Commissioner Scott Gottlieb caves to pressure campaign; makes it harder for adult smokers to quit.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This morning, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb is scheduled to make a speech regarding the future of tobacco and nicotine regulation in the United States. According to leaks provided to the Washington Post and other outlets last week, Commissioner Gottlieb is expected to announce plans for the FDA Center for Tobacco Products to:
- Restrict the sale of closed system e-cigarettes like JUUL and blu in flavors other than tobacco, mint, and menthol to vape shops (or other adult-only environments), while allowing flavored e-liquids to continue to be sold in all retail environments.
- Issue guidelines for online sales of vaping products.
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- Begin the process of banning the sale of cigarettes and possibly e-cigarettes in menthol flavor.
Gregory Conley, President of the American Vaping Association — a nonprofit that advocates for sensible regulatory policies towards vaping products with the aim of maximizing the number of adult smokers who switch to vaping — offered the following comments in the lead-up to Commissioner Gottlieb’s announcement:
On new restrictions on the sale of closed system vaping products:
“Commissioner Gottlieb has no rational justification for proposing this ban. While menthol in cigarettes has been documented as reducing the harsh taste of burning tobacco, the complete absence of tobacco leaf makes this argument nonsensical when applied to vaping products. If the FDA is going to ban menthol cigarettes, it should be working to ensure that satisfying alternatives are available for the adult smokers impacted by this ban, not prohibiting such products from remaining on the market.”
[Note: Like all early reporting on Commissioner Gottlieb’s forthcoming announcement, the menthol ban being extended to e-cigarettes has NOT been confirmed.]
About the American Vaping Association The American Vaping Association is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that advocates for fair and sensible regulation of vapor products, otherwise known as electronic cigarettes, with the goal of maximizing the number of adult smokers who use these products to quit smoking. The AVA was founded by Gregory Conley, a consumer and industry advocate with a long track record of advocating for vapor products dating back to 2010.
We are dedicated to educating the public and government officials about public health benefits offered by vapor products, which are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid nicotine or nicotine-free solution and create an inhalable vapor. The AVA is not a trade group and does not speak for any particular businesses, including our industry sponsors.
You can learn more about AVA and vaping by visiting the AVA website. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also reach out to Greg Conely at Contact: Gregory Conley
Tel: 609-947-8059
Email: gconley@vaping.org