New FDA chief vows tougher action on youth vaping if needed (Paywall)
Stephen Hahn, the new head of the Food and Drug Administration, defended the Trump administration’s impending partial e-cigarette ban, which has been sharply criticized by Democratic lawmakers and public health groups as too weak. But he also vowed to take tougher steps if needed to reduce teen vaping.
The administration vaping plan, which will take effect Feb. 6, bars sales of most flavored cartridge-based e-cigarettes. Menthol- and tobacco-flavored pods won’t be affected, nor will single-use disposable vapes or bottled e-liquids for the open-tank systems typically sold in vape shops. Those exemptions mean young people will be able to simply switch to products that remain on the shelves, critics predict.