New FDA Administration Puts New Hope Into Vape Industry

Unexpected update from FDA halts federal regulations and embraces e-cigarettes

News Release from Volcano E-Cigs, August 1, 2017

Honolulu, Hawaii – Under new administration guidance lead by FDA Commissioner M.D. Scott Gottlieb, the Federal Food & Drug Administration announced that the previously introduced Premarket Tobacco Application deadline has been pushed back to 2022 in an effort to increase the FDA’s ability to properly regulate e-cigarettes. The FDA signaled its committed to encouraging innovations that have the potential to make a notable public health difference and inform policies and efforts that will best protect kids and help smokers quit cigarettes.

The FDA issued Deeming Regulations previously in May of 2016 bringing all tobacco products under its control, including those made or derived from tobacco and which are not a drug, device, or combination product. The rule went into effect August 8, 2016 and put immediate uncertainty on the vaping industry.

Gottlieb has released the administrations new regulatory direction for vape and ecigarette products embracing them as a modified. In addition to the pushback of PMTA regulations on vape products, Gottlieb put fourth the direction to require lower amounts of nicotine in combustible tobacco cigarettes within his first 90 days of taking office.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids organization spokesperson Vince Willmore stated, “To Dr. Gottlieb’s credit, when he looked at the issue, he realized that to be effective, the promotion of less-harmful tobacco products must be paired with reduction in the use of the most harmful products.” 

Gottlieb stated, “There’s also been enormous change in the marketplace for tobacco products since I was last at FDA. In just the last few years, we’ve seen the advent and adoption of new product categories that may be able to deliver nicotine without having to burn tobacco.”

“A growing body of evidence has shown that e-cigarettes are up to 95% less harmful than traditional tobacco cigarettes and our industry is finally seeing Congressional action be taken so that vapor products can remain on the market” said Cory Smith, CEO and Co-Founder of VOLCANO eCigs. “We support sensible science based regulations including child resistant packaging, labeling requirements, banning sales to minors and instituting good manufacturing processes. It’s incredibly encouraging to see the federal governments ability to promote the availability of modified risk products to consumers that create a public health win.” Smith stated.

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