31 Attorney Generals from 31 states are asking the FDA to ignore its scientific mandate from Congress and ban flavored vaping products and nicotine pouches, limit the nicotine strength in these products and restrict advertising and marketing. Already on the bandwagon in this regard are the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York.
This is the latest example of federal and state officials and anti-vaping special interest groups attempting to pressure the agency to disregard the scientific review of tobacco products required by the Tobacco Control Act.
So, when did eliminating science become a thing? I think we can all safely agree that this has now become a controversial choice among Americans to do so willingly as of late, putting personal perception above actual scientific fact and proof leading the way for things like actual laws that affect millions of people to become reality – without actual facts backing them up!!!
Covid politicized science and now we are seeing the actual real life result of how that slippery slope can be achieved in the future and what that slippery slope actually means to our daily life AND how it can impact any controversial industry.
Even though the FDA is required by law to consider each individual PMTA submitted by vaping and other nicotine product manufacturers and judge legally specified scientific standards and whether they are appropriate for the protection of public health, still the 31 AG’s are asking the FDA to bypass the science and award based on politics and opinion motivated by big lobbyists. The FDA does not have the ability to prohibit entire categories of products based on political considerations but in essence, this is exactly what the lobbyists and AG’s are asking the FDA to do.
How are the AG’s justifying this behavior? When kids are involved, the situation escalates significantly in seriousness and urgency and the lobbyist groups that stand behind Anti smoking campaigns are the culprits in spreading misinformation, escalating misinformation and putting pressure on government officials with slanted one point of view arguments such as the unproven claim that nicotine “has particularly harmful effects on the developing brain,” and the use of nicotine can have adverse physical outcomes such as nicotine poisoning and toxicity as well as mental health and behavioral problems like major depressive disorder, academic problems and addiction to other substances.
Education of public officials on youth and vaping and the effects of vaping on youth seem to be the last objective of the AG’s in this case and fear mongering is much more effective when it comes to rallying for the safety of kids and youth. AG’s selling themselves as the “protectors of young children” is a much more effective news headline that aims to polish their own reputation as the hero.
In the letter the AG’s sent to the FDA there is no mention of fact….just conjecture. No hard data or evidence that a flavor ban would lead to more youth smoking or that most successful adult vapers who have quit smoking prefer the flavored (fruit, desert and candy) vape products.
Add to this, the AG’s tout that nicotine pouches threaten the health of a new generation – but with no evidence to support this use by adolescent users – this aggressive response to a virtually new category of nicotine product seems highly suspect in it’s truthfulness and would in fact wipe out the category of products if they are banned.
The fact that some lawmakers feel it is ok to broadcast misinformation, lies and deceive the public is problematic in the long run for this industry that seems to be a hot topic for pundits to gain traction with their base.