Too often in Washington, bipartisan solutions are hard to come by, even as illegal, addictive e-cigarettes invade our communities and target our kids. That’s why I appreciate Utah Rep. Celeste Maloy’s willingness to tackle the youth vaping epidemic head-on.
As unauthorized e-cigarettes flood our communities — many sold in flavors designed to hook kids — she is serving as the lead Republican sponsor of the bipartisan S.T.O.P. Illicit Vapes Act, which takes direct aim at the problem. The legislation strengthens information sharing and coordination among federal agencies and includes necessary reporting requirements.
Similarly, her work as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus to End Youth Vaping has also helped shine a light on how these products evade regulation. By pushing federal agencies to improve coordinated enforcement and come down hard on bad actors, she is helping to protect kids and hold the industry accountable.
This is not about politics. It’s about accountability, public health and keeping addictive products out of kids’ hands. On top of the many other pressing issues facing our country as a whole, it is encouraging to see Rep. Maloy and her team put in additional work to also make headway on issues facing Utah families such as this. Utah is better off because Rep. Maloy is willing to lead on this issue. Families expect their elected officials to put kids first. Through her work, Rep. Maloy is doing just that.
Mackey Smith
Bluffdale City Councilman