Earlier this year, the WHO issued recommendations about vapor cigarettes, urging countries to more tightly regulate the emerging technology.
Regulations, according to Reuters, include:
- Restrictions on ads promoting e-cigs as a healthy alternative
- A ban on selling to minors
- A ban on specialty flavors that may appeal to minors
- Banning the devices indoors
Similar restrictions have been proposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In April of the year, the FDA released its much-anticipated proposal. And while e-cig retailers, manufacturers and users represented by the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association (CASAA) support sensible regulations like no selling to minors, they are quite concerned about putting vapor cigs in the same category as traditional cigarettes. Commenting on one of the proposed rules, CASAA explains:
- “Although the regulations do not openly ban the refillable devices that are preferred by experienced users, they impose a costly registration and approval process that would effectively eliminate them. Additionally, while the regulations do not immediately ban the variety of popular flavors for e-cigarette liquid, they signal an intention to do so in the future.”