Chairman and members of the committee,
My name is Marc Hyden, and I am the director of state government affairs for the R Street Institute, which is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, public policy research organization. Our mission is to engage in policy research and outreach to promote free markets and limited, effective government in many areas, including tobacco harm reduction. That is why HB 134 is of special interest to us.
The R Street Institute has long been concerned with the impacts of smoking combustible cigarettes. Years before it became law, we supported efforts to raise the age to purchase tobacco products to 21-years-old. Further, we believe that science-based harm reduction strategies are key to limiting the hazards facing people who use addictive substances but for whom abstinence approaches will not work. While I believe that HB 134 was drafted with the noblest of intentions, I believe that it could work against what I presume is the sponsor’s goal of reducing harm.
Maryland
United-states
Marylanders
Americans
Marc-hyden
Paul-heaton
Christopher-russell
Shu-hong-zhu
Centers-for-disease
Government-affairs
R-street-institute
Public-health-england
Chairman and members of the committee,
My name is Marc Hyden, and I am the director of state government affairs for the R Street Institute, which is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, public policy research organization. Our mission is to engage in policy research and outreach to promote free markets and limited, effective government in many areas, including tobacco harm reduction. That is why SB 177 is of special interest to us.
The R Street Institute has long been concerned with the impacts of smoking combustible cigarettes. Years before it became law, we supported efforts to raise the age to purchase tobacco products to 21-years-old. Further, we believe that science-based harm reduction strategies are key to limiting the hazards facing people who use addictive substances but for whom abstinence approaches will not work. While I believe that SB 177 was drafted with the noblest of intentions, I believe that it could work against what I presume is the sponsor’s goal of reducing harm.
Maryland
United-states
Marylanders
Americans
Marc-hyden
Paul-heaton
Christopher-russell
Shu-hong-zhu
Centers-for-disease
Government-affairs
R-street-institute
Public-health-england