Dive Brief: 

• According to a report from Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, e-cigarette companies have increased their marketing budgets by 100% year over year. 
• Unlike tobacco companies, e-cigarette makers have no regulations on how or where they can advertise, which has some lawmakers upset since the companies may be targeting youth — or at least not being careful enough about where their messages end up. 
• The senator's report showed a combined spend of $59.3 million spent on advertising by six of the biggest e-cigarette companies. 

Dive Insight: 

It's interesting to watch the e-cig advertising debate unfold because it holds such strong similarities to what big tobacco went through 40 years ago. The tobacco industry was accused by lawmakers of targeting youth, and it eventually led to an ad exile from TV and radio. Sooner or later, e-cigarettes will likely face a similar fate.