Washington D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved S. 142, the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act of 2015, which was introduced by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) in January. The bill now moves to the full Senate for its consideration. Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, and Kids in Danger issued the following joint statement:

“With the increasing popularity of e-cigarettes, poison-control centers are reporting a sharp increase in the number of people sickened by exposure to the toxic, highly-concentrated nicotine used for vaping. Most of those affected are kids, who may be attracted to the often brightly-colored liquid that can be marketed as having a sweet, candy-like flavor.

“Only one teaspoon of this liquid nicotine can be fatal to a young child. That’s why it is so important for the Consumer Product Safety Commission to require child-resistant packaging, which S. 142 would direct the agency to do. We thank Sen. Nelson for his leadership, applaud the Committee for its vote, and call on the full Senate to pass S. 142 without delay.”

Contact: Rachel Weintraub, CFA 202-939-1012; Nancy Cowles, KID 312-595-0649; William Wallace, CU 202-462-6262