(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) joined Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) in introducing the Stop Vaping Ads Act, legislation that would ban advertisements for e-cigarettes and vaping devices on television and radio.

“Until the 1970s, the powerful cigarette industry used broadcast marketing as a means to sell their deadly products to Americans, and it cynically targeted young people in order to attract new customers, who would be beholden to their products for life. Today, the e-cigarette industry is doing the same thing,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “Congress banned cigarette ads on TV and radio beginning in 1971. However, due to a loophole, e-cigarette and vaping ads have been rapidly popping up on America’s screens, leading to a rise in vaping, especially among America’s youth. It is becoming abundantly clear that e-cigarettes and vaping are causing new, harmful health impacts among the people who use them. My bill would close this advertising loophole to ensure e-cigarette companies can no longer market these harmful products to children and young people.”

More information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the harmful impacts of vaping is available here. CDC’s recent warning about an outbreak of severe pulmonary disease associated with e-cigarettes is available here.

Read more about the bill here.

###