Jimmy Patronis joins Tobacco Harm Reduction Caucus

U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis is the latest member of the Florida delegation to join the House Tobacco Harm Reduction Caucus, a bipartisan coalition aimed at adopting harm reduction methods and innovation as part of a comprehensive approach to tobacco control.

Patronis’ inclusion follows Republican U.S. Reps. Laurel Lee and Neal Dunn, who joined in October, Byron Donalds and Aaron Bean, who joined in August and most recently, Mike Haridopolos, who joined earlier this year.

Former U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democrat, also previously joined the caucus, though she has since resigned office amid an ethics investigation and is now running again.

Rather than solely pushing for a quit-only approach — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that only about 10% of adult smokers successfully quit each year — the caucus pushes for policy that emphasizes harm reduction, such as vapor, nicotine pouches or heat-not-burn products.

Additionally, the caucus works to tackle underage use, promote smoking prevention, and identify methods to improve public understanding of less harmful products available.

The Surgeon General continues to recommend that consumers quit smoking altogether. The caucus is formed on the idea that less harm is better than full harm, and it encourages the CDC to educate adult consumers and health care professionals about the benefits of harm reduction, particularly for those who have trouble kicking the habit.

The caucus also includes:

— Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman of Michigan.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter of Georgia.

— Democratic U.S. Rep. Troy Carter of Louisiana.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona.

— Republican U.S. Rep. James Comer of Kentucky.

— Democratic U.S. Rep. Don Davis of North Carolina.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans of Colorado.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith of Virginia.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Pat Harrigan of North Carolina.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Addison McDowell of North Carolina.

— Democratic U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey of Kentucky.

— Democratic U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan of Virginia.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy of North Carolina.

— Democratic U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta of California.

— Democratic U.S. Rep. Scott Peters of California.

— Republican U.S. Rep. August Pfluger of Texas.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Tony Wied of Wisconsin.