E-cigarettes Now Under FDA Rule
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced it will regulate all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, cigars and hookah tobacco. The historic rule comes a day after Gov. Jerry Brown signed a series of tobacco bills into California law, including one that will raise the smoking age to 21 and another that will place more restrictions on e-cigarettes.
The FDA’s new restrictions will go into effect in 90 days.
Although traditional cigarette use among youngsters has been on the decline over the past decade, the use of e-cigarettes has skyrocketed from 1.5 percent in 2011 to 16 percent in 2015 — an over 900 percent increase, according to the FDA. Hookah use has also seen a dramatic increase.
Researchers are concerned that e-cigarettes are the gateway drug to traditional cigarettes. USC experts share their thoughts on the FDA’s decision to regulate all tobacco products.
Contact: Zen Vuong (213) 300-1381 or zvuong@gmail.com
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Former chair of the FDA’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee can comment
“This is an important step for the FDA in covering the broad range of tobacco products and minimizing the public health impact of nicotine and tobacco.”
Jon Samet is the distinguished professor and Flora L. Thornton Chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He is a leading authority on the health effects of smoking and air pollution. One of his research interests is the health effects of thirdhand smoke in indoor environments.
Contact: (323) 865-0803 or jsamet@usc.edu
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The FDA needs to regulate e-cigarette liquid vials
“This closes a loophole for younger people to get access to nicotine-containing products as the concern is the younger someone uses increases the risk of nicotine addiction. Preferably, there would be federal legislation raising the legal purchasing age to 21, just as there was federal support for increasing the drinking age to 21 during the Reagan administration.
“One concern we have of vaping liquids is they are concentrated forms of nicotine and also contain flavorings and scents. Nicotine, when ingested, is one of the most toxic substances — less than a teaspoonful is potentially fatal in a child. Ideally, we would like to see child-resistant packaging on vaping liquids as there have been pediatric poisonings, including deaths, from ingestions.”
Sean Nordt is an associate professor of clinical emergency medicine and assistant dean for pre-health undergraduate studies at Keck School of Medicine of USC. As a toxicologist, he is an expert in poisoning prevention, drug overdoses and environmental toxicology.
Contact: (323) 226-6667 or nordt@usc.edu
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Today the FDA laid the groundwork for future science-based regulations
“The science to date has done little to offset concerns regarding whether e-cigarettes may be drawing in a new generation of youth into nicotine and tobacco product use. The rule helps to lay the groundwork for future revisions to regulatory tactics based on what the science tells us.
“We will need more scientific data to answer many questions that remain. For example, what flavors will be permitted versus restricted when considering that the same products, like sweet-flavored e-cigarettes, may be preferred by adults trying to transition from smoking to vaping, as well as by children looking to experiment with tobacco products for the first time. Regardless, this new rule is a critical first step that will undoubtedly have a positive net effect on the health of the Americans.”
Adam Leventhal, an associate professor of preventive medicine and psychology, is the director of the USC Health, Emotion & Addiction Laboratory in the Keck School of Medicine. He is an expert on smoking, vaping, addiction and mental health.
Contact: (323) 442-8222 or adam.leventhal@usc.edu
