Is the FDA ceding ground to the e-cigarette?

Up until now the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been wary of vaping, but it now seems to be softening its position. In the fight against tobacco addiction, vaping could very well be the safest and healthiest option for smokers looking to quit. The e-cigarette is a smoke-free alternative, and numerous studies show that vaping poses no cancer risk.

Nonetheless, the nicotine content, which is an addictive substance, continues to worry some authorities. The allure of e-cigarettes for young people has also been seen as a potential gateway towards tobacco addiction. Amongst those who opposed the e-cigarette was the FDA, which up until now was far from convinced of its legitimacy.

Scott Gottlieb, FDA commissioner, has not been supportive of the electronic cigarette, but he also opposed other alternative devices. Philip Morris International’s IQOS device, as well as the snus by Swedish Match, are two such examples. Questions surrounding vaping addiction rates amongst young people forced the FDA to be cautious about saying anything positive about the e-cigarette.

The vaping market now supported by the FDA

In the face of overwhelming scientific evidence, Gottlieb must now admit that vaping has a positive influence on reducing smoking rates. The vaping rate amongst minors is also quite low, and has not led to an increase in vaping in public, either. Indeed, the lack of a correlation between the rise of the vaping market and e-cigarette addiction should come as a relief to naysayers …

Noting a correlation in the adult population between the drop in smoking rates and the rise of vaping, the FDA has been forced to change its position. The government organization recently announced plans to regulate all vaping devices. The sale of previously banned products may soon be permitted, accompanied by an effort to inform the public about vaping through information campaigns.

The newfound support of the FDA regarding vaping products should provide a boon to the market. And as Big Tobacco continues to suffer from the drop in smoking rates, it may find a silver lining in introducing new tobacco-heating devices. And so while the debate about the risks and dangers of vaping continues, it seems that the FDA has made its decision.