State AGs urge federal crackdown on e-cigarettes

“E-cigarettes contain fruit and candy flavors — such as cherry, chocolate, gummy bear, and bubble gum — that are appealing to youth. The FDA has banned such flavors from cigarettes and should take the same action regarding e-cigarettes.”

{mosads}The FDA has set an Oct. 31 deadline to issue regulations on e-cigarettes, which have seen a significant spike in advertising and use since 2008. The industry is expected to reach $1.7 billion in sales this year, according to reports.

Seen by many as a safer alternative to cigarettes because they contain only nicotine and do not produce tar, the attorneys general argue that the electronic battery-powered products are just as dangerous because they are “highly addictive” and “toxic in high doses.”

The state legal chiefs said the FDA should use powers under the Tobacco Control Act to restrict the marketing and sale of e-cigarettes to children.