Peter Schorsch
U.S. Reps. Aaron Bean and Byron Donalds, both Republicans, have joined the House Tobacco Harm Reduction Caucus, adding their names to a bipartisan coalition aimed at adopting harm reduction methods and innovation as part of a comprehensive approach to tobacco control.
U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democrat, also previously joined the caucus.
Donalds has criticized the Biden administration for what he described as a bureaucratic approval process that allowed illegal vaping products to flood consumer markets. Illicit vape products have been a top target, particularly among Republicans, because many come into the U.S. from China.
“To be clear, I’m not against Americans who want to use vaping products or tobacco products,” Donalds said during a hearing with the Food and Drug Administration in April. “I think it is important for the American people to understand that the previous (Biden) administration did not do the job of making sure that there were products on the shelf where they could clearly understand what they were consuming or ingesting.”
And vaping is a big part of the Tobacco Harm Reduction Caucus’ work. Rather than solely pushing for a quit-only approach — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that only about 10% of adult smokers successfully quit each year — the caucus pushes for policy that emphasizes harm reduction, such as vaping.
Additionally, the caucus works to tackle underage use, promote smoking prevention, and identify methods to improve public understanding of less harmful products available.
To be clear, the Surgeon General continues to recommend that consumers quit smoking altogether. But the caucus is formed under the idea that less harm is better than full harm, and the caucus is encouraging the CDC to educate adult consumers and health care professionals about the benefits of harm reduction, particularly for those who have trouble kicking the habit.
That idea is starting to take hold in Washington. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been largely silent on the issue of smoking, as outlined by POLITICO in June. But he has weighed in on the issue of vaping as a harm reduction strategy, noting that the illicit vape market intentionally targets children through bright-colored packaging and other marketing methods that appeal to kids.
“At the same time, we are fast tracking approval of vapes that don’t do that,” Kennedy said in late July in an interview with the Choice Coalition, which promotes smoke-free and cigarette alternatives.
The work is already beginning. Caucus Co-Chairs Guy Reschenthaler, a Republican, and Don Davis, a Democrat, filed last year a House resolution calling for the adoption of harm reduction methods.
“As Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer calls for a ban on smoke-free nicotine products, his misguided rhetoric will hurt public health and consumer choice in the marketplace,” Reschenthaler said at the time, referring to Schumer’s push to ban flavored vaping products.
“Conversely, this commonsense resolution will help support tobacco harm reduction efforts, which will reduce the occurrence of smoking-related diseases among Americans and help alleviate preventable diseases in our public healthcare system. I urge my colleagues to support this critical resolution.”
While the House resolution has not gained traction, the addition of two more caucus members — including one who is running for Florida Governor, and all the high-powered attention that receives — will no doubt keep the conversation alive.
