For the past five years, a coalition of public-health advocacy groups has taken North Carolina’s elected leaders to task for cutting the funding.

Lambeth’s challenge with his proposed bill is that the Republican-controlled legislature has shown no interest in restoring the Health and Wellness Fund, even when bills are introduced by Republican colleagues.

The latest tobacco-prevention bill was introduced the same week that the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services issued its most recent warning on youth e-cig use.

For the last four years, e-cigarettes have been the most frequently used tobacco products among students in North Carolina.

From 2011 to 2017, e-cig use by high school students increased nearly 900 percent with 16.9 percent reporting use in 2017.

Use of e-cigs by students while in school poses health and safety risks and violates established tobacco-free school policies in North Carolina.

“The rise in use of e-cigarettes by youth is alarming,” said Dr. Elizabeth Tilson, state health director and DHHS’ chief medical officer.