The FDA is threatening to take e-cigarettes off the market

Article from Yahoo Lifestyle
Would the FDA really stop the sale of e-cigarettes?


What exactly is the future of e-cigarettes? (Photo: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg)

If the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t see major progress in curbing e-cigarette use among minors, the future of e-cigarettes could go up in smoke.

“I’ll tell you this. If the youth use continues to rise, and we see significant increases in use in 2019, on top of the dramatic rise in 2018, the entire category will face an existential threat,” said Gottlieb. According to NBC News, the FDA does have the power to take e-cigarettes off the market.

In November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that smoking rates among adults reached an all-time low in 2017, with just 14 percent of adults smoking cigarettes “every day” or “some day.” That’s a 67 percent decrease since 1965. However, Gottlieb says, the increase in e-cigarette use among youth is sabotaging that success.

“This progress is being undercut — even eclipsed — by the recent, dramatic rise in youth vaping. A few years ago, it would have been incredible to me that we’d be here, discussing the potential for drug therapy to help addicted youth vapers quit nicotine,” he said Friday." This progress is being undercut — even eclipsed — by the recent, dramatic rise in youth vaping. A few years ago, it would have been incredible to me that we’d be here, discussing the potential for drug therapy to help addicted youth vapers quit nicotine,” he said Friday.

Gottlieb cited statistics about the large use of e-cigarettes by young people, saying that between 2017 and 2018 there was a 78 percent increase in e-cigarette use in high school students, and a 48 percent increase among middle schoolers. That means the total number of middle- and high-school students using e-cigarettes rose to 3.6 million — 1.5 million more than used the product the previous year. He added that more than a quarter (27.7 percent) of high-school-age e-cigarette users use the product regularly, and more than two-thirds (67.8 percent) are using flavored e-cigarettes. Gottlieb cited statistics about the large use of e-cigarettes by young people, saying that between 2017 and 2018 there was a 78 percent increase in e-cigarette use in high school students, and a 48 percent increase among middle schoolers. That means the total number of middle- and high-school students using e-cigarettes rose to 3.6 million — 1.5 million more than used the product the previous year. He added that more than a quarter (27.7 percent) of high-school-age e-cigarette users use the product regularly, and more than two-thirds (67.8 percent) are using flavored e-cigarettes.

“Youth use of e-cigarettes has become an epidemic,” Gottlieb said, adding, “It could be ‘game over’ for some [of] these products until they can successfully traverse the regulatory process. I think the stakes are that high.” Gottlieb also noted that e-cigarettes can be a helpful tool for adults trying to quit smoking traditional cigarettes, and said he hopes to avoid removing e-cigarettes from the market because of the good they can serve in that regard. “Youth use of e-cigarettes has become an epidemic,” Gottlieb said, adding, “It could be ‘game over’ for some [of] these products until they can successfully traverse the regulatory process. I think the stakes are that high.” Gottlieb also noted that e-cigarettes can be a helpful tool for adults trying to quit smoking traditional cigarettes, and said he hopes to avoid removing e-cigarettes from the market because of the good they can serve in that regard.

I’ve heard too many painful stories from parents of teenagers, pediatricians and young people themselves,” he said. “The stories make clear that, for many young e-cigarette users, addiction has already taken hold. Perhaps the kids didn’t realize that what they were inhaling contained nicotine, a highly addictive chemical. Perhaps they simply thought that e-cigarettes were safer than combustible cigarettes, chewing tobacco and other forms of nicotine delivery about which they’d been warned. Perhaps the ‘cool factor’ outweighed other concerns.” A study in the October 2018 American Journal of Preventive Medicine stated that daily e-cigarette use may nearly double a person’s risk of a heart attack.

Gottlieb finished his remarks by saying, “The FDA is committed to addressing this crisis in a comprehensive way, and to finding enduring solutions.”

And if taking e-cigarettes off the market is the best way to do that, Gottlieb, at least, seems ready to pull the plug.

 

"Perhaps they simply thought that e-cigarettes were safer than combustible cigarettes, chewing tobacco and other forms of nicotine delivery about which they’d been warned."

"American Journal of Preventive Medicine stated that daily e-cigarette use may nearly double a person’s risk of a heart attack."

I remember this - someone looking at the study also found that the study includes people who took to vaping AFTER they had a heart attack (and in those it is 100% risk that someone vaping had a heart attack in their life, even if it was BEFORE they started to vape).

A major factor encouraging people to quit smoking and start vaping is that after failing in the past to quit, they start having health issues and finally get the big push they need to find something to help them quit...

Very nasty rhetoric.

I really get bored with the use of words like 'e-cigarette' because 'cigarette' is evolved from fermented and dried tobacco to be burned... and making blank statements that vaping increases risk whilst not mentioning whether that excludes nicotine (e.g. how many 0mg vapers were included?).

Whatever, it all sucks.

 

The FDA has ruined the US food supply and now needs to give themselves something to do. Its amazing to me that no matter how often government is proved to be the problem people continually look to them for a solution. But until people realize that these overloads dont have your best interest at heart and maybe are not necessary we will continually have freedoms removed.

Sorry for the rant but I really dont understand how people blindly follow without questioning....

 

Partly the issue is an old one. During the 80's there were people warning that the top 1% own 99% of the wealth in this world... by now they have complete control and feed glib statements via the media and producing soundbytes for the sheep to echo the bleeting and no thinking or understanding is required. Those who do have understanding also know there's bugger all they can do... they still try but it's a very steep uphill struggle. You only need stories, no evidence. History only remembers the winners, the losers and their stories just get erased.

Interestingly I met a young family member from around Ayuthaya, when she saw I had a vape she said 'that's good, so you can give up smoking...'. Completely the opposite of most adult and/or educated folks who start quoting news stories and warning me about how dangerous it all is... my wife grudgingly accepts that it's definitely less offensive than smoking and turns a blind eye.