents, the American people, will benefit.
  We have a lot of work to do and a lot of work we can and should get 
done between now and the election in November, so I hope we will be 
able to make some progress.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.

[[Page S953]]

  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HAWLEY. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum 
call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Lankford). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.