Laurel Lee, Neal Dunn join Tobacco Harm Reduction Caucus

U.S. Reps. Laurel Lee and Neal Dunn, both Republicans, have joined the House Tobacco Harm Reduction Caucus, adding their names to a bipartisan coalition aimed at adopting harm reduction methods and innovation as part of a comprehensive approach to tobacco control.

Their addition comes after U.S. Reps. Aaron Bean and Byron Donalds joined the caucus in August.

U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democrat, also previously joined the caucus.

Dunn had previously participated in the caucus and has now rejoined for the 119th Congress.

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.

To be clear, 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.

That idea is starting to take hold in Washington. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been largely silent on the issue of smoking, as outlined by POLITICO in June. But he has weighed in on the issue of vaping as a harm reduction strategy, noting that the illicit vape market intentionally targets children through bright-colored packaging and other marketing methods that appeal to kids.

“At the same time, we are fast-tracking approval of vapes that don’t do that,” Kennedy said in late July.

The work is already beginning. Caucus Co-Chairs Guy Reschenthaler, a Republican, and Don Davis, a Democrat, filed a House resolution last year calling for the adoption of harm reduction methods.

While the House resolution has not gained traction, the addition of two more caucus members will no doubt keep the conversation alive.

In addition to Reschenthaler and Davis, the caucus for the 119th Congress so far includes:

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

— Republican U.S. Rep. Bean of Florida.

— 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.

— Democratic U.S. Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida.

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

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

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

— Republican U.S. Rep. Donalds of Florida.

— Republican U.S. Rep. Dunn of Florida.

— 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. Mike Haridopolos of Florida.

— 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. Lee of Florida.

— 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. Tony Wied of Wisconsin.