Virtually all e-cigarettes sold in the USA, and any new tobacco products, will have to seek marketing authorization from the FDA, which will decide if they meet the law’s public health standards and can be sold.
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E-cigarettes, premium cigars and hookahs will now be regulated just like cigarettes by the FDA.
The fast-growing “vaping” industry faces a hazy future as the USA government said Thursday that it’s taking the “milestone” step of regulating electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products as if they were traditional cigarettes. “All of this is creating a new generation of Americans who are at risk of addiction”, said HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell in the FDA’s press release.
E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that turn liquid nicotine into an inhalable vapor.
E-cigarettes have grown into a $3 billion industry, as their use rises among middle- and high school students.
Under the new regulations that take effect in 90 days, the FDA banned e-cigarettes sales in person and online to minors and will also photo identification as proof of age. However, the tobacco giant have the financial flexibility to easily cover the regulatory approval processes. The FDA’s announcement follows a ruling made by Europe’s highest court allowing the European Union to restrict e-cig sales.
Burwell said health officials still do not have the scientific evidence showing e-cigarettes can help smokers quit, as the industry asserts, and avoid the known ills of tobacco.
Almost 80 percent of youth who use tobacco reported using flavored tobacco products because of the appealing flavors, such as bubble gum and cotton candy, according to a 2013-2014 joint study by the National Institutes of Health and the FDA.
The new rules require manufacturers to get permission to market their products, and sets the mandatory minimum age for purchasing the items at 18. The federal government will take over enforcement of the prohibition on sale to minors and could fine retailers or stop them from selling tobacco products.
While there have been no studies that concluded that e-cigs are a clear health hazard, authorities worry because numerous heating elements are manufactured in China with no regulation, and there have been no requirements to label the liquids to identify their contents.
News5 spoke with a local vape shop owner about what the regulations could mean for his business. According to Gary Giovino, chair of the department of community health and health behavior at the State University o NY at Buffalo, the FDA regulations could also prove too steep for some small businesses that make e-cigarettes. “We want regulations so there is some level of safety and security, but at the same time we don’t want regulation that’s going to essentially force people out of this perfectly viable and healthier option than smoking”, Amazing Vapes customer Bill Gardiner said.
While many e-cigarette users claim they use them to wean themselves off of combustible products or other tobacco products, Ossip says research done at the UofR already shows concerning issues about the products.
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“We are on record as opposing that rider”, Zeller said. Newly introduced e-cigarette products would still undergo the reviews.
