JEFFERSON CITY, MO – July 14, 2014 – The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) applauds Governor Jay Nixon’s decision to veto legislation which would exempt electronic cigarettes from Missouri’s tobacco laws. Stacy Reliford, Missouri government relations director for ACS CAN, released the following statement in reaction to the veto:
“Governor Nixon’s veto means Missouri will not fall victim to Big Tobacco’s trickery. While the bill passed by the Legislature ostensibly prohibits the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors, what it really does is create loopholes and exemptions to Missouri’s tobacco laws for these still unproven and potentially harmful devices."
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already stated it intends to prohibit the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors; making it apparent that the real intent of this Big Tobacco bill was to skirt our state’s existing tobacco control laws.
“The long-term health effects of e-cigarettes are unknown. Until we understand more about the safety of e-cigarettes, we should regulate them like cigarettes to protect Missourians’ health.”
“Tobacco industry-sponsored electronic cigarette bills like these distract us from the evidence-based tobacco control policies we know work: comprehensive smoke-free air laws, increasing the price of tobacco products and well-funded cessation programs. ACS CAN and its partners will continue to advocate for these effective policies to reduce the burden of tobacco in our state.”
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
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