The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a ruling this week that states that e-cigarettes, hookahs, and other tobacco products will be regulated by the organization, just like traditional cigarettes and smokeless tobacco.
This new ruling broadens the definition of tobacco products and allows the FDA to review products before they hit the market, evaluate products and their risks, and prevent companies from making misleading claims.
This decision comes after extensive research—just last year, the FDA held workshops to understand the risks and health effects of e-cigarettes. The use of e-cigarettes has increased by 12.6% from 2014, and adults between ages 18 and 24 years have the highest level of use.
With the new rule, minors will not be able to purchase these types of products (which was previously not the case in every state). The products will also need to be in child-resistant packaging, something that may cut down on the increase in calls to poison centers due to children getting e-cigarette liquid into their eyes or mouth.
The new ruling will also require manufactures to disclose all ingredients in their products. Companies will also need to register with the FDA and add health warnings to their packaging and advertisements.
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