Utah Battle Continues: SFATA Chapter Member Shares Op/Ed

Photo by VaporAwareness.org

The Salt Lake Tribune recently published an op/ed by Shilo Platts, our friend and member of the Utah chapter of SFATA. In the editorial, Platts serves up some points about why the vaping industry shares the same goal of reducing both vaping and tobacco usage in minors. Here are some of his points:

• We want to put Big Tobacco out of business as an alternative to smoking.


• Vapor products are NOT tobacco products.


• We do not want to see minors vaping. Vapor products and e-cigs are only for adults, sold by adults and targeted toward adult smokers and vapers. Research shows that nearly all vapers are former smokers, and the average age of a vaper is 39 years old.


• While the Utah Legislature’s Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee heard a report on e-cigarettes use among Utah youth showing growth in experimentation, it provided no evidence that minors who experiment with vapor products actually continue to use them.


• Combustible tobacco smoking rates have reached a historical low nationally, but the CDC shows no decline in overall tobacco use between 2011 and 2014, which means minors are still trying many different products. In any event, parents and guardians should speak with their children about not using any age-restricted product.


• Science shows that vaping is 95 percent less harmful than smoking.


• A black market for vapor products and e-liquids would be dangerous for public health.


• Our industry always has supported science-based regulations such a national standards on labeling and packaging. A patchwork of local laws only creates confusion and unneeded complexity for businesses and their customers.

For the full story, visit http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/3544742-155/op-ed-vaping-industry-shares-utahns-goals.

Utah Battle Continues: SFATA Chapter Member Shares Op/Ed