Should the FDA Ban Flavored e-Cigarettes?

Update - September 12, 2018:

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declared youth vaping an "epidemic," and is threatening to ban flavored e-cigarettes unless companies can prove they can keep their products away from kids.
• FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said his agency is giving the manufacturers of JUUL, Vuse, MarkTen XL, Blu and Logic 60 days to submit “robust” plans to prevent youth vaping. If the agency believes the plans are inadequate, it could order the brands' products to be taken off shelves.
• As the five companies make up more than 97 percent of the e-cigarette market, banning them could effectively kill flavored vapes.

"Teenagers are becoming regular users, and the proportion of regular users is increasing," Gottlieb, a physician, said in a statement. "We’re going to have to take action. No one can look at the data and say there’s no problem."

• JUUL Labs CEO Kevin Burns said the company "will work proactively with FDA in response to its request."

"We are committed to preventing underage use of our product, and we want to be part of the solution in keeping e-cigarettes out of the hands of young people."

Countable's original story appears below.

What’s the story?

• The Food and Drug Administration and Federal Trade Commission have sent warning letters to companies that sell nicotine-laced “e-liquids” in packages that resemble kid-friendly juice boxes, candy, and cookies.
• Meanwhile, San Francisco is voting on whether to ban candy-flavored vapes and New York Democratic Senator – and Minority Leader – Chuck Schumer is calling on the FDA to immediately ban electronic cigarette flavors that appeal to children.

E-cigarette liquid (right) that resembles kid-friendly candy (left). FDA/Flickr

Why does it matter?

• Electronic cigarettes have skyrocketed in popularity among teens.
• Days after the FDA announced its crackdown on e-cigarettes, the Associated Press ran a widely-quoted article about how “teens have taken to vaping, an alternative to smoking that’s so discreet they can do it without even leaving the classroom.”

“We’ve seen significant increases across the student body,” Robert Keuther, the principal at Marshfield High School on the south shore of Massachusetts, told the AP. “This is not something specific to one group of kids. It’s across all of my grades, nine to 12. It’s all students.”

• In mid-April, a coalition of medical and health groups called on the FDA to suspend the selling of Juul, an easily-concealable vape that’s shaped like a flash drive.

“Juul comes in sweet flavors that appeal to youth, including mango, fruit medley, crème brulee, cool mint and cool cucumber,” the group wrote. “The evidence is clear that flavors play a key role in youth use of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.”

• FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb tweeted on Monday that his agency will soon be taking "new actions" against vaping manufacturers that target teens:

What do you think?

Should the FDA crack down on e-cigarette flavors marketed to teens? Is it a state or federal issue? Are you concerned about the marketing of vapes to kids and teenagers? Hit Take Action and tell your reps, then share your thoughts below.

—Josh Herman

(Photo Credit: FDA via Flickr)