“Yes!” to “the Sudafed solution to the vaping problem” (Nov. 17), which would restrict sales of e-cigarettes to the pharmacy counter, forcing buyers to prove that they are at least age 21. It’s an excellent proposal by David Kessler, a former Food and Drug Administration chief.
The smartest idea: Simply keeping e-cigarettes out of the hands of youths, while still making it easy for adult smokers to switch. How?
Kessler’s solution is called “the Sudafed model.” E-cigarettes would be kept behind the pharmacy counter. But you don’t need a prescription to buy. The pharmacist would sell the product only to customers who prove to be age 21 or older.
As described by Bloomberg Opinion columnist Joe Nocera, e-cigarettes “would be withdrawn from other outlets, including liquor stores … gas stations” and smoke shops and only sold in drugstores.
As Kessler told Nocera, Juul Labs “came up with a product that ignited the youth market.”
Nocera reported: “Kessler cited one study that suggested that for every smoker who switched to e-cigarettes, 81 teenagers would start vaping.” How sad and upsetting is that?
Congress should move on this issue ASAP! We all should!
Susanne Conley
South Portland
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