17 Nov F.D.A. Authorizes E-Cigarettes to Stay on U.S. Market for the First Time
The Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A) has authorized the first electronic cigarette allowed to be sold in the United States, following a controversial path to approval for these devices. The Vuse electronic cigarette device, as well as Vuse tobacco-flavored cartridges, was authorized by the agency last month, with the F.D.A saying that “The authorized products’ aerosols are significantly less toxic than combusted cigarettes based on available data.” The agency continued, saying they “determined that the potential benefit to smokers who switch completely or significantly reduce their cigarette use, would outweigh the risk to youth.”
The news may be confusing to the public, given that e-cigarette products have been available for purchase in the United States for years. However, these products have been in approval limbo by the F.D.A for over a year while the agency investigated whether or not they could be considered a benefit or danger to public health. E-cigarette products were allowed to be sold by the F.D.A without authorization while waiting for approval, but it seems the agency is finally starting to crack down on individual products. As part of the agency’s review of e-cigarette products, thousands of brands and flavors have been ordered off the market over the past few months, including some of Vuse’s flavored products. Another popular choice among adolescents, Puff Bars, were also ordered off the market during this time.
Expectedly, the agency approval of Vuse products has drawn a mixed bag of reactions from the public. Gregory Conley, president of the American Vaping Association, said “now that the F.D.A. has acted, we are hopeful that adult consumers and health communicators will begin to understand the harm reduction benefits offered by these and other smoke-free products.” On the other hand, Erika Sward, national assistant vice president for advocacy at the American Lung Association, said the F.D.A decision “throws young people under the bus.” Ms. Sward says the concern is both with the general approval of an e-cigarette device, as well as with Vuse specifically, which was recently found to be one of the most popular vaping brands among youth. Some public health experts believe that allowing e-cigarette devices to stay on the market may be beneficial in the long-run by helping the government impose stricter regulations on traditional cigarettes, which have been linked to over 400,000 deaths in the United States each year.
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