Iowa vaping registry will mitigate a youth smoking epidemic

According to the latest National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), the use of flavored, disposable vapes by high schoolers has risen an incredible 2,617% in the past five years. As an Iowa educator, I have had a front-row seat in watching this uptick occur. Many schools across the state have banned the use of e-cigarettes on school grounds and implemented the health problems associated with vaping in their health classes, and yet the problem persists.

While any type of vaping can affect the hearts and lungs of Iowa’s youth, compounding these health problems is the fact that an estimated 50% of the U.S. e-cigarette market is thought to be comprised of unauthorized Chinese vapes, devoid of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval or oversight. In fact, per the NYTS survey, 57% of teen vapers say the Chinese-manufactured "Elf Bar" is their favorite option on the marketplace.

In 2020, the FDA banned vapes produced in kid-friendly flavors like cotton candy and bubble gum, but unscrupulous sellers have continued to proliferate Iowa’s store shelves with these products anyway. And despite the vast concerns posed by parents, teachers, and health care professionals, both the White House and FDA have yet to take substantial measures to remedy it, allowing a variety of illegal disposable flavored vapes to flood store shelves. Consequently, these products have garnered widespread popularity among middle and high school students.

We have seen what has happened to our communities when the federal government has refused to enforce sound rules to protect American workers and consumers. It is time our state policymakers get serious about this threat.

Specifically, our state lawmakers must approve House Study Bill 682 and Senate File 2402. These pieces of legislation would create a directory of vaping products approved by the FDA for sale in the United States. Any product not listed would be illegal to sell. This clear-cut method would assist businesses in recognizing which products they are permitted to carry while also aiding law enforcement and regulatory agencies in directing their enforcement endeavors.

HSB682 and SF2402 will give Iowa retailers a powerful tool to stand up to those that are trying to hook our children on e-cigarettes. With new products popping up weekly or even daily — and manufacturers changing the names of their products to avoid detection — we cannot expect shop owners to be able to keep up with the marketplace.

Inadequate enforcement efforts by the federal government have allowed companies to flood the market with illegal disposable vapes. In the face of Washington's shortcomings, state governments must take decisive action. It is time to provide Iowa businesses and law enforcement with the essential tools to eliminate illegal disposable vapes from store shelves, prevent their accessibility to our youth, and eradicate their presence from our classrooms. They need help, and this registry would provide that aid.

Every teacher in this state agrees that teen vaping in Iowa is not just a problem, it is an epidemic. The statehouse should not look the other way. It should address this crisis head on by passing these two bills.

Amanda Mahr is an Iowa-based teacher with 15 years of experience.