I am a pediatric pulmonologist and board member of the Maine Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics. I work with the MAAP to educate patients and families on the significant dangers of tobacco products. Despite the FDA’s ban on flavored cigarettes in 2009, over a decade later the overall market for flavored tobacco products is growing. Tobacco companies have ramped up the marketing of flavored other tobacco products, particularly e-cigarettes and cigars, as well as smokeless tobacco and hookah. With their colorful packaging and sweet flavors, today’s flavored tobacco products are often hard to distinguish from the candy displays near which they are frequently placed in retail outlets.
Flavored tobacco products play a key role in enticing new users, particularly children, to a lifetime of addiction. This growing market for flavored tobacco products is undermining the nation’s overall progress in reducing youth tobacco use. I care for children from across the state with serious health conditions and have witnessed so many impacted by the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine.
Please support ending the sale of flavored tobacco products in South Portland and prioritizing the health of our communities.
Anne Coates
Cape Elizabeth
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.