Stony Brook University pediatrician and expert on e-cigarette addiction in adolescents and youth Dr. Rachel Boykan weighs in on this week's anticipated FDA ruling:
- The FDA is expected to announce new restrictions on e-cigarettes this week – among those anticipated restrictions are restrictions on flavors, availability via internet and availability in stores. Such action is encouraging but may not go far enough.
- What is needed to combat the epidemic of e-cigarette use among teens is this (what we know has worked to combat combusted tobacco use)
- Eliminate ALL (not just some) flavors (flavors appeal to youth) in all tobacco products (not just e-cigarettes)
- Prohibit on-line sales of these products until age restrictions can be appropriately enforced (including delivery of products to minors).
- Institute restrictions on advertising, including on social media, as have been done for combusted tobacco use
- Enforce pre-market review. This means that any product that has come on the market since August 8, 2016 (or that was not commercially marketed as of that date) must go through appropriate FDA review. Currently, because of the FDA’s 4 year suspension of premarket review for new products as of the August date, there are products on the market –like Juul, that appeal to youth, and that have high nicotine concentrations that are the concern.
- A menthol ban on cigarettes is excellent – and needs to happen.
Dr. Boykan is available for interview by phone, Skype or live via the VideoLink Studio located on the Stony Brook University campus. To schedule an interview with Dr. Boykan, contact Gregory Filiano at 631 444-9343 or Gregory.Filiano@
Find more experts at Stony Brook University here.
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