Menthol electronic cigarettes will be sold in the US

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday authorized the first tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes for adult smokers, a sign that the agency believes some flavors of vaping products can be used to mitigate the effects of tobacco smoke. traditional cigarettes.

The agency said it authorized four menthol products from NJOY, which was acquired in 2023 by tobacco giant Altria, maker of Marlboro cigarettes.

Including the four authorized on Friday, the FDA has authorized the sale of just 27 e-cigarette products. All other products have a tobacco flavor, which is not widely used by young people.

The FDA emphasized that the decision was specific only to the four authorized devices and not to any other menthol-flavored e-cigarette products.

“Based on our rigorous scientific review, in this case the strength of the evidence of the benefits to adult smokers of completely switching to a less harmful product was sufficient to outweigh the risks to youth,” said Matthew Farrelly, director of the Office of science at the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products.

Additionally, the agency said the authorization does not mean the products are safe and advised against non-smoking users.

The FDA cited evidence presented by the company that shows menthol products provide a benefit to adults who smoke traditional cigarettes and want to switch because they reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals.

The agency is behind in its task of reviewing tobacco product premarket applications, which are required for new tobacco products to be legally marketed in the United States. The FDA previously said it would finish reviewing the applications by the end of 2023, but missed that deadline.

The agency’s action Friday was met with disappointment from leading critics of vaping, including anti-tobacco groups and lawmakers, who have been pushing the FDA to ban the flavors outright.

“Today’s decision is difficult to understand in light of the FDA’s own repeated findings that flavored e-cigarettes, including menthol-flavored products, appeal to children and have fueled the e-cigarette epidemic among young people. What’s changed?” said Yolonda Richardson, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “The evidence is clear that menthol is a flavor that appeals to and is widely used by children.”

The FDA authorization comes at a time when the U.S. government has delayed a ban on menthol cigarettes, potentially indefinitely.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who held a hearing last week criticizing the FDA for its inaction in regulating vaping, echoed Richardson’s concerns.

“Today’s authorization of menthol-flavored vapes will create an opening for more children to become addicted to harmful products,” Durbin said. “Flavors like menthol are used by big tobacco companies to mask the bitter taste of their dangerous products. The FDA knows this from experience in trying to ban the production of mentholated cigarettes to protect public health.”