The agency began focusing on e-cigarettes, which were quickly gaining traction in the US market.
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Federal officials this week unveiled a rule to extend cigarette regulations to all tobacco products, including fast-growing e-cigarettes.
U.S. authorities unveiled a broad set of rules on e-cigarettes and cigars, prohibiting their sale to minors and requiring makers of the products to get federal marketing authorization.
The FDA said it will require companies to submit e-cigarettes and other newer tobacco products for regulatory review, provide it with a list of their ingredients and place health warnings on packages and in advertisements.
He says more federal guidelines will likely just create a backlash.
The industry touts e-cigs as a means of smoking cessation and a much safer alternative to traditional tobacco products.
“I am one of 10 million people in the USA that use vapor products that used to smoke and I can tell you that my life personally has changed tremendously since I gave up cigarettes three years ago”, Blankenship said.
How many minors use e-cigs? “In 2014, 12.6% of US adults had ever tried an e-cigarette, and about 3.7% of adults used e-cigarettes daily or some days”.
Mom and pop shops like All About Vapor worry they’ll have to get every flavor, every nicotine level and every product approved by the FDA tests, potentially costing them millions of dollars.
“Well, I think people ought not to smoke them”. The final rules are expected to take effect on August 8th.
Here in the city, you must be 21 years old if you want to vape or buy e-cigarettes, but nationwide retailers now will be prohibited from selling those products to anyone under the age of 18.
They’re not tobacco cigarettes, but they’ll soon be regulated like them.
Health and Human Service Secretary Sylvia Burwell said the announcement is “an important step in the fight for a tobacco-free generation”.
The rules would also impose restrictions on products like cigars and hookah tobacco.
While the possible health benefits and harms of e-cigarettes remain unclear, many in the vaping community claim they’ve helped smokers quit regular cigarettes and are less harmful.
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The FDA says they expect manufacturers will be able to sell their products for up to two years while their products are being reviewed.
