Feinstein, Cornyn to DeJoy: Expedite Implementation of E-Cigarette Regulations

Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act, signed into law six months ago, requires rule implementation by April 26, 2021

Washington-Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) today called on Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to implement a new rule requiring the Postal Service to apply the same mailing restrictions to e-cigarette products that are currently in place for traditional cigarettes.

The rule is a requirement in the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act, a bill introduced by Senators Feinstein and Cornyn that was enacted in December 2020.

'As you know, the law requires the U.S. Postal Service to promulgate these new regulations by April 26, 2021, which is 120 days after enactment. We are now seven weeks past that deadline, and the regulations still have not been published,' the senators wrote. 'We urge you to publish these new regulations as soon as possible in accordance with the requirements of the law.'

They continued, 'Research has shown that teenagers who use e-cigarettes have a higher risk of COVID-19 than those who do not. As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, it is imperative that the U.S. Postal Service immediately implement these new regulations to ensure the harmful effects from the ongoing youth vaping crisis aren't compounded by the lingering risks posed by the pandemic.'

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

June 14, 2021

The Honorable Louis DeJoy
U.S. Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW
Washington, D.C. 20260

Dear Postmaster General DeJoy:

We write to urge you to finalize regulations required by the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act, which was signed into law on December 21, 2020. The Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act applies the same mailing restrictions to e-cigarette products that are currently in place for traditional cigarettes.

As you know, the law requires the U.S. Postal Service to promulgate these new regulations by April 26, 2021, which is 120 days after enactment. We are now seven weeks past that deadline, and the regulations still have not been published. We urge you to publish these new regulations as soon as possible in accordance with the requirements of the law.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 3 million high school students and 550,000 middle school students used e-cigarettes in 2020. According to a December 2020 national survey published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, underage youth found it easier to obtain e-cigarettes through online purchasing and from sellers providing home delivery during the pandemic, highlighting the urgent need to effectively verify age for online sales and for in-person delivery.

Research has shown that teenagers who use e-cigarettes have a higher risk of COVID-19 than those who do not. As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, it is imperative that the U.S. Postal Service immediately implement these new regulations to ensure the harmful effects from the ongoing youth vaping crisis aren't compounded by the lingering risks posed by the pandemic.

Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to your response on this critical issue.

Sincerely,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

John Cornyn
United States Senator

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