E-CIG SCRUTINIZERS SEEK FURTHER REGULATION

Schneiderman and AGs of 29 states join together in effort to regulate e-cigs

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, together with the attorneys general of Illinois, Indiana, and Massachussetts, co-sponsored a letter submitted to the Food and Drug Administration last week that was signed by 29 state attorneys general. The letter urges the FDA to strengthen its proposed regulation of electronic cigarettes – or e-cigarettes – with the stated goal of protecting young people from the harms of nicotine addiction.

Among other recommendations, the attorneys general pressed the FDA to prohibit flavors in e-cigarettes, and to restrict advertising and marketing for e-cigarettes in the same manner as for cigarettes.

“E-cigarettes have all the addictive qualities of regular, combustible cigarettes, yet they are completely unregulated by the FDA,” said Attorney General Schneiderman.

E-cigarettes contain no tobacco but do contain nicotine generally derived from tobacco. The nicotine is dissolved in a liquid that, when heated, forms a vapor that is inhaled, delivering nicotine to the lungs. While some claim that e-cigarettes may have the potential to help smokers quit using combustible cigarettes, the FDA has not approved them as smoking cessation devices. In 2013, e-cigarette advertisements on television reached over 14 million teens, and magazine advertisements reached 9.5 million teens. In just one year, the five largest e-cigarette companies increased their marketing expenditures by 164 percent.