FDA is considering banning convenience stores from selling flavored e-cigs.
On Friday, Oct. 19, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told CNBC the agency was considering prohibiting conveniences stores from selling flavored electronic cigarettes, and restricting the sale of flavored e-cigs to vape shops.
The goal is reportedly to curb youth smoking. Gottlieb pointed to high school e-cig use, which he said was up 77% last year according to a federal Youth Tobacco Survey, while middle school use was up 50%.
He blamed c-stores for selling Juul, one popular brand, illegally to minors.
“We’re looking at what can be sold in brick-and-mortar stores and whether or not flavored products can be sold in regular stores like a 7-Eleven and a truck stop and a gas station, or whether or not flavored products on the market should be confined to adult vaping shops, which generally tend to do a better job of checking ID,” Gottlieb told CNBC.
CNBC reported that the FDA issued more than 1,300 warning letters to stores selling e-cigs illegally to minors, and according to the FDA database, big name c-store retailers were among those receiving warning letters. At the same time, the FDA is also considering banning e-cig sales online.
Last month, the FDA ordered Juul, British American Tobacco’s Vuse, Altria’s MarkTen, Imperial Brands’ Blu E-cigs and Japan Tobacco’s Logic — to offer plans to curb teen use of their products within 60 days. Gottlieb told CNBC the FDA has now met with Juul, Altria and Reynolds, a unit of British American Tobacco.