Health Content // How E-Cigarettes are Being Kept From Children*

On Thursday, sensible regulations on electronic cigarettes as well as other tobacco products were issued by the Food and Drug Administration. These restrictions should help to limit the addiction amongst young people to nicotine found in an electronic cigarette.

The FDA reported that beginning on August 8, retailers will not be permitted to sell hookah tobacco, cigars and e-cigarettes to individuals under the age of eighteen. Those under the age of twenty six attempting to purchase these items will be required to provide photo identification. Free sample of these products will no longer be able to be given out by businesses and they will not be sold in vending machines with the exception of locations which are adults-only, for example in bars. The products will be required, after two years, to provide health warnings.

Although in recent years the percentage of teenagers who smoke traditional cigarettes has dropped, the use of e-cigarettes which provide the nicotine in form of vapour as well as other tobacco products has increased at rates that are alarming. According to the Centres for Disease Control and prevention, in 2015, sixteen percent of high school students reported having used e-cigarettes in the last thirty days; this is an increase from the mere 1.5 percent reported in 2011. Hookah tobacco, although not as common has also seen an increase of use among high school students, the use of cigars however has declined.

The C.D.C states that the use of e-cigarettes, which is also known as vaping can be dangerous for teenagers due to the fact that the formation of brain circuits which control learning, attention and susceptibility to addictions can be disrupted by the nicotine. Public health experts also explain that the vapor may contain metal particles as well as carcinogens.

Certain public interest groups, for example the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, believe that the F.D.A. should take this matter even further by prohibiting the sales of fruit and candy flavored e-cigarettes which children find particularly appealing. The agency explained that the reason why they are not willing to do this is due to the fact that the flavoured products could help certain adults quit using cigarettes. As more evidence is turned in, this is an issue that should certainly be revisited.

With the help of e-cigarettes, some people may be able to quit smoking conventional tobacco which is responsible for around six million deaths a year and all over the world, however many public health experts explain that there is no concrete evidence leading to that conclusion. They are definitely of no benefit to young people who have never before used tobacco, there is actually evidence indicating that young people who do use e-cigarettes are more likely to move on to the use of conventional tobacco.

Although broad categories of e-cigarettes were not banned with these new rules, the F.D.A. could still outlaw certain flavors because since February 15, 2007, manufacturers are required to submit all their electronic tobacco products to the agency for their approval within the following two years. Marketing restrictions which are similar to those applied to conventional tobacco should also be put into place by the agency, for example prohibitions on sponsoring cultural events, music and sports.

Regulators and lawmakers the world over are also tightening up on their tobacco regulations. On Wednesday, European Regulations which banned menthol cigarettes and imposed marketing as well as other restrictions on e-cigarettes, were upheld by the European Court of Justice. Governor Jerry brown of California, on that same day signed legislation setting the age to buy tobacco products from eighteen, to twenty one; he joined Hawaii as well as over one hundred other cities that have done the same.

There are those in the tobacco and electronic cigarette industry who believe the rules placed by the F.D.A. are a form of prohibition. That is complete nonsense. These rules were proposed by the agency two years ago and the final version that was produced is measured and thoughtful.