FDA'S Approval of E-Cigarettes

By: Vanessa Ramirez, Jamiya Coleman, Shakeera Hayward, Taylor Reedy, and Abby Chosewood

FDA approved Vuse Vapes for sell.

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the marketing of three new tobacco products in October, and some Statesboro stores are expecting big sales. 

    The FDA approval makes this the first set of electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products ever to be authorized by the FDA through the Premarket Tobacco Product Application (PMTA) pathway, according to fda.gov.

    Through this approval, the R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company was granted marketing orders. They are a vape company that develops and markets products that provide adult tobacco consumers with satisfying options for a diverse range of experiences and occasions. 

    The RJR Vapor Company submitted data to the FDA that proved that the products were appropriate for the protection of public health, resulting in the approval of the products.

Customer looking at vapes inside of A Smokin Place.

    Ben Kornick, an employee at The Smoke Haven, agrees and believes sales for the Vuse will be through the roof.

    “I definitely think they will increase,” Kornick said. “The FDA approval kind of gives us some sort of official credibility.”

    However, Saa’e Favors, a college student, is unsure if anything will change with the new FDA approval.

    “I don't think it will make much of a difference,” Favors said. “So many people are already using them.”

    Favors believes the marketing of the e-cigarettes could actually promote students to use them more if advertised right. 

RJR Vapor Company was approved directly for its Vuse Solo closed ENDS device, along with tobacco-flavored e-liquid pods. Those include the Vuse Solo Power Unit, Vuse Replacement Cartridge Original 4.8% G1, and Vuse Replacement Cartridge Original 4.8% G2. Some of these products are already sold out at local smoke shops, with The Smoke Haven being one of them.

    “The Vuse is the most popular because it’s sleek, easy to use and it d

oesn't have a lot of flavor, which tends to make people sick,” Jordan Whitley, an employee at The Smoke Haven, said.

    Flavors played a huge part in approving certain vapes from the Vuse brand. The FDA denied 10 marketing orders for the approval of flavored vape products after they failed to demonstrate how the marketing of these products would be appropriate for the protection of public health. 

Advertisement for Vuse Vapes outside of The Smoke Haven.

    Data also suggest that most youth and young adults who use vapes use flavors such as fruit, candy or mint, and not tobacco flavors. This also played a role in the decision of the approval of regular tobacco flavored vapes instead of sweet flavored vapes because of the youth not wanting to use regular tobacco flavored products. 

    The denied flavored vapes are required not to be introduced or delivered for commerce. If any are already on shelves, the FDA is requiring them to be removed immediately.