WASHINGTON — A meeting Thursday of the DC Council's Committee on Judiciary could potentially be the start of making legislation that will be geared towards fighting youth e-cigarette use in Washington.
The morning meeting saw a variety of community members and organizations speak on how e-cigarettes have impacted youth and why they believe an ordinance should be placed to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes.
No vote will likely be made Thursday, as the committee meeting is being used to gather information and hear from a variety of people in the community. But there are possibilities that are being thought of on legislation that could be implemented.
Part of what the Council could look at doing is requiring a prescription to buy any electronic smoking device and prohibit the sale of e-cigs within a quarter-mile of a middle or high school.
2019 was a year that vaping and e-cigarette use fell under attack by many in communities around the country after deaths were connected to the use of some products.
In October, the CDC reported the first vaping-associated death in DC and has confirmed over 1,600 deaths nationally related to vaping.
"DC Health urges District residents to refrain from using all e-cigarette and vaping products until further notice," a DC Health press release said in October. "Cannabis or THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) vape-products that are obtained off the street may pose the greatest risk."
DC Attorney General Karl Racine announced in November that he was suing JUUL Labs, alleging that the company "deliberately targeted underage consumers, failed to verify ages of purchasers, and deceived consumers about the content, strength, and safety of its products."
The stance on e-cigarettes and vaping is part of a larger push nationally to make tobacco and nicotine products less attractive and available to youth in the United States.
Recently, the FDA raised the minimum age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21. The measure came as part of the $1.4 trillion spending package signed by President Donald Trump.