ANDERSON — Legislation co-authored by Rep. Susan Brooks to protect children from the dangers of liquid nicotine has been signed into law by President Barack Obama.
President Obama signed the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act on Friday. The Senate bill was companion legislation to the bill co-authored by Brooks, a Republican who represents the 5th District, and Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn.
The bipartisan legislation requires child-resistant packaging for e-liquid products that contain poisonous nicotine, which come in many colors and flavors, often appearing attractive to children. Small amounts of concentrated liquid nicotine can be fatal for young children.
“As Ben Franklin once said ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ – and that’s what this effort is all about,” said Rep. Fred Upton, R-MI, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “With the stroke of the president’s pen, our kids are now safer from liquid nicotine poisoning.
“I applaud the leadership of Rep. Susan Brooks, she identified a problem and came up with a thoughtful solution to protect our kids that’s now law,” he said.
Brooks said the legislation was intended to protect children from liquid nicotine that in small amounts can kill a child. She said the liquid nicotine is available in child-friendly favors.
“Child safety packaging is a natural solution to the growing number of people, especially children, experiencing medical emergencies and even death from swallowing or touching liquid nicotine products,” Brooks said. “I want to especially thank Hoosier pediatricians and the Indiana Poison Center for their important advocacy on this proposal, and am pleased that our kids are now better protected from liquid nicotine poisoning under this new law.”