Chicago mayor calls for ban of flavored e-cigarettes

CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has added her voice to the call for the banning of flavored electronic cigarettes in the city.

Lightfoot on Monday called flavored e-cigarettes a "gateway" for children to get addicted to vaping and nicotine.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin joined Lightfoot when she announced the proposed Chicago ban at Crane Medical Prep High School. Last week Durbin criticized the Food and Drug Administration for its lack of oversight of the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes and nicotine vaping products to minors.

U.S. health officials recently announced there are 380 confirmed and probable cases of vaping-related breathing illnesses in 36 states and one territory, including six deaths. Many of the illnesses have been linked to those who used e-cigarettes to vape THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.