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Barickman: State Action Needed On Vaping

Jason Barickman
Carleigh Gray
/
WGLT
State Senator Jason Barickman from Bloomington.

After the Trump administration this week vowed to ban flavored e-cigarettes, one state senator from Bloomington is saying Illinois shouldn't wait for federal action.

Republican Sen. Jason Barickman told WGLT that vaping was quickly accepted by younger generations.

"It seems as though there's a whole group of people who have taken to vaping because they somehow think it's safe, or maybe not as harmful as nicotine,” he said. “Well, here we go. Smoking has killed how many people in this world?"

Barickman said he thinks some kind of restriction on vaping will be on the minds of legislators in the coming session.

“I think an easy response here is for the state to begin to ban certain products and flavors. Especially those things that are enticing to youth,” he said.

Barickman also said local superintendents have asked the legislature to take up the issue. The McLean County Health Department offers vaping intervention for schools.

You can also listen to the full interview:

barickman-full.mp3
WGLT's full interview.

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