As the e-cigarette industry is booming, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed new regulations on the sale of the battery-powered products that do contain nicotine. The FDA is suggesting that they be restricted from minors and that warning labels be added.
The new regulations could also cover cigars and pipe tobacco, which have also managed to avoid federal regulation, reports The New York Times. Use of these products, including e-cigarettes, have continued to rise and the FDA believes that now is the time to set some rules for them.
E-cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco will not be sold to anyone under 18 and will require a consumer to have photo ID when purchasing them, according to the new rules. According to USA Today, the rules will not stop print advertising or the use of flavors that may attract children.
Manufacturers will have to submit their list of ingredients to the FDA for approval. They will also not be allowed to provide free tobacco samples. Most vending machine sales will also be banned.
“This is an important moment for consumer protection," FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said. She added that tobacco is still “the leading cause of death and disease in this country.”
Some advocacy groups hope that the rules are put in place as soon as possible, while others will criticize them for not restricting marketing of the products.
It has taken a long time for the FDA to put these regulations together, as it said back in April 2011 that it would set rules for e-cigarettes. The FDA said it would consider them tobacco products, since they do use nicotine from tobacco leaves.