Youth smoking epidemic: FDA bans flavored vapes

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned most vape products with nicotine, fruit and mint flavors. Writes about it CNBC.

Фото: Depositphotos

Under the new rule, which takes effect in early February, companies that do not stop distributing flavored products will be banned.

Companies also run the risk of being subject to regulatory measures if their products are intended for minors or if they do not take “adequate measures” to prevent minors from accessing products. They will still be able to sell tobacco and menthol products that use electronic cigarettes for those who want to quit smoking.

“In the United States, it has never been seen that an epidemic of substance use has occurred as quickly as our current e-cigarette epidemic among young people,” said Alex Azar, head of the Department of Health and Human Services.

“The department is taking a comprehensive, aggressive approach to enforcing a law passed by Congress that says there are currently no legitimate electronic cigarettes on the market,” he said.

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The decision of the department was made in connection with the increase in the use of electronic cigarettes in adolescence and the deadly lung disease associated with vaping, which claimed the lives of 55 people in 27 states.

The U.S. Presidential Administration Donald Trump initially announced plans to ban flavored electronic cigarettes in September 2019, but postponed the final decision amid intense lobbying by the tobacco and vape industry.

Hazard told reporters that the FDA’s decision to allow the further sale of tobacco and menthol-flavored products is because they are “less attractive” to minors.

According to two studies published in the journal of the American Medical Association in November, more than half of teenagers who smoke use electronic cigarettes Juul.

Juul, which is partly owned by the tobacco giant Altria, voluntarily stopped selling its popular mint flavors shortly after the publication of the study.

Public health experts have long supported the administration’s goal of banning flavors that minors like the most, but some fear that they may end up switching to menthol as soon as the fruit flavors disappear.

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“Only the elimination of all flavored e-cigarettes can put an end to the aggravation of the e-cigarette epidemic among young people and stop e-cigarette companies from luring and enticing flavored young people,” said Matthew Myers, leader of the Tobacco Free Kids Campaign.

Administration officials said the ban has nothing to do with lung disease associated with vaping. Hazard said the Trump administration sees vaping lung disease as a “separate issue,” as public health officials believe most people who are sick smoke THC-based steam products (tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient in cannabis).

“No minor should consume nicotine products,” officials said repeatedly.

The ban would have limited impact on industry leader Juul, which has already stopped sales of its flavored products in the U.S., with the exception of menthol, Virginia and classic tobaccos, under scrutiny. This would likely be a blow to Juul rival NJOY, which had been hoping to benefit from Juul's retreat.

The new FDA rules are the last step by the US government to combat teen vaping.

In December 2019, Trump signed a law banning the sale of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products to people under the age of 21.

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