Leading e-cigarette companies have been having meetings with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in relation to teen vaping. Following one such meeting between Altria and FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb last week, the two parties discussed “actions that could be taken”, following which it was decided that whilst waiting for the agency’s verdict, the tobacco giant would stop selling the following items:
- MarkTen Elite pod-based products.
- Apex by MarkTen pod-based products.
- All favored variants of MarkTen and Green Smoke “cig-a-like products” except tobacco, menthol and mint varieties.
On the other hand, experts remain sceptical and point out that the industry shouldn’t be trusted to come up with useful ways to police itself. “Anybody who believes that the e-cigarette companies could come up with a plan to effectively regulate themselves should talk to me, because I have a bridge I would love to sell them,” he says.
An inclusive approach
In response to such comments the FDA said that it will continue to involve different stakeholders in the decision making process. “We will continue to seek public input from a diverse set of stakeholders, including public health advocates and the manufacturers and retailers affected by these policies.”
E-cig manufacturers welcome the FDA’s approach. “We believe it will take industry and regulators working together to restrict youth access,” said Victoria Davis, a spokesperson for Juul.
Read Further: The Verge
