More than 50 years ago, a marketing memo from the producer of Camel cigarettes admitted the tobacco seller had to target kids in order to remain competing in the smoking market.
"Realistically, if our company is to survive and prosper, over the long term, we must get our share of the youth market,” wrote Claude Teague Jr., then the R.J. Reynolds Assistant Director of Research and Development, in a February 2nd, 1973 document titled “Some Thoughts about New Brands of Cigarettes for the Youth Market.”
This led to the creation of the cartoon character “Joe Camel,” which was used in the marketing and promotional materials for Camel cigarettes from 1988 to 1997.
Five decades later, New York State lawmakers are now trying to crack down on vaping products they say are targeting children, the same way R.J. Reynolds did 50 years ago.
New York State Senator Monica Martinez and Assemblyman Charles Fall proposed legislation that bans the sale of e-cigarette products that are created to look like school supplies, toys, or are packaged in a way to appeal to minors.
According to the New York State Department of Health, more than one in five (18.7%) high school age youth use e-cigarettes or vape. E-cigarette use remains the most used tobacco product among youth, with almost one in five teens stating they use vaping products.
Anti-smoking advocates believe that vaping leads many teens to take up smoking cigarettes.
“More than half of teens falsely believe e-cigarettes are harmless. However, research shows that youth who use e-cigarettes are four times more likely to start smoking conventional cigarettes than their peers who do not vape,” said American Lung Association Community Engagement Specialist Paulette Orlando.
If this passes, stores can no longer sell vaping products, tobacco products, herbal cigarettes, liquid nicotine, shisha, electronic cigarettes, rolling papers, or smoking paraphernalia that “resemble or are designed to resemble school supplies, toys, or any other product packaging tailored or advertised in any way to target the youth population.”
Under the proposed legislation, businesses that sell vaping products could be hit with a $1,500 fine for a first offense, and a $2,500 fine for a second offense.
“Parents should be aware of the appearance of these products as well as the health implications. Those who use e-cigarettes and vaping devices are at increased risk for cough, wheezing, and an increase in asthma exacerbations. The use of these products can make asthma harder to control. With the impact that vaping has brought to our youth, communities across the state have begun to address these concerns by reducing the number of tobacco retailers and restricting locations of tobacco retailers,” added Orlando.
The potential bill appears to have bipartisan support, Republican and Democratic lawmakers signing on as co-sponsors. They include Senators Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., George M. Borrello, Nathalia Fernandez, Dean Murray, Anthony H. Palumbo and Steven D. Rhoads.