June 8, 2016 – Scope of Authority

Play

Anchor lead: What are the implications of the new FDA rules on tobacco products? Elizabeth Tracey reports

If you’re under the age of 18 you will no longer be able to legally purchase any tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, new FDA rules have stipulated. Enid Neptune, an anti-smoking advocate and lung expert at Johns Hopkins, believes further expansion of the rules is likely in order.

Neptune: They banned the sale of e-cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, little cigars, and hookahs, to anyone under the age of 18. They’re requiring ID proof of age for these sales. They did not explicitly talk about internet sales.  That is an area of distribution that we’re going to have to be very mindful about. The second thing is that they’re requiring all manufacturers to register.  This will include all of the vaping shops that have emerged over the last several years.   :33

Neptune says she’s hoping the legislation will soon be modified to accelerate review of existing products with subsequent removal of harmful ones from the market.  At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.