Pediatrics Group Calls for More Federal Regulations to Reduce Tobacco Use in Children

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) this week called for greater federal regulations to reduce tobacco use and nicotine exposure in children and teens, CNN reports.

The group called for all flavor ingredients, including menthol, to be prohibited in all tobacco and nicotine products. All tobacco and nicotine product advertising and promotion in all forms that are accessible to children and teens should be prohibited, AAP said. The group recommends raising the cost of tobacco products to deter young people from using them.

The new policy statement is the association’s first tobacco policy update since 2015, and is based on newer science, the group said. The statement notes that while significant strides have been made in reducing rates of cigarette smoking among teens in the United States, rates of e-cigarette and similar device use among youth are high. Rates of other tobacco product use, such as cigars and hookahs, have not declined.

The AAP encourages pediatricians to screen patients for tobacco use as part of a regular checkup, starting no later than age 11 or 12. Children who smoke cigarettes should not be encouraged to use e-cigarettes as an alternative, the group said. Instead, pediatricians should recommend behavioral interventions.