Attorneys general from 40 states urged the Food and Drug
Administration on Tuesday to restrict the advertising, ingredients and sale of
electronic cigarettes to youths.
The call for action comes less than three weeks after a
government survey showed the percentage of high-school students who have tried
e-cigarettes —which turn nicotine-laced liquid into vapor—rose to 10% last year
from 4.7% in 2011.
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The battery-powered devices aren't regulated by federal
authorities, but the FDA is aiming to propose regulations by Oct. 31 for the
small but fast-growing alternative to traditional cigarettes. Federal rules
prohibit the sale of cigarettes to anyone under 18 and more than two dozen
states already have moved to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to minors.
Most researchers say e-cigarettes are less harmful than
traditional smokes, which release tar and other toxins through combustion.
Proponents say e-cigarettes are an effective way to wean smokers off of
traditional cigarettes. But public health officials say e-cigarettes could get
more people hooked on nicotine and serve as a new gateway to smoking.
E-cigarette retail sales are expected to top $1 billion this year, a bit more
than 1% of the overall U.S. tobacco market.
Unlike regular smokes, e-cigarettes are sold on the Internet
and marketed on television. They also come in a dizzying array of flavors,
including chocolate and cherry. The FDA banned the sale of flavored cigarettes,
with the exception of menthol, in 2009.
In a letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, attorneys
general from New York, California, Ohio and 37 other states asked the federal
agency "to take all possible measures'' to meet its stated Oct. 31
deadline for proposing regulations.
The attorneys general expressed concern that e-cigarettes
are marketed on prime-time TV, "making it easier for those advertisements
to reach children.'' It noted some manufacturers pitch e-cigarettes with the
help of cartoon characters such as monkeys, years after makers of traditional
cigarettes were banned from using cartoons in advertising.
They said e-cigarette flavors such as gummy bear and bubble
gum appeal to youth. The cost of e-cigarettes also has fallen, making them more
affordable and attractive to teenagers, they added. Minnesota is currently the
only state with a special e-cigarette tax, in contrast to traditional
cigarettes, which are taxed heavily at the state and federal level.
Rechargeable e-cigarette kits require a larger initial investment
than a pack of regular cigarettes but typically are cheaper over time.
Disposable e-cigarettes are often priced similarly to traditional cigarettes.
Several leading e-cigarette manufacturers including
Lorillard Inc., maker of blu, and NJOY Inc. have come out in support of age
limits and say they don't market their products to youth but advertise on TV.
Lorillard has defended the use of flavors and says it requires age verification
for online sales.
The attorneys general noted nicotine is "highly addictive''
with "immediate bio-chemical effects on the brain and body,'' citing a
U.S. Surgeon General report. Public-health authorities say nicotine can affect
the neurological development of minors and recommend that pregnant women
abstain.
Article Credit: http://online.wsj.com/
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