On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration proposed that the ingredients used in e-cigarettes be brought to the table as well as banning sales to any minors in the United States.
However, the new proposal has given way to many rules like not being able to market that e-cigs are safer than cigarettes as well as not being able to give out free samples in the stores. According to The Boston Globe, it has many business owners in an uproar. Customers are drawn to e-cigarette stores or vapor stores because of the health benefit and free samples.
Organizations like the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids have heavily criticized the FDA for not doing more to keep electronic cigarettes away from children. They argue that flavored tobacco such as bubble gum and cotton candy are targeted towards children.
Many critics say that the rules are way too lax on marketing towards children and young people. Complaints about e-cigarettes fall in two categories, according to USA Today.
The first complaint being that e-cigs are being marketed to minors and will most likely lead to addiction. The second being a complaint that many of the devices are started on “free trials” in which customers are generally charged large amounts later for.
The FDA just barely stopped short of completely banning online sales, advertising or banning any sweet flavors.
The FDA has not yet announced when the new rules will take effect. There is a 75-day comment period where business owners (or anyone else) can give feedback to the FDA about the new laws. Afterward, the FDA will take all feedback into consideration before passing the bans.