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Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita backs parents concerned with the use of disposable e-cigarettes intentionally marketed to minors in a letter sent to the U.S Food and Drug Administration.
Rokita
“Our great Hoosier parents have a hard enough time raising their children these days with the increase of negative outside influences,” AG Rokita said. “We need to push back against companies that don’t care about our children’s health or their future success.”
Over 2.5 million middle school and high school students nationwide have used an e-cigarette in the past 30 days, and 25 percent use e-cigarettes daily. In Indiana, one in 10 high school students and one in 30 middle school students reported current tobacco product use with e-cigarettes being the most used by minors.
In the United States, Puff, Elf Bar, and Breeze Smoke remain the most popular brands of illegal disposable e-cigarettes.
These products come in “child-friendly” flavors such as Blue Razz Ice, Strawberry Cream, and Bubble Gang Sour Apple Berry – and they are highly obtainable to America’s youth at local convenience stores, via TikTok, and on various easily accessible websites.
In fact, Chinese disposable e-cigarette manufacturers, such as Elf Bar, directly market their products to American youth on TikTok. The hashtag “#ElfBar” recently passed 2.1 billion views on the platform.
Last October, the Chinese government banned flavored vaping products for its own citizens. Much like the use of TikTok, what China considers too detrimental for its own youth, they do not bat an eye at the absolute exploitation of American consumers, especially our youth.
“My office is constantly working to protect common sense Hoosiers and their children, as they are the most vulnerable among our community,” AG Rokita said. “Whether it’s TikTok or e-cigarettes, our future generation should not be inundated with toxic products sent to us from China.”
The number of different types of e-cigarette devices sold in the U.S. has nearly tripled to over 9,000 since 2020. This rise is almost entirely driven by unauthorized disposable vapes from China.
The Office of the Attorney General has received multiple reports regarding the dangers of fentanyl, some of which are tied to e-cigarettes and similar products. The threat of fentanyl is not confined to illicit pills. Several reports suggest that illegal, disposable, and flavored e-cigarettes made in China and unlawfully sold to consumers in America may be laced with fentanyl.
“The impact on our future generation is currently risky, and it will turn out to be absolutely dire if we don’t take action now,” AG Rokita said.