[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 195 (Tuesday, November 17, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7028-S7029]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              E-cigarettes

  Mr. President, on another matter, I have said here on the Senate 
floor many times over the last several months that COVID-19 is the most 
urgent threat facing our country right now. But as I just got through 
saying, it is not the only one.
  Both here and abroad, the same threats and challenges that existed 
before COVID-19 are still with us and may have been exaggerated by the 
current crisis. I spoke about one example here on the Senate floor 
yesterday--the strain on mental health resources. The stresses this 
virus are taking on our people--on the American people--are serious, as 
many cope with isolation, health anxieties, job losses, and financial 
struggles.
  We are seeing a correlation with another health crisis that has been 
exacerbated by COVID-19. Last fall, one of biggest health threats 
making headlines was the nationwide use of e-cigarettes by our young 
people. Folks of all ages were experiencing a range of mysterious 
medical conditions linked to these devices, with vaping-related 
injuries reported in all 50 States. What is most concerning to me is 
that most of those affected were otherwise healthy children and teens.
  I met one of those teenagers in Fort Worth last December when I 
visited the University of North Texas Health Science Center for a 
roundtable discussion on the use of e-cigarettes. Sixteen-year-old Anna 
Carey was one of the many students at her high school who became 
addicted to e-cigarettes. She started to see symptoms that are uncommon 
for an otherwise healthy teenager. She was extremely lethargic and 
would experience random and severe pains in her chest.
  Two initial x rays came back clear, so doctors released her, but she 
continued to struggle. Eventually, she was admitted to Cook Children's 
Hospital and diagnosed with chemical-induced pneumonia in both of her 
lungs.
  Well, I am glad to report that Anna has now fully recovered and is 
using her story to encourage more teens not to go down the same path 
that she traveled down.
  Now, with the additional public health concern of COVID-19, the need 
for action to prevent children and teens from using these devices could 
not be higher.
  When it comes to the coronavirus, we know those who are older or who 
have underlying health conditions are most likely to experience severe 
cases. But there is a recent study by researchers at Stanford 
University School of Medicine that looked at the connection between 
vaping and COVID-19 among young people.
  Researchers found that those who use e-cigarettes were five to seven 
more times likely to be diagnosed than nonusers. Dr. Bonnie Halpern-
Felsher is a professor of pediatrics and the senior author of the 
study. She said: ``Teens and young adults need to know that if you use 
e-cigarettes, you are likely at immediate risk of COVID-19 because you 
are damaging your lungs.''
  Now, one of simplest and most effective ways to discourage children 
and teens from becoming addicted to these devices is to prevent them 
from even trying in the first place. But, unfortunately, our current 
laws make that easier said than done.
  If you want to buy tobacco at a convenience store or gas station, you 
have to show an ID to prove you are over 18. So whether a teen is 
trying to buy e-

[[Page S7029]]

cigarettes or traditional cigarettes, the same guardrails are in place.
  But there are two different sets of rules when it comes to online 
purchases. For traditional cigarettes, the buyer has to sign and show 
an ID at the time of delivery, just the same as they would have to do 
for in-person purchases. But e-cigarettes are operating on a different 
playing field. Anyone, no matter how old or young, can go online and 
buy e-cigarettes and have them delivered to their front door, no 
questions asked--no age verification is required, no ID, no nothing.

  These devices, we know, are just as addictive and dangerous as 
traditional cigarettes and should be subject to the same restrictions. 
That is why the Senate passed legislation that Senator Feinstein from 
California and I introduced called the Preventing Online Sales of E-
Cigarettes to Children Act. This legislation would put in place the 
same safeguards for e-cigarettes as traditional cigarettes purchased 
online. It is not to change the law; it is just to make sure we enforce 
the existing law. It would require online retailers to verify the age 
of the customer and release deliveries only to adults with an ID. 
Again, it simply applies the same safeguards already in place for 
online purchases of regular cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products 
to e-cigarettes.
  These are commonsense, straightforward reforms, and that is why our 
legislation in the Senate passed unanimously this summer.
  It includes an amendment offered by our colleague from Kentucky, 
Senator Paul, which requires the National Institutes of Health to 
conduct a study on the short- and long-term health impact of e-
cigarettes on those under 21.
  When we talk about passing consensus legislation, this is about as 
simple and straightforward as they come, and there could not be a more 
important time to take action. If we are going to turn the tide on e-
cigarettes and prevent more young people from facing the deadly health 
consequences, this is an important and necessary step. This bipartisan 
bill would keep e-cigarettes out of the hands of our children, and I 
hope our House Democratic colleagues will pass this critical 
legislation without additional delay.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.