Home Politics America A new attempt at halting the FDA’s unreasonable rules

A man seen from the bac, wearing a cap with the FDA's logotype (infographic)

A new attempt at halting the FDA’s unreasonable rules

A house panel is once again working at having electronic cigarettes exempt from one of the infamous US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA), harsh regulations.

Diane Caruana

July 18, 2017

Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.), is renowned amongst vapers for actively fighting for their rights to have access to the safer alternatives. He is the co-sponsor of the legislation which last Wednesday was approved by the Appropriations Committee.

“E-vapor products are 95 percent less harmful than combustible cigarettes,” he said, quoting the renowned figures released last year by Public Health England. “I want to help people in our country, America, to cycle off of cigarettes.”

“E-vapor products are 95 percent less harmful than combustible cigarettes. I want to help people in our country, America, to cycle off of cigarettes.”Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.)

The FDA regulations, which have been put on hold by the Trump administration, would require that products launched since February 2007 undergo premarket safety reviews retroactively.

This proposed legislation, also known as the Cole-Bishop Amendment, would prevent such retroactive checks for existing vaping products. However any new products would still need to go through these reviews before being launched for sale on the market.

The unsound arguments against vaping repeated once again

Recent data released by the CDC, clearly indicates that smoking rates amongst high school students were cut in half in only five years, between 2011 to 2016.

Naturally, most Democrats disagree with this proposal. “While we do not know what is in e-cigarettes, study after study finds that most show high levels of formaldehyde and other cancer-causing chemicals,” said Rep. Nita Lowey, (D-N.Y.), despite the fact that data has clearly indicated that such chemicals are only found in insignificant amounts when compared to those found in cigarettes.

Additionally Lowey also said that e-liquid flavours such as Fruit Loops and Gummy Bears, are aimed at attracting and hooking youths to the products. However, research has found that this interesting variety of flavours is one of the factors that entices adult smokers to switch to the safer alternatives besides the obvious health benefits.

Vaping : a gateway to quit cigarettes

Additionally, recent data, released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday the 16th of June, clearly indicates that smoking rates amongst high school students were cut in half in only five years, between 2011 to 2016. Most importantly during this same time, vaping amongst the same age group increased from 1.5% to a peak of 16.0% in 2015. But this is not all! Additionally, the percentage of high school students using e-cigarettes has also dropped.

For the first time since the advent of electronic cigarettes, vaping decreased from 16.0% in 2015 to 11.3% in 2016, while smoking in that same period dropped from 9.3% to 8.0%, hence dispelling the theory that vaping leads kids to smoking.

More info : Stat