FDA bans 55K flavored e-cigarette products over concern for youth appeal

Aug. 27 (UPI) -- The Food and Drug Administration has barred sales in the United States of more than 55,000 flavored e-cigarette products, saying their fruity appeal poses a health threat to young Americans.

The FDA ban applies to electronic products made by three companies -- JD Nova Group, Great American Vapes and Vapor Salon.

The FDA said the ban covers products from the companies that include flavors like Apple Crumble, Dr. Cola and Cinnamon Toast Cereal.

The agency's rationale is that such flavors appeal to Americans who are too young to smoke or vape.

"Congress gave the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco products to protect the public from the harmful effects of tobacco use through science-based regulation," Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a statement Thursday.

Thursday's ban was the first FDA order on the issue since it required last year that all vaping companies must get regulatory approval before their products go to market.

"Ensuring new tobacco products undergo an evaluation by the FDA is a critical part of our aim to reduce tobacco-related disease and death," Woodcock added.

"We know that flavored tobacco products are very appealing to young people, therefore assessing the impact of potential or actual youth use is a critical factor in our decision-making about which products may be marketed."

The FDA said it's reviewed products for more than 500 companies and more than 6.5 million products and has taken other "negative actions" against those applications.