What’s behind the FDA’s recent decision regarding marketing of an e-cigarette? Elizabeth Tracey reports

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At least one brand of e-cigarette seems to have convinced the FDA that its product can help people quit smoking combustible cigarettes, according to the agency’s recent decision. Michael Blaha, a cardiologist at Johns Hopkins and antismoking activist, offers his opinion.

Blaha: Recently the FDA issued an authorized marketing decision for Vuse solo brand and its tobacco flavored pods because the company was able to demonstrate data that adults decreased smoking with very little uptake by kids because kids tend not to prefer tobacco flavored products. This is a complicated decision from the FDA to look at products both in terms of their ability to help adults quit smoking, but also their risk of having young adults and children uptake electronic cigarettes as their first tobacco products.  :34

Blaha says only time will tell if the strategy succeeds in reducing the number of young people taking up the habit. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.