A bipartisan bill unveiled by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) would require e-cigarette manufacturers to pay user fees to the federal government to support enhanced oversight of the industry and to raise awareness about the dangers of using vaping products.
“This legislation would impose fees on e-cigarette manufacturers similar to fees for other tobacco products, which could be used to support youth education and prevention initiatives,” Sen. Collins said on Tuesday.
Sen. Collins on Jan. 24 cosponsored the Resources to Prevent Youth Vaping Act, S. 3653, alongside bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) to require e-cigarette manufacturers to pay user fees to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for such efforts, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.
“The use of e-cigarettes by our young people threatens the progress we have made to reduce overall tobacco use. I have heard from teachers across Maine about the issue of vaping in our high schools and middle schools,” said Sen. Collins. “Despite the significant strides we’ve taken, which have already made a difference by reducing the nationwide rate of high school vaping in 2023, there is still more work to be done.”
Currently, manufacturers of traditional combustible tobacco products pay into FDA user fees, but e-cigarette companies are exempt due to a loophole in the law.
If enacted, S. 3653 would increase the total amount collected in tobacco user fees by $100 million and index that amount to inflation for future years, the summary says, noting that the amount collected from individual e-cig manufacturers would be proportional to their share of the overall tobacco market, as determined by the FDA.
The FDA could use the additional revenue from the user fees to conduct safety reviews of vaping products, prevent sales of e-cigarettes to minors, support education efforts, and increase the agency’s oversight and enforcement capabilities, according to the summary.
The bill has been endorsed by the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association, and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.