In January 2017, following the implementation of the FDA’s deeming rule the previous August, the agency released a draft guidance which banned tobacco retailers from giving out any free samples of their merchandise..
These products included vaping products, any other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), cigars, hookah tobacco, pipe tobacco, nicotine gels, dissolvable tobacco, and any components/parts of these items even if they contain no tobacco.
Minimizing accessibility to tobacco products
Last Wednesday the FDA finalized the 10-page guidance document, so to make it clear that samples of e-cigarettes and their components, such as e-liquids, are part of the ban. The agency pointed out that such vaping products’ samples were being given out at child friendly festivals and events, making them easily accessible to minors.
“One of the most important provisions to help reduce youth access to tobacco products is the prohibition on free samples of tobacco products,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb in a statement about the document. “With more youth using e-cigarettes than any other tobacco product, it’s critical that manufacturers and retailers understand how we intend to enforce this provision,” he added.
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