The US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized the marketing of fruit-flavored products. electronic cigarettesthis is the first time it has authorized fruit-flavored vaping products.
The FDA said the products were pods made by Glas Inc., a company based in Los Angeles. vaping manufacturingr which uses age verification technology to restrict access.
The pods come in mango, blueberry and two menthol varieties and will be marketed under the names Gold, Sapphire, Classic Menthol and Fresh Menthol, the agency said.
“The FDA’s rigorous scientific review of these products found that the applicant has sufficiently demonstrated that Glas’ device access restriction technology, combined with the marketing restrictions required by the FDA, is expected to effectively mitigate the ability of young people to use the product,” the agency said in a statement.
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The FDA has authorized the sale of certain fruit-flavored vaping products for the first time. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images / Getty Images)
The move follows a Wall Street Journal report that the president Donald Trump had chastised FDA Commissioner Marty Makary over the weekend for not approving flavored vapes more quickly.
U.S. regulators have historically been reluctant to allow flavored vaping products, citing concerns about their appeal to young people. The FDA said it will continue to require strong evidence that these products benefit adult smokers.
Public health and parent groups have long warned that flavored vaping products may appeal to teens, and some advocates have said the FDA should closely monitor the effectiveness of the new restrictions. According to the Associated Press, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids criticized Tuesday’s decision, arguing it could undermine progress made in reducing youth vaping.
The Truth Initiative told Fox News Digital that the FDA authorization represents a “key test case” for whether such products, combined with marketing restrictions, can limit their use by young people.
“The FDA has a responsibility to ensure that products meet a rigorous public health standard that considers both the potential benefits to adults who smoke and the risks to youth,” Truth Initiative said in a statement. “With these products now authorized, the agency must closely monitor how they are marketed and used to confirm that they continue to meet this high bar and take swift action if they do not.”
Earlier this year, the agency changed its approach to flavored vapes amid increased industry lobbying and political pressure to expand access.
The White House pushed back on earlier restrictions, with spokesperson Kush Desai telling FOX Business that flavored vapes help adults quit smoking.
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A sign for the Food And Drug Administration is seen outside the headquarters on July 20, 2020 in White Oak, Maryland. (Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images/Getty Images)
“The Biden administration has cracked down on flavored vapes despite ample evidence showing that these products are beneficial for adults trying to quit smoking,” Desai said.
“The only factor guiding the Trump Administration’s health policymaking is gold standard science, and the FDA, under the pioneering leadership of Commissioner Makary, will continue to make evidence-based decisions that correct the Biden Administration’s missteps and are in the best interests of the American people,” he added.
Following Tuesday’s decision, the FDA authorized 45 e-cigarette products in the United States.
According to the agency, more than 25 million Americans smoke cigarettes, and smoking remains the leading preventable cause of chronic disease and premature death in the United States, accounting for approximately one in five deaths.
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Federal regulators have approved some flavored vaping products, citing potential benefits for adult smokers. (Matthieu Horwood/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Federal regulators have authorized some flavored vaping products, citing potential benefits for adult smokers.
“Under the leadership of President Trump, the FDA has authorized a number of alternatives that are less harmful to smokers,” the agency said.
The FDA said marketing of products will be limited to adults aged 21 and over, and Glas’ technology is designed to reduce access for young people.
The system requires users check their age with a government-issued ID and pair the device with a smartphone via Bluetooth. The device will not work if separated from the user’s phone.
“By helping prevent product use by youth, restrictions on access to devices have the potential to be a game-changer,” said Bret Koplow, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products.
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“This technology is also an indication of the role that innovation can play in efforts to protect young people from the threats posed by nicotine use and addiction, while helping to enable the availability of an expanded range of flavored options for adult smokers who can use these products to transition away from regular cigarettes altogether,” he added.
FOX Business has reached out to the White House and FDA for comment.
Reuters contributed to this report.