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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

FDA Guidance on Electronic Cigarettes Pending

The FDA has been dragging its feet on regulation but Attorneys General are attempting to light their fire

Attorney generals from across the country have sent a letter to Commissioner Margaret Hamburg of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expressing the urgency in issuing rules to regulate the advertising, marketing and manufacturing of electronic cigarettes. The letter claims, “With the protection of our States’ citizens again in mind, the undersigned Attorneys General wrote to highlight the need for immediate regulatory oversight of e-cigarettes, an increasingly widespread, addictive product,” without offering any evidence.

The letter does state the fact that industry sales have doubled every year since 2008 and are predicted to reach $1.7 billion in 2013. A figure so large that big tobacco companies have jumped on the bandwagon as sales of tobacco products (and associated jobs) continue to decline. While use of electronic cigarettes has increased rapidly, the FDA has been slow to issue regulations. Without any type of oversight, there are no restrictions to the ingredients that can be placed into e-cigarettes.

The absence of regulation in advertising also creates plenty of controversy. On one side is the public health crowd and organizations that make their money on disagreeing with anything that does not taste like tree bark (when you eat it). On the other are the electronic cigarette manufacturers that claim their product is perfectly safe and only a tool to quit smoking tobacco products. Of course, they are in the business to make money also.

The medical journal, The Lancet, published a recent study claiming traditional smokers given e-cigarettes were 25 percent more likely to quit smoking than if they used nicotine patches. The American Lung Association’s Director of National Advocacy, Erika Sward says, “There has been very limited independent evidence done to find out what the ultimate consequences are either to the individual user, but also to the public health consequences.”

By the end of October, the FDA plans to offer guidance on the marketing and manufacturing. Until then, and until more studies on the product are completed consumers should be careful which products they buy and what they are putting into their lungs. It is always wise to do a little research on any product you purchase.

About CanadaEcigs.ca

Canada Ecigs (http://www.canadaecigs.ca) was established in 2012 with one goal in mind and that is to bring attention to the growing electronic cigarette industry within Canada and to sort through the myriad of suppliers who have recently flooded the Canadian market place. Visit the website today for more reviews on electronic cigarette canada.


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