Editorial Board

Taxing E-Cigarettes Like Juul Is a Good Way to Stop Teen Vaping

Taxing e-cigarettes is a good way to keep young people from starting the habit.

November 7, 2019 at 11:00 AM UTC

By The Editorial Board

The Editorial Board publishes the views of the editors across a range of national and global affairs.

Let’s clear the air about taxes.
Photographer: Hollie Adams/Bloomberg

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This article is part of the November 18, 2019 issue of businessweek.

Vaping among high school students has risen 135% in just two years, and the government deserves more than a little blame. The Food and Drug Administration has dragged its feet on regulation, and lawmakers have resisted reforms to make e-cigarettes less appealing to children. Government inaction has jeopardized one of America’s greatest public-health achievements of recent years: the drastic decline in teen smoking.

The House of Representatives can help to put this right. It’s about to consider a new tax on e-cigarettes — a policy that’s long overdue.