Philip Morris pushed Congress on a tobacco harm reduction caucus

WASHINGTON — There’s a brand new caucus brewing on Capitol Hill targeted on the potential well being advantages of e-cigarettes and different smokeless merchandise. However already, there’s a significant legal responsibility hanging over its head: the involvement of one of the vital infamous world tobacco corporations, Philip Morris Worldwide.

The caucus could possibly be a significant win for proponents of e-cigarettes who’ve argued for years that these merchandise needs to be utilized as public well being instruments to assist grownup people who smoke, somewhat than vilified like cigarettes. There are a whole lot of comparable casual caucuses on Capitol Hill, lots of which lawmakers be a part of to assist or promote a distinct segment trigger or effort — although not all are bipartisan.