Testimony before the Rhode Island Senate Finance CommitteeRegarding Tobacco and Nicotine Products

03-24-2026 THR101 Testimony Re Rhode Island Tobacco and Nicotine Regulations.pdf

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Chairman DiPalma, Vice-Chairman Ciccone, Vice-Chairman Felag, and Members of the Committee:

Thank you for your time today. My name is Lindsey Stroud and I am Founder and President of Tobacco Harm Reduction 101 (THR101), a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting public health through science-based education, research, and advocacy. Our mission is to reduce the devastating health impacts of combustible tobacco by advancing awareness and understanding of tobacco harm reduction (THR) strategies.

Tobacco Harm Reduction 101 (THR101) respectfully submits the following written comments to provide data-driven context on current tobacco and nicotine use trends in Rhode Island and to highlight considerations for policies under review by the Senate Finance Committee.

Recent state and national evidence show evolving patterns of adult use, declining youth use, and ongoing disparities among vulnerable populations, underscoring the importance of a balanced, evidence-based approach to taxation and regulation. As policymakers evaluate proposals related to cigarette taxes, the taxation of alternative products, and retail frameworks for flavored e-cigarettes, it is critical to consider how these policies may impact adult behavior, public health outcomes, and existing inequities.

Key Points:

• Adult Smoking and Vaping Trends: In 2024, an estimated 89,863 Rhode Island adults (9.9%) were smoking, a 4.2 percent increase from 2023, while 89,864 adults (7%) were vaping, a 2.9 percent increase – indicating continued demand for alternatives.

• Demographic Disparities: Smoking remains disproportionately concentrated among vulnerable populations, with 13.7 percent of low-income adults smoking compared to 7.8 percent of higher-income adults, making them 1.8 times more likely to smoke.

• Adult Use Patterns: Most adult vapers are older adults, with over 66.9 percent aged 25 and older, and many are current or former smokers – highlighting vaping’s role as a harm reduction tool.

• Smoking History Among Vapers: Rhode Island adult vapers had an average 24-year smoking history, representing millions of cigarettes previously consumed – underscoring the importance of alternatives.

• Youth Vaping Declines: Youth e-cigarette use has fallen significantly since 2019, with current use among high school students declining by 45.2 percent and daily use down 46.6 percent.

• Middle School Trends: Among middle school students, vaping rates are also declining, with current use at just 6.7 percent in 2023, down from earlier peaks.

• Youth Tobacco Use at Record Lows: Traditional tobacco use among youth has steadily declined, with cigarette use among middle schoolers down 78 percent since 2007.

• National Youth Trends: Nationwide, youth vaping fell to 5.9 percent in 2024, a 70.5 percent decline since 2019, reinforcing broader downward trends.

• Flavors Not Primary Driver: In 2023, only 4 percent of Rhode Island youth cited flavors as a reason for vaping, with curiosity, stress, and social influences cited far more frequently.

• Consistent Youth Motivations: Across multiple years, peer influence, curiosity, and mental health factors – not flavors – have been the primary drivers of youth experimentation.

• Adult Reliance on Flavors: Surveys show flavors are critical for adults, with 83.2 percent using fruit flavors and 72.3 percent using dessert flavors, and most reporting restrictions would reduce satisfaction.

• Cessation Evidence: Studies find that adults using non-tobacco flavors are more likely to quit smoking than those using tobacco-flavored products.

• Tax Burden is Regressive: Rhode Island’s $4.50 per-pack cigarette tax disproportionately impacts low-income and less-educated adults, who continue to smoke at higher rates.

• Persistent Inequities: Adults without a high school diploma are 3.7 times more likely to smoke than college graduates, highlighting ongoing disparities.

• Harm Reduction Framework: Decades of research show it is combustion – not nicotine – that drives tobacco-related disease, with cigarettes producing more than 7,000 chemicals, including dozens of carcinogens.

• Alternative Products Reduce Risk: Tobacco harm reduction products – including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco – significantly reduce exposure to harmful chemicals compared to combustible cigarettes.

• Heated Tobacco Evidence: Studies show heated tobacco products reduce harmful constituents by at least 62 percent, with lower toxicant exposure compared to smoking.

• Retailer Compliance: In 2024, Rhode Island had an 18 percent retail violation rate, with cigars accounting for 62.3 percent of violations, while e-cigarettes accounted for just 9.4 percent.

• Specialty Retailers Perform Better: Specialty tobacco and vape shops accounted for only 15.9 percent of violations, indicating relatively strong compliance.

• Economic Impact: The vapor industry contributed $31.5 million in economic impact, including $11.9 million in wages and $3.7 million in state taxes in 2023.

• Industry Decline: Rhode Island’s vape industry has already declined by 47.1 percent between 2021 and 2023, representing a loss of more than $28 million in economic output.

• Global Public Health Consensus: Public health authorities – including the FDA, CDC, UK Royal College of Physicians, and New Zealand Ministry of Health – recognize that noncombustible nicotine products are significantly less harmful than cigarettes.

• Tobacco Revenue vs Spending: In 2024, Rhode Island collected $188.9 million in tobacco-related revenue but spent only $429,205 (2.3 percent) on tobacco control programs – about $0.02 per $1 collected.

• Bottom Line: With youth tobacco use at historic lows and strong evidence supporting harm reduction, policymakers should expand access to safer alternatives, better allocate existing revenues, and avoid regressive policies that disproportionately burden vulnerable adults.

The available evidence suggests that while combustible cigarette use remains a significant public health concern, alternatives such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are increasingly utilized by adults seeking to reduce harm.

Policies that increase the tax burden on combustible products, reduce barriers for potentially lower-risk alternatives, and establish controlled, age-restricted retail environments for certain products may warrant careful consideration within this broader public health framework. As Rhode Island continues to address tobacco-related harms, a measured approach grounded in current data can help ensure that policies are responsive to both youth prevention goals and the needs of adults.

Nothing in this testimony is intended to influence the passage of legislation, and it does not necessarily represent the views of Tobacco Harm Reduction 101.