A coalition of health advocacy groups on Tuesday urged Gov. Jay Nixon to veto a bill banning the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors over concerns that the bill exempts the devices from other regulations and taxes imposed on tobacco cigarettes.

The groups � Tobacco Free Missouri, the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association, the American Stroke Association and the American Cancer Society � argued that language in the bill classifying e-cigarettes as a non-tobacco product undermine other efforts to control smoking.

"Without more conclusive evidence regarding the safety of these products, any legislation that does not define electronic smoking devices as tobacco products is a dangerous proposition and may pose a risk to the health of Missourians," the groups wrote in a statement.

The coalition's concerns about the bill are misdirected, the sponsor of the bill, state Rep. Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, wrote in a statement responding to the coalition. The e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, therefore they should not be classified as a tobacco product.

"Inaction on this bill maintains the status quo, which currently allows these products to be distributed freely to those under 18," Rowden wrote.

E-cigarettes use an electric heating element to vaporize a nicotine-laced glycerin product. The products have grown rapidly in popularity and are generally unregulated. The Food and Drug Administration has announced plans to treat e-cigarettes as tobacco products and to study the health effects of e-cigarettes to determine what regulations are necessary.

"The rapid increase in electronic-cigarette use among youth raises questions as to whether these young people will be drawn into long-term nicotine addiction," the coalition statement said. "We believe that Missouri can prohibit the sale of these products to those under the age of 18 without undermining existing tobacco-control laws."

The best way to address those concerns is for Nixon to sign the bill, Rowden replied. If more regulation is needed, lawmakers can address those issues in the future.

"The reality, however, is that these groups advocate for an unrealistic end goal to eliminate tobacco products in our country," he wrote. "While I understand their position, my job is to be pragmatic in passing legislation that will benefit the people of this great state."

This article was published in the Wednesday, June 11, 2014 edition of the Columbia Daily Tribune with the headline "Groups ask Nixon to veto e-cigs measure."