The United States Hispanic Business Council (USHBC) Urges FDA Commissioner Califf to Close the E-Cigarette Loophole

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United States Hispanic Business Council

March 21, 2023, 14:10 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, March 21, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The United States Hispanic Business Council (USHBC) has called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, Dr. Robert Califf, to close the e-cigarette loophole that is disproportionately affecting minority communities and has declared "chemical warfare" on our youth.
In a recent letter addressed to the FDA Commissioner, the USHBC expressed concerns about the surge in underage vaping, which has increased by over 2,000% in recent years due to a policy loophole that vape manufacturers have exploited. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2020, Hispanic high school students were more likely to use e-cigarettes (21.1%) compared to white (15.3%) and black (11.8%) students.

Javier Palomarez, President and CEO of the USHBC, stated in the letter that the organization, as the leading advocate for the nation's 4.5 million Hispanic-owned businesses, is aware of the potential impacts that banning these products may have on a subset of their constituents including bodegas, convenience stores, etc. However, the USHBC believes that profit is not worth the health of children and that America is a place of commerce with a conscience.

The policy under the Trump administration banned flavored, non-tobacco, non-menthol cartridge-based vapes, which allowed disposable vaping products to dominate the market, 90% of which are manufactured in China. None of the flavored disposable cigarettes have FDA authorization. Palomarez believes that vapes that look, smell, and taste like cotton candy are clearly targeting a specific demographic and that the vaping epidemic is poisoning the next generation.

Palomarez recently visited a local vape shop to see for himself the types of products on the market and was shocked by the eclectic collection of fruity flavor combinations and brightly colored devices. He is optimistic that Commissioner Califf will take the right action to address this issue. The USHBC is thankful to Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick for proposing HR 901, The Disposable ENDS Product Enforcement Act of 2023, and hopes that both sides of the aisle can come together to address this issue.

About the United States Hispanic Business Council

The United States Hispanic Business Council (USHBC) is a voice for the Hispanic business community. A 501(c)6 non-profit organization, the USHBC focuses on improving access to contracting in the public and private sector, fair representation of Hispanics in business, media, and politics and ensuring Hispanics have a voice in the national dialogue.