Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) applauded the House Judiciary Committee for passing the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act, a companion to Senator Feinstein’s bill requiring online e-cigarette vendors to meet the same age verification standards as those that sell cigarettes and other tobacco products.

            “Children are getting e-cigarettes by purchasing them from online retailers, the single largest source for underage users. We shouldn’t allow these sales without requiring vendors to verify the age of their customers. Especially, when we already require that verification with online sales of traditional cigarettes,” Senator Feinstein said.

            “Rates of teen e-cigarette use have doubled in the past two years and a quarter of high school seniors report having used an e-cigarette in the last month. This is an urgent public health crisis and we must act now. I’m glad to see the House advance this bill and I hope it will move swiftly to a full vote in both the House and Senate.”

            In the Senate, Senator Feinstein introduced the bipartisan Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act earlier this year with Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).

            Specifically, Senator Feinstein’s bill would require e-cigarette online retailers to

• Verify the age of customers for all purchases.
• Require an adult with ID to be present for delivery.
• Label shipping packages to show they contain tobacco products.
• Comply with all state and local tobacco tax requirements.

            In addition to Senators Feinstein, Cornyn and Van Hollen, the bill is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), David Purdue (R-Ga.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).

            The bill is supported by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung Association, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, California Physicians Alliance, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Children's Health Fund, Go2Foundation for Lung Cancer, National Alliance for Hispanic Health, National Association of Convenience Stores and Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America.