FDA Cracks Down on E-Cigarette Makers to Discourage Use by Teens

Agency proposes curbing the use of e-liquid flavors that could appeal to kids

When smokers switched from traditional cigarettes to “heat-not-burn” devices, researchers didn’t find any evidence of improvements in lung function. rolandmey/Pixabay

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requiring companies that produce e-cigarettes to come up with a plan within the next two months on how to prevent e-cigarettes from getting into the hands of minors.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a speech on Sept. 12 that while he’s excited about the possibility of e-cigarettes being used to transition adults off of the more toxic traditional cigarettes, he’s alarmed by the uptick in their use by kids, mainly teenagers.