Gov’t Releases Proposed E-Cigarette Regulations

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revealed its proposal for the federal regulation of electronic cigarette production, sale, and advertising on Thursday, marking the beginning of the end for the devices' unrestricted sweep across the U.S. market.

According to the FDA's proposal, if-enacted, electronic cigarettes would be regulated as tobacco production, submitting them to the same restrictions that are currently placed on cigarettes, chewing tobacco, cigars, pipe tobacco, and hookah.

Constant with current tobacco regulations, electronic cigarette producers would have to register their products with the FDA and report the contents of each device's liquid nicotine or gel nicotine cartridge. New products, such as a new flavor or intensity of "vapor" nicotine, would also have to be approved prior to hitting the U.S. market.

According to an FDA release detailing the proposal, the new regulations would also limit how electronic cigarettes advertise their products. Currently, many electronic cigarette companies market their products and "electronic smoking cessation devices," claiming that the devices can help smokers of traditional tobacco products kick the habit.

However, past research has shown that electronic cigarettes not only do not help smokers quit, but they may even encourage young people to take up a traditional cigarette habit.

If the FDA regulations are enacted, electronic cigarette companies will no longer be permitted to make claims that they can help smoking cessation without conclusive evidence. However, as no adverse effects have ever been found associated with using an electronic cigarette -- called "vaping" -- the devices are still allowed to advertise as a "healthy" alternative to traditional smoking products.

One of the biggest changes that the electronic cigarettes will face is that they will no longer be able to sell their products to minor or distribute free samples of their products at concerts or festivals.

Just last week, a congressional report revealed evidence that electronic cigarette companies had been directly targeting youth by designing "vapor" flavors that would appeal to teens and handing out free samples at events that were frequented by adolescents.

Still, this won't be as massive a slap in the face to some companies as legislatures may think. According to the same congressional report, many cigarette companies had enacted their own restrictive policies long ago, banning sale of their products to minors and limiting social network advertising to only adult-restricted pages.

The FDA revealed the proposed regulations in a news release on April 24.

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