Following Alarming Reports on COVID-19 Risks from Vaping/Smoking, Baldwin and Colleagues Call for Action from Trump Administration
The Senators’ letter cites a recent Stanford University study that reports that young people who used both conventional and e-cigarettes were almost seven times as likely to be diagnosed with COVID-19
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), is calling on the Trump administration to take action following troubling reports on the potential increased risk that vaping poses for COVID-19 infection.
The letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar was led by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Patty Murray (D-WA). The letter was also signed by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH).
Specifically, their letter asks the administration:
· What research has the administration conducted on risks that tobacco and e-cigarettes pose for COVID-19 infection?
· What is the administration doing to ensure that vaping device manufacturers comply with a September 9th deadline to submit their products to the FDA for required safety reviews?
· Will the administration revise guidance on flavored e-cigarettes so that all non-tobacco flavors are removed from the market during the FDA’s premarket review?
· Is the administration using existing research to inform federal guidance to states and schools regarding the risks that vaping poses for COVID-19 infection?
The Senators write, “We write to express our concern about the potential risks that tobacco use, including e-cigarette use or vaping, can pose for COVID-19 infection among our nation’s teenagers and young people. Recent research indicates that the use of such products is linked to substantially higher risk for COVID-19 … The potential for these risks is especially troubling given students may soon be around each other more frequently in many communities, as schools and colleges reopen for in-person learning. We urge you to take steps to better inform the public about potential risks, while also mitigating those risks through action to reduce use of these products among young people.”
The full letter is available here. An online version of this release is available here.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Coronavirus Pandemic
- Governors Tony Evers, JB Pritzker, Tim Walz, and Gretchen Whitmer Issue a Joint Statement Concerning Reports that Donald Trump Gave Russian Dictator Putin American COVID-19 Supplies - Gov. Tony Evers - Oct 11th, 2024
- MHD Release: Milwaukee Health Department Launches COVID-19 Wastewater Testing Dashboard - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Jan 23rd, 2024
- Milwaukee County Announces New Policies Related to COVID-19 Pandemic - County Executive David Crowley - May 9th, 2023
- DHS Details End of Emergency COVID-19 Response - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Apr 26th, 2023
- Milwaukee Health Department Announces Upcoming Changes to COVID-19 Services - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Mar 17th, 2023
- Fitzgerald Applauds Passage of COVID-19 Origin Act - U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald - Mar 10th, 2023
- DHS Expands Free COVID-19 Testing Program - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Feb 10th, 2023
- MKE County: COVID-19 Hospitalizations Rising - Graham Kilmer - Jan 16th, 2023
- Not Enough Getting Bivalent Booster Shots, State Health Officials Warn - Gaby Vinick - Dec 26th, 2022
- Nearly All Wisconsinites Age 6 Months and Older Now Eligible for Updated COVID-19 Vaccine - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Dec 15th, 2022
Read more about Coronavirus Pandemic here
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin
Baldwin Slams Trump and Elon Musk’s Illegal Cut to Lifesaving Disease Research
Feb 8th, 2025 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinNIH funding cuts at Wisconsin’s research institutions will likely mean layoffs, halt development of cures for diseases, and stop treatments for patients
Baldwin Pushes Back on Trump’s Plan to Dismantle Education Department
Feb 7th, 2025 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinWisconsin received $630 million from the Department of Education last year, this year’s investment at risk
Baldwin Leads Colleagues on Bill to Close Tax Loophole and Make Wall Street Pay Its Fair Share
Feb 6th, 2025 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinLoophole allows investment managers to often pay almost half the tax rate compared to most other Wisconsin workers
