Limit Online Sale of Vaping Products

The current sale of e-liquids and e-cigarettes through online, phone and mail order allows underage youth to purchase products unlawfully and circumvent sales taxes. Therefore, the Governor will advance legislation restricting the online, phone and mail order sale of e-liquids and e-cigarettes only to licensed vaping product retailers. Only registered retailers would be allowed to purchase e-cigarettes using those methods. This restriction, which already applies to the sale of conventional tobacco products, will help stop the illegal sale of dangerous vaping products to underage purchasers.

End the Sale of Tobacco and E-Cigarette Products in Pharmacies

Healthcare-related entities should not be in the business of selling tobacco, the leading cause of preventable death in New York State. Ending the sale of tobacco and e-cigarette products in pharmacies will help reduce the availability, visibility and social acceptability of tobacco use, especially to youth.

Prohibit the Use of Coupons for Tobacco and Nicotine Products

Research indicates that the price of tobacco products is closely tied to prevalence, especially among youth who are almost twice as "price sensitive" as adults. As a result, New York has the highest state excise tax on cigarettes and one of the lowest youth smoking rates in the nation. But the tobacco industry is also fully aware of the effect of price on smoking rates and invests nearly 85% of its over $9 billion a year marketing budget on price-reducing promotions including direct to consumer coupons and in-store discounts. These discounts undermine the public health impact of New York's tax and prohibiting coupons and discounts would eliminate an important source of industry price manipulation.

Abe Baker-Butler, Co-Founder Students Against Nicotine said, "Students Against Nicotine applauds Governor Cuomo's meaningful and broad array of policy proposals to end the teen e-cigarette epidemic. We have watched our friends become addicted to vaping devices with horrific health effects and a variety of dangerous chemical components, and we have seen e-cigarette companies appealing directly to our peers with whimsical flavors and other deceptive marketing methods for years. Ranging from a flavor ban to marketing restrictions to stronger enforcement mechanisms, this proposal will go a long way toward preventing teen e-cigarette use, combatting addiction, and protecting the public health of our generation for years to come. We are proud to have worked with the Governor on the development of these proposals, and look forward to continuing this advocacy with NYS legislators."

Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said, "Gov. Cuomo continues to be a leader in the fight against tobacco and for kids. The proposal to end the sale of all flavored e-cigarettes is a dramatic and necessary step forward to stop the youth e-cigarette epidemic that threatens to reverse decades of progress that New York has made in combating tobacco use. Passage of this legislation will be a tremendous victory for New York's kids and protect them from nicotine addiction and other health risks associated with e-cigarette use. We look forward to working with Gov. Cuomo and other state leaders to enact this historic legislation."