Pallone Commends New Policy Subjecting E-Cigarettes to the Same Restrictions as Smoking Tobacco in National Parks

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, commended the National Park Service’s new policy prohibiting the use of electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, in all places where tobacco smoking is prohibited in national parks.

“I am glad that the National Park Service has stepped up for the good of public health,” said Congressman Pallone. “We have a responsibility to exercise caution with e-cigarettes, especially since the health risks these products pose are not fully known. E-cigarettes should not only be held to the same standard as smoking tobacco in national parks, they should also be banned, like smoking has been, on airplanes. I hope that the Department of Transportation will move forward with similar leadership as NPS has on this issue.”

Congressman Pallone has repeatedly drawn attention to the risks that tobacco products, e-cigarettes and nicotine pose to public health. Most recently, he called on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to finalize a proposed Food and Drug Administration rule governing the regulation of e- cigarettes. Earlier this year, he also called on the U.S. Department of Transportation to ban e-cigarettes on airplanes. He has also urged chain pharmacies across the country to stop selling tobacco, including e-cigarettes, and has consistently expressed serious concerns regarding the marketing tactics used by e-cigarette companies to appeal to younger people, such as through candy flavoring, cartoon images, and event sponsorships.