WASHINGTON – Noting that adolescent use of tobacco has declined since the 1970s, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says it still remains a “persistent public health problem” and that electronic cigarettes are “threatening to addict” kids to nicotine.

In three new policy statements issued by the group, the AAP is recommending that the minimum age to purchase tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, should be increased to age 21 nationwide. (Editor’s note: The FDA has no authority to implement a nationwide smoking age under current law.)

AAP is also urging the U.S. Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems the same as other tobacco products, which includes age restrictions, taxes, bans on advertising to youth and bans on flavored products.

The group is recommending that smoke-free laws should be expanded to include e-cigarettes. Also, smoke-free homes and smoke-free vehicles should be promoted.

Last year, on March 14, NACS issued a statement of position that encourages stores selling e-cigarettes to adopt, as a best practice, a policy of treating these products as age-restricted, subjecting them to the same age-verification procedures as those applicable to tobacco products.