FDA moves to ban e-cigarette sales to minors

WASHINGTON (AP)

The United States government wants to ban sales of electronic cigarettes to minors and require approval for new products and health-warning labels.

While the proposal being issued yesterday by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will not immediately mean changes for the popular devices, the move is aimed at eventually taming the fast-growing e-cigarette industry.

The agency said the proposal sets a foundation for regulating the products, but the rules do not immediately ban the wide array of flavours of e-cigarettes, curb marketing on places like TV or set product standards.

Any further rules "will have to be grounded in our growing body of knowledge and understanding about the use of e-cigarettes and their potential health risks or public-health benefits," FDA Commissioner Dr Margaret Hamburg said.

Members of Congress and public health groups have raised concerns over e-cigarettes and questioned their marketing tactics.

"When finalised (the proposal) would result in significant public-health benefits, including through reducing sales to youth, helping to correct consumer misperceptions, preventing misleading health claims and preventing new products from entering the market without scientific review by FDA," said Mitch Zeller, the director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products.

Also on yesterday, the FDA proposed extending its authority to regulate cigars, hookah, nicotine gels, pipe tobacco and dissolvable tobacco products.