Middle and High School Students to Hold Emergency Rally with NYC Leaders to Restrict Flavored Tobacco Products

As crisis grows, NYC groups and leaders sending message in response to possible federal ban on flavored e-cigarettes: we can't wait for Washington

NEW YORK, NY (09/14/2019) (readMedia)-- On Sunday, standing in front of the Department of Education (DOE), dozens of children, parents, elected officials and advocates will join together to rally in support of flavor restrictions on all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and menthol cigarettes. While the Trump administration has announced plans to ban flavored e-cigarettes, action is not certain and does not include a ban of menthol cigarettes.

On Tuesday, the Department of Health released data that shows 1 in 15 NYC middle school students reported using e-cigarettes. This summer, there were at least 450 people across the country who were hospitalized over a vaping-related illnesses and six people have died. In New York, the state Department of Health recently issued a warning about e-cigarette use, citing multiple cases of "severe pulmonary disease" among patients "who reported recent use of vape products."

According to the CDC's National Youth Tobacco Survey, during the one-year period between 2017 and 2018 e-cigarette use among high school students increased by 78 percent. Over 3 million high school students used e-cigarettes in 2018, and more than 80 percent of kids who have used tobacco started with a flavored product.

WHO:

NYC Councilmember Mark Levine

Members of the NAACP

Parents and Students from across NYC

Members of Parents Against Vaping e-cigarettes, (PAVe)

East New York United Concerned Citizens

New York Communities for Change

**list in formation**

WHAT:

Middle and high school students to rally to restrict flavored tobacco products in New York City and send a message in response to possible federal ban on flavored e-cigarettes: we can’t wait for Washington.

WHEN: Sunday September 15, 2019 at 11:00AM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
WHERE: In front of the Department of Education
52 Chambers Street
New York, New York
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