Senator John Cornyn Pushes For Action On 'Epidemic' Tied To Online E-Cig Sales To Teens
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - U.S. Sen. John Cornyn was in Fort Worth pushing for action on what he called an epidemic tied to online sales of e-cigarettes to teenagers.
Calling his position on the issue a "no-brainer" during his visit at the UNT Health Science Center, Cornyn is in favor of more federal restrictions on e-cigarettes.
Cornyn was part of a roundtable discussion with health officials and physicians at the school.
"At a very minimum, we need to agree that if it's illegal for children under the age of 18 to buy tobacco, they ought not to be able to buy e-cigarettes," said Cornyn.
Buying traditional tobacco products online requires a person verifies they are at least 18. When delivered, an adult with an ID must accept the products. Also, packages must have proper labels. But e-cigarettes don't currently have the same requirements.
A 16-year-old who was just released from the hospital for e-cigarette related health issues sat alongside Cornyn at the roundtable. She shared how easy it is for teenagers to buy e-cigs online versus having to go into a store and show identification.
In April 2019, Cornyn and California Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced a bill to address the issue.
