As an adult consumer who successfully quit smoking after 17 years, and a business owner in the e-cigarette industry, I have personally witnessed the positive impact flavored e-cigarettes can have. Not only did they help me put down my deadly cigarettes, but they also helped many of my staff and tens of thousands of adult ex-smokers to do the same. Over time, we've even managed to reduce or eliminate for many, their dependency on e-cigarettes.

However, a proposed flavor ban threatens this progress. The ban would limit access to these life-changing products for adults who are trying to quit smoking traditional cigarettes. According to a study published in Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law, and Ethics (2015), flavors play an essential role in helping smokers transition away from traditional tobacco products.

In South Carolina alone, 22% of adults are smokers (CDC report 2018). The potential impact is enormous if these individuals lose access to flavored e-cigarettes as a less harmful alternative.

We must consider how this ban could negatively affect public health by pushing people back towards more harmful tobacco products or creating an unregulated black market for flavored vape products.

Therefore we urge lawmakers in South Carolina not only consider our personal stories but also take into account credible research and industry leaders before making decisions that could potentially harm public health. Please sign this petition if you believe that flavored e-cigarettes should remain accessible as a tool for quitting smoking.