FDA sign-off on menthol e-cigarettes ‘flies in the face of public health,’ anti-tobacco groups say

Four menthol vaping products were authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration on Friday, the first non-tobacco-flavored e-cigarette products to get the agency’s sign-off.

Four menthol vaping products were authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration on Friday, the first non-tobacco-flavored e-cigarette products to get the agency’s sign-off. The decision drew harsh criticism from pediatricians and anti-tobacco groups, which called it “a blow to public health” and warned of potential for “disastrous consequences” to children. The products, made by NJOY, an Altria company, are disposable e-cigarettes and nonrefillable pods that are used with the company’s reusable vaping device. Nicotine levels in the products range from 2.4% to 6%. The company did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. Friday’s authorizations do “not mean these tobacco products are safe nor are they ‘FDA approved,’” the agency said, but evidence submitted by the company showed that the products could be beneficial to adult smokers to help them make a switch from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes. The agency said there was sufficient evidence that the products would be “appropriate for the protection of public health.” “Based upon our rigorous scientific review, in this instance, the strength of evidence of benefits to adult smokers from completely switching to a less harmful product was sufficient to outweigh the risks to youth,” Dr. Matthew Farrelly, director of the Office of Science in the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, said in a news release. E-cigarettes were created to be a less-harmful alternative to cigarettes and were advertised by tobacco companies as a way to help people quit smoking, with flavored vapes being most popular. Massive advertising campaigns targeted children, helping lead to a vaping epidemic among young people — and eventually an FDA crackdown on flavors. Still, many flavored products remain available for purchase while the agency reviews marketing applications.