American Association of Public Health Physicians
The voice of public health physicians, guardians of the public’s health
Tobacco Control Task Force
Joel L. Nitzkin, MD, MPH, DPA – Chair, AAPHP TCTF
504 899 7893 or 800 598 2561; E-mail: jln@jln-md.com
www.aaphp.org

April 2, 2010

AAPHP Statement re State Regulation of E-cigarettes

The American Association of Public Health Physicians recommends the following State response to proposed legislation to ban or otherwise restrict the sale and use of nicotine vaporizers (commonly referred to as E-cigarettes or electronic cigarettes).

State legislatures considering banning electronic cigarettes have now heard the advice of their doctors, namely the Tobacco Control Task Force of the American Association of Public Health Physicians, an organization of physician directors of state and local health departments, who say bans are going too far and that this new product may actually be of great benefit in their fight against cancer and smoking related deaths.

The AAPHP is recognized by the American Medical Association as a medical specialty society and even has formal representation in the AMA House of Delegates. These are just the people one might think politicians should be turning to for recommendations on proposed legislation affecting the public health.

However, prompted by a strong lobbying effort from groups like the American Cancer Society, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Heart Association and the non smokers rights group Action on Smoking and Health, which critics claim is largely funded by drug companies out to protect their profits, many states like New York, Utah, Illinois and New Jersey have recently introduced legislation that would ban or restrict the sale of E-cigarettes or their use in public spaces.