The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the first fruit-flavored electronic cigarettes intended for adult smokers, a major policy shift following months of appeals to President Trump from the vaping industry.
The newly authorized e-cigarettes come in mango, blueberry and two varieties of menthol. Los Angeles-based vaping company Glas Inc. plans to market the flavors under the names Gold, Sapphire, Classic Menthol and Fresh Menthol, according to the FDA release.
The announcement is not an approval or endorsement. The FDA reiterated that the Glas vapes are only intended for adults interested in quitting or cutting back on cigarettes.
Previously, the FDA had only granted permission to tobacco or menthol-flavored vaping products. Most e-cigarettes cleared by regulators come from large manufacturers, including Juul and Altria.
The decision is certain to be opposed by health groups and parent organizations that have long pointed to flavors as the driver behind underage vaping in the U.S. The federal action comes as teen vaping rates have dropped to a 10-year low, and manufacturers have pushed the Republican administration to loosen restrictions on their products.
Vaping companies have long made the case that their products can help blunt the toll of smoking among adults, which is blamed for 480,000 U.S. deaths annually due to cancer, lung disease and heart disease. The battery-powered devices have been sold in the U.S. since 2007, but their potential benefits have been overshadowed for years by uptake among middle and high school students.
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