I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5546 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a Reducing Youth 
Use of E-Cigarettes Initiative. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 8, 2021 
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for 
a Reducing Youth Use of E-Cigarettes Initiative. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Preventing Opportuni-
ties for Teen E-Cigarette and Tobacco Addiction Act’’ or 
the ‘‘PROTECT Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. REDUCING YOUTH USE OF E-CIGARETTES INITIA-
TIVE. 
The Public Health Service Act is amended by insert-
ing after section 317U of such Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–23) 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 317V. REDUCING YOUTH USE OF E-CIGARETTES INI-
TIATIVE. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention, shall carry out an initiative, to be known as the 
Reducing Youth Use of E-Cigarettes Initiative, which shall 
include the following: 
‘‘(1) Conducting research, (including by en-
hancing State-level surveillance and by using rapid 
surveillance methods) on use by youth and young 
adults of electronic cigarettes and emerging tobacco 
products, including research on— 
‘‘(A) the types of products youth and 
young adults use; 
‘‘(B) patterns of products used by youth 
and young adults, including initiation, fre-
quency of use, use in combination with other to-
bacco products, and use of flavors; 
‘‘(C) the association between the use by 
youth and young adults of electronic cigarettes 
and smoking initiation; 
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‘‘(D) use of electronic cigarettes and 
emerging tobacco products among different de-
mographic groups; 
‘‘(E) the means by which youth and young 
adults access electronic cigarettes and emerging 
tobacco products, and methods of distribution 
of electronic cigarettes and emerging tobacco 
products; 
‘‘(F) youth and young adult exposure to 
advertising of electronic cigarettes and emerg-
ing tobacco products; 
‘‘(G) marketing and advertising strategies 
used by manufacturers, including the channels 
and messaging used and strategies that target 
different demographic groups; 
‘‘(H) the reasons youth and young adults 
use such products; 
‘‘(I) the extent to which youth and young 
adult electronic cigarette users are nicotine de-
pendent; 
‘‘(J) patterns of youth and young adult 
electronic cigarette cessation behaviors, includ-
ing patterns in motivation to quit, quit at-
tempts, successful cessation, and associated fac-
tors; and 
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‘‘(K) resources youth and young adults are 
using to quit tobacco use. 
‘‘(2) Conducting research on— 
‘‘(A) the characteristics and nicotine deliv-
ery technology of electronic cigarettes and 
emerging tobacco products; 
‘‘(B) biomarkers of exposure to electronic 
cigarettes and emerging tobacco products and 
resulting health impacts from such exposure; 
and 
‘‘(C) the levels of nicotine in electronic 
cigarettes and emerging tobacco products. 
‘‘(3) Developing and disseminating guidance for 
health care providers, schools, and other entities as 
appropriate on intervening with, and treating, youth 
and young adults who use electronic cigarettes and 
other emerging tobacco products. 
‘‘(4) Identifying promising strategies to— 
‘‘(A) prevent and reduce the use by youth 
and young adults of electronic cigarettes and 
emerging tobacco products; 
‘‘(B) identify and develop cessation strate-
gies and quit support that are appropriate for 
youth and young adults; and 
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‘‘(C) improve access to, and the delivery of 
tobacco cessation services for, youth and young 
adults, including the use of technology-delivered 
services. 
‘‘(5) Identifying effective messages and commu-
nication efforts that prevent initiation of tobacco 
product use and reduce use, including the use of 
electronic cigarettes and emerging tobacco products, 
among youth and young adults. 
‘‘(6) Developing and implementing a campaign, 
in coordination with the Surgeon General, to reduce 
tobacco initiation and use by youth and young 
adults, and to educate the public about— 
‘‘(A) the rapidly evolving tobacco product 
landscape; 
‘‘(B) the harms associated with the use by 
youth and young adults of electronic cigarettes 
and other emerging tobacco products; and 
‘‘(C) culturally competent strategies for in-
tervening with youth and young adults who use 
tobacco and providing or directing them to ap-
propriate cessation services. 
‘‘(7) Continuing to provide funding through the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Na-
tional Tobacco Control Program cooperative agree-
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ment to State, local, territorial, and island health de-
partments and Tribal organizations, as appropriate, 
for— 
‘‘(A) preventing and reducing the use by 
youth and young adults of electronic cigarettes 
and emerging tobacco products; and 
‘‘(B) improving access to and delivery of 
cessation services that are appropriate for youth 
and young adults addicted to nicotine, including 
through quitlines and provider education on 
cessation services available through the Med-
icaid program under title XIX of the Social Se-
curity Act and the Children’s Health Insurance 
Program under title XXI of such Act. 
‘‘(8) Evaluating State, community, and school- 
based strategies for— 
‘‘(A) preventing the initiation and use of 
electronic cigarettes and emerging tobacco prod-
ucts among youth and young adults; and 
‘‘(B) intervening with youth and young 
adults who use tobacco and providing or direct-
ing them to appropriate cessation services. 
‘‘(b) NO DUPLICATION.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that activities under this section do not duplicate other 
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activities of the Department of Health and Human Serv-
ices. 
‘‘(c) STRATEGY.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce of the House of Representatives, and make 
available to the public on the internet website of the De-
partment of Health and Human Services, a strategy for 
carrying out the Reducing Youth Use of E-Cigarettes Ini-
tiative. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—To 
carry out this section, there is authorized to be appro-
priated $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 
through 2026.’’. 
Æ 
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