The FDA has authorized four new electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products for sale in the U.S., bringing the total number of authorized vaping products to 45.
The newly approved products include fruit- and menthol-flavored e-cigarettes made by Los Angeles-based Glas.
Public health advocates criticized the move, warning the products could increase youth vaping despite FDA safeguards.
During the first Trump administration, health officials cracked down on vaping, especially flavored vapes popular with teenagers. In the second administration, officials are taking a different tack.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded the number of legally marketed vaping products in the United States by authorizing four new electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products from vape manufacturer Glas.
The agency said the authorization allows the products to be marketed to adults aged 21 and older after determining that the products met the legal standard of being “appropriate for the protection of public health.” The FDA stressed that the authorization applies only to the specific Glas products reviewed and does not represent a blanket approval for other vaping products made by the company.
With the latest decision, the FDA has now authorized 45 ENDS products for sale in the U.S. The authorized products are currently the only vaping products that may be legally marketed nationwide under FDA rules.
Age-verification tech
According to the FDA, the newly authorized products include mango, blueberry and menthol-flavored vaping products. The agency said its review found that age-restriction technology and marketing limitations could help reduce youth access to the products. The system requires users to verify their age with government-issued identification and pair the vaping device with a smartphone using Bluetooth technology.
FDA officials described the technology as a potential breakthrough in limiting underage vaping. Bret Koplow, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, said “device access restrictions are a potential game changer” in helping prevent youth use.
The decision marks the first time the FDA has authorized fruit-flavored vaping products, signaling a significant shift in the agency’s approach to regulating flavored e-cigarettes. In previous years, the FDA rejected more than one million flavored vaping products because of concerns that they appealed to teenagers.
Pushback from anti-tobacco groups
The authorization immediately drew criticism from anti-tobacco groups, that warned the move puts at risk the progress our nation has made in reducing youth e-cigarette use.
Public health organizations also urged the FDA to closely monitor how the products are marketed and used.
The FDA emphasized that no tobacco product is safe and warned that people who do not currently use tobacco products should not start. The agency also said it will continue enforcement efforts against unauthorized vaping products, including operations targeting illegal imports and retailers selling products that appeal to youth.