Reducing Adolescent Nicotine Addiction by Taxing ENDS

Whereas, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) lead to nicotine addiction, and have dangerous effects on adolescents that we have not yet fully quantified; and



Whereas, adolescents are using ENDS at increasing rate; and



Whereas, emerging evidence suggests that those who use ENDS are more likely to start using tobacco; and



Whereas, cigarette taxes have drastically reduced teen smoking rates and increased state revenues across the country; and



Whereas, smokers who use ENDS to quit tobacco will still be able to do so as effectively with a tax, as long as ENDS remain less expensive than traditional cigarettes; therefore be it



RESOLVED, that the Academy endorse an increased sales tax on ENDS, with the goal of reducing adolescent ENDS use, and subsequent nicotine addiction, tobacco use, and long term health morbidities.


LEAD AUTHOR: Ryan Hassan