Plan to Ban Vape Flavors

In the last several years, vaping has become popular amongst teens. Some teens on Elon’s campus describe it as a “cool thing to do” while others say “it is trendy and sleek looking.” One student explained Juul as “easy to conceal and use.” The rise of this trend has caught national attention.

President Trump announced his administration is planning to ban flavored e-cigarette products following the outbreak of a mysterious lung disease that can be related to the use of e-cigarettes.

Last year, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb called teen vaping an “epidemic”. To date, this epidemic has killed six people in the United States alone.

According to the National Institute of Health, more than 44,000 students took part in the 2018 annual survey of drug, alcohol and cigarette use for 8th, 10th, and 12th graders. About 37% of 12th graders reported vaping in 2018, compared to 28% in 2017.

E-cigarette companies sell flavors such as mango and other fruits in order to appeal to teenagers, and it clearly works. The need for action against this growing issue is undeniable.

This issue is one the FDA has been trying to combat for some time. The FDA has issued 8,600 warning letters and more than 1,000 fines to stores for selling vapes and vape products to underage users.

The FDA is now finalizing its official guidance to remove all non-tobacco flavors of e-cigarettes from the market within 30 days. This is a step in the right direction, but will demand more attention in the near future.