President Donald Trump wants to ban flavored vape pens and e-cigarettes. According to his administration, federal officials are ready to combat the growing threat associated with these devices.
In a statement sent to the press, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said that the outbreak of mysterious lung disease taking over the country is related to vape pens and their contents. So far, at least six people died and hundreds of others suffered injuries.
“The Trump Administration is making it clear that we intend to clear the market of flavored e-cigarettes to reverse the deeply concerning epidemic of youth e-cigarette use that is impacting children, families, schools and communities,” Azar said. “We will not stand idly by as these products become an on-ramp to combustible cigarettes or nicotine addiction for a generation of youth.”
This is great news, especially as state leaders also take steps to fight vape pens’ growing threat.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, regulators are working on new guidelines to stop producers from selling non-tobacco flavors of e-cigarettes. This includes menthol and mint. This move would happen within 30 days. In the future, companies may reintroduce flavors but only if they get an approval from the FDA first.
Vape pens are dangerous because companies like Juul are marketing to children. This, critics suggest, is getting them addicted on e-cigarettes. Because of the growing use of these devices, officials are seeing this surge as an epidemic. But what worries officials more than anything else is the growing use of vape pens among children.
As concerned personal injury attorneys, we hope that this measure will help to prevent a growing threat, and hope that officials in Washington state will also take measures to protect our children.
For more on this federal effort to fight vape pen-related deaths, click here.
