Statement by Trinity Health President and CEO Mike Slubowski on the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act

Trinity Health applauds the Subcommittee on Health of the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce for approving the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act yesterday. We urge the full Committee on Energy and Commerce to promptly pass this important legislation.

Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States and costs the U.S. health care system approximately $170 billion each year. In 2018, 20 percent of high school students used e-cigarettes – a 78 percent increase from 2017. Research shows that young people who use e-cigarettes are more likely to become smokers. About 95 percent of adult smokers began smoking before they turned 21.

Trinity Health has prioritized reducing tobacco use across our 22-state health system through a commitment to tobacco screening and referral, connecting patients to cessation resources, and advocacy for anti-tobacco policies at the federal, state and local levels. Trinity Health's commitment to tobacco cessation is real. Examples of interventions across our footprint include quit hotlines, support programs, employing tobacco specialists and pharmacy supports.

By tackling the leading drivers of youth tobacco use, the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act will go a long way to deal with this public health crisis. Trinity Health supports this comprehensive approach to reduce tobacco use in the United States, and we urge Congress to act quickly. The longer Congress takes to act, the worse the epidemic becomes.