Regulating Flavored E-Cig Products | RxWiki

(RxWiki News) A game-changer for the electronic cigarette market may be on the horizon.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced its plan to finalize a policy to better regulate non-tobacco-flavored e-cigarette products.

Over the last several years, we have seen countless stories about increasing e-cig use, the risks and the possible side effects. More recently, the FDA issued a new warning about respiratory problems tied to e-cigs.

In fact, five deaths tied to vaping-related illnesses have been announced in recent days, as of publishing time. For the most recent news, be sure to read “A New Warning About E-Cigarettes.”

The FDA’s new policy includes focusing on the authorization process for non-tobacco-flavored e-cig products to enter the market. Under the new plan, unauthorized, non-tobacco-flavored e-cig products will be cleared from the market. Furthermore, in order for products to be on the market, companies have to submit a formal application and be approved by the FDA.

According to the FDA, this policy is in response to the “epidemic” of e-cig use in US children and adolescents. More than 25 percent of high school students said they used e-cigs (within the past 30 days), according to 2019 data.

The new policy will focus on non-tobacco-flavored e-cig products because non-tobacco flavors may be more appealing to children and teens. Youth e-cig users have cited the use of popular fruit, menthol and mint flavors.

The FDA said it has made multiple efforts to combat youth e-cig use. These efforts included sending warning letters and penalties (fines) to retailers, which led to the removal of several e-liquid products that resembled kid-friendly products.

If you have any questions or concerns about e-cigs or vaping, speak to your health care provider.

Written by Anyssa Garza, PharmD, BCMAS.