The Tamesis
washington The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday announced its first authorization of fruit-flavored e-cigarettes for adult smokers, a major policy shift that comes after months of appeals from the vaping industry to President Trump.
The decision is sure to face pushback from health groups and parent organizations, which have long pointed to flavors as a driver of vaping among U.S. minors, but the federal action comes as teen vaping rates have declined. Dropped to 10-year low Manufacturers are urging the Republican administration to ease restrictions on their products.
E-cigarette companies have long claimed that their products can help reduce deaths from adult smoking, which kill 480,000 people in the U.S. each year from cancer, lung disease and heart disease. These battery-powered devices have been sold in the United States since 2007, but for years their potential benefits were obscured. Acceptance among middle and high school students.
The newly authorized e-cigarettes are available in mango, blueberry and two menthols. Los Angeles-based e-cigarette company Glas Inc. plans to market the flavors under names such as Gold, Sapphire, Classic Menthol and Fresh Menthol, according to an FDA release.
Previously, the FDA only Obtaining a license for tobacco or menthol flavored e-cigarette products. Most e-cigarettes approved by regulators come from large manufacturers, including Juul and Altria.
Tuesday’s announcement is not an approval or endorsement, and the FDA reiterated that Glas e-cigarettes are only suitable for adults interested in quitting or reducing smoking.
The company’s digital age verification system makes it less likely that underage users will purchase the products, the FDA said. Users must first verify their age using government ID on their phone. E-cigarettes can only be used when connected to a verified user’s phone via Bluetooth.
Kathy Crosby of the anti-tobacco nonprofit The Truth Initiative said the FDA’s approval of new fruit products will be “a critical test case.”
“Ultimately, we must remain vigilant in protecting young people, including closely monitoring the use of authorized products,” Crosby said in an emailed statement.
The FDA stressed in a press release that it “will closely monitor how these products are marketed and will take appropriate action if a company fails to comply with any applicable legal or regulatory requirements. The FDA may suspend or revoke an authorization if the FDA determines that continued marketing of an authorized product is no longer appropriate to protect public health, including if there is a significant increase in adolescent use of these products, or if evidence indicates that the benefits of these products no longer outweigh the risks.”
As a presidential candidate, Trump vowed to “save” e-cigarettes and won support from e-cigarette companies, store owners and vaping enthusiasts.
Under President Joe Biden, the FDA has rejected more than a million marketing applications for candy- or fruit-flavored products, part of a broader crackdown credited with helping reduce a surge in teen vaping in 2019. For the first time in his first administration, Trump imposed flavor restrictions on e-cigarettes and raised the purchase age for all tobacco products from 18 to 21.
But action on e-cigarettes and other tobacco policies has largely taken a backseat under FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, who is focused on a range of other priorities, including limiting COVID-19 vaccines, phasing out artificial food dyes and accelerating the approval of certain innovative drugs.
In recent weeks, groups such as the Vapor Technology Association have met with government officials to call for more action on flavors.
In March, the FDA issued its first flavor guidance for industry, noting that menthol, coffee, peppermint and flavorings may have certain appeal to adult smokers. The same document also reiterates the risks of sweet flavors that tend to appeal to teenagers, such as fruit, candy and dessert flavors.
The vast majority of U.S. teens who vape go on to use unauthorized fruit- and candy-flavored products, according to new government data. The products are technically illegal but are still widely sold under cheap disposable brands often imported from China.
