US Officials to Restrict Sales of E-Cigarettes
United States government health officials are moving ahead with a plan designed to keep e-cigarettes out of the hands of teenagers.
The plan would place restrictions on the sale of most flavored products in convenience stores, gas stations, pharmacies, and other shops that sell them.
First proposed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in November, the new plan is the latest government effort to fight what officials call an epidemic of vaping among teens.
E-cigarettes work by heating a flavored nicotine liquid into a vapor that can be inhaled. US law bans their sale to those under 18, but one in five high school students have reported using e-cigarettes, according to a 2018 survey.
Under the FDA's proposed plan, e-cigarette makers would need to restrict sales of most flavored products to stores that verify the age of customers upon entry or include a separate, age-restricted area for vaping products. For online sales, companies would be expected to use special technology to check a customer's age and identity.
The FDA will also work to remove vaping products that are designed to appeal to kids, such as those that look like juice boxes, candy, or cookies. Companies that don't follow the new requirements may have their products removed from stores, the FDA said.
The rise in teen vaping has been driven mainly by products like Juul, a well-known brand that has become a major problem in US high schools. Juul's e-cigarettes produce less vapor than other brands and don't smell as strongly, which allows students to use them in bathrooms, hallways, and even classrooms.
Health experts say nicotine is harmful to teenagers' brains, and some researchers worry that addicted teens will eventually switch from vaping to smoking.
