May 5th, 2017
From: The Washington Post
By Juliet Eilperin
The Trump administration has delayed enforcement of a rule finalized last year that imposed strict oversight over electronic cigarettes and cigars for the first time.
The move, which the Justice Department revealed in court filings Monday night in both the District and Alabama, comes as the vaping and tobacco industries are launching a concerted effort to roll back the Food and Drug Administration regulation through both legislation and litigation. A bipartisan group of lawmakers had tried over the weekend to insert language into a must-pass funding bill that would have exempted thousands of products from FDA scrutiny.
April 24th, 2017
From: The Regulatory Review | A Publication of the Penn Program on Regulation
E-cigarettes are less dangerous than is generally believed, posing a unique information challenge for regulators.
W. Kip Viscusi
Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are lithium-ion powered devices that do not burn tobacco, but instead generate a nicotine vapor by vaporizing a fluid. Because conventional cigarettes have much higher levels of carcinogenic and toxic chemicals than e-cigarettes, conventional cigarettes pose health hazards—such as cancer—that are many orders of magnitude greater than those linked to these “vaping” devices. However, as a nicotine delivery mechanism, e-cigarettes, like conventional cigarettes, do create the possibility of addiction.
April 13th, 2017
From: CSP Daily News
Gottlieb won’t commit to flavor ban
WASHINGTON — President Trump’s nominee to head the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chimed in on the electronic-cigarette debate, but held off judgement on one of the product’s most disputed elements: flavor bans.
In his confirmation hearing, Dr. Scott Gottlieb declined to commit to a ban on flavored cigarettes even when confronted with the potential that flavors could lure adolescents into experimentation, according to The Hill.
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April 5th, 2017
From: Convenience Store News
NATIONAL REPORT — Tobacco legislation and regulation is constantly under review at the local, state and federal levels. In this monthly roundup, Convenience Store News highlights the latest proposals and approved changes happening across the United States.
ARKANSAS
Little Rock — Arkansas State Rep. Fred Allen (D-33rd District) introduced legislation to prohibit the sale of tobacco products in the state to consumers under 21 years old. The measure, HB 1711, covers all tobacco products, vapor products, alternative nicotine products, e-liquid products, and cigarette papers.
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March 30th, 2017
From: Washington Examiner
By Guy Bentley, contributor
The United States is a world leader in innovation. But when it comes to ensuring smokers have the maximum possible access to new devices and products that will help them quit and save their lives the U.S. is found tragically wanting.
New Zealand announced Wednesday that it will be legalizing the sale of e-cigarettes recognizing that they are dramatically less harmful than regular cigarettes and can help smokers quit.
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