regulate the manufacture, marketing and sales of electronic cigarettes as it does traditional smokes. Until now, the FDA’s approach to e-cigarettes has been way too lenient giving manufacturers exten- sions before applying for FDA approval, allowing all e-cigarettes that had been on the market before August 2016 to continue to be sold with no controls on how they are made or marketed. Seen as an alternative to smoke and a tool to help smokers quit, the results have actually been the opposite as evidence shows that teens who vape aremuchmore likely than others to come tradition- al smokers, this being said much more research is needed to truly understand if e-cigarettes can still be a less-harmful alternative to smoking tradition- al tobacco products. However, until the significant research has been completed and the data analysed it is FDA’s responsibility to keep kids and young adults alike from the health risks it may cause.
By Jamie Barrie Y ou do not have to go very far these days to see that vaping has become very popular with young adults and now the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking notice that electronic cigarette use has become a problem with young adults. The FDA actions are in response to data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey indicating that e-cigarette use among high school students is up more than 75 percent and among middle-school- ers by 50 percent since the survey was completed this time last year. The FDA is now considering new limits on e-cig- arette marketing and may look to have candy-fla- vored vapes taken off the market altogether. Many health professionals welcome the change, but at this time it is only a warning, but the govern- ment agency has plans to follow up with actions to
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2019
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