Source: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
On May 5, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved marketing for four flavored vapes made by the company Glas Inc. in what the agency says is an effort to tamp down on underage use of these products (Source: FDA approves some flavored vapes after reports of Trump pressure, The Hill, May 5).
The FDA said the products will be age-restricted using age verification with a government-issued ID and Bluetooth connection with one’s smartphone.
This action comes shortly after The Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump had reprimanded FDA Commissioner Marty Makary for not approving flavored vape and nicotine products fast enough.
The FDA previously banned fruit and candy flavored vapes due to their appeal to teens and children. The Supreme Court upheld the ban last year.
The vapes approved by the FDA this week are meant for adults, with the agency saying the marketing will specifically target consumers 21 and older.
Dr. Makary was forced to resign as head of the FDA due to his disagreement with this decision that was forced by the administration. He was brought in to effect meaningful change to the FDA, but refused to compromise on basic principles of good health. Sorry to lose him and we now need to beware of other compromises that go against core health principles by the FDA.