Two months ago, Bill Nelson told reporters in Tampa that he would be considering sponsoring legislation that would prohibit the marketing of e-cigarettes to children and teens.
But in the short term he'll accept a ban on childproofing liquid nicotine bottles available for purchase in stores across the country.
Today the Florida Democrat urged his colleagues in the Senate Commerce Committee to support the bill, as he brought it before them this afternoon. In the video clip, Senator Nelson appears to be taking particularly enjoying himself as he describes some of the brand names of the liquid nicotine bottles for e-cigs, which aren't child-proof.
According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, there have been 2,724 calls to poison-control centers in the U.S. related to exposure to nicotine through the end of August. That's largely attributed to children accessing these bottles.
Although such e-cigs have been touted as much healthier because the user doesn't use tobacco, there are still concerns about their safety.
Last month, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a report that calls for the regulation of e-cigs and their contents, as well as bans on indoor use, advertising and sales to minors. That report is scheduled to be discussed by member states in a meeting next month.
Back in Washington, Senator Nelson's advocacy apparently worked, as the Commerce Committee voted unanimously to approve his bill. It still must go to the entire Senate for approval.
This article appears in Sep 11-17, 2014.