The draft guideline was released just weeks before Commissioner Scott Gottlieb’s set exit. This move was infact one of Gottlieb’s priorities following the backlash he faced for the alleged increase in teen vaping, which many blamed on the PMTA delay.
The proposal will ban all flavoured products with the exception of tobacco, mint or menthol-flavored e-cigarettes, from retail stores that minors can access easily, such as convenience stores and gas stations.
Flavours help adult smokers switch to the safer alternatives
Meanwhile, in line with previous research, a recent large scale peer reviewed study published in the Harm Reduction Journal last Summer, seemed to confirm that restricting e-liquid flavours may discourage smokers from switching to the proven safer alternatives which could save their life.
This study was conducted by the Centre for Substance Use Research (CSUR), and looked at data gathered from over 20,000 adult frequent vapers in the US. “The results show that non-tobacco flavours, especially fruit based flavours, are being increasingly preferred to tobacco flavours by adult vapers who have completely switched from combustible cigarettes to vapour products,” said Dr Christopher Russell, Deputy Director of CSUR, who led the research.
The AHA demands further reckless bans
The American Heart Association on the other hand, is saying that the exemption for mint and menthol flavors from the FDA’s ban is a “major oversight.” Chief Executive Officer Nancy Brown said in a statement that the organization’s Tobacco Regulation and Addiction Center found that menthol was the second-most popular e-cigarette flavor among teens.
Read Further: Bloomberg
