FDA Regulations Coming Soon for E-Cigarettes? Health Issues Remain a Concern

Despite warnings over the effectiveness of e-cigarettes to combat tobacco addiction as well as the countless poisonings caused by the nicotine concentrated "e-juice," the FDA still has yet to issue regulations for the new questionable product.

However, a congressional report was released today that criticizes the marketing campaign for e-cigarettes as well as the countless health concerns that the product poses. The staffs of Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, and California Representative Henry Waxman wrote and released the report.

Health officials and politicians have focused on the fact that a majority of these electronic cigarettes contain nicotine, which is a concern for two reasons: the product actually does not help tobacco users kick their habit and the nicotine is unhealthy for younger people who purchase the product. These issues, many believe, should be pressing for the FDA.

According to the Food and Drug Administration's website, they have not yet evaluated any e-cigarettes for safety or effectiveness, despite finding that e-juice cartridges labeled as nicotine-free actually contained nicotine. This issue not only is harmful toward the younger people that the product's marketing campaign is aimed toward, but it also provides little help for those addicted to tobacco products.

''I can't understand why the FDA is taking this long,'' Senator Dick Durbin said in this Boton.com article. ''It is clear that the longer they wait, the more young people will be addicted.''

Durbin and others launched an investigation of nine e-cigarette makers back in September where they found that six of the companies spent more than $59 million advertising their product. Some of the other companies doubled their marketing expenditures within a year. The problem is that the marketing targets younger populations who have been found to "aggressively" use e-cigarettes while inadequately mitigating actual tobacco use.

According to Harold P. Wimmer, the President and CEO of the American Lung Association, nicotine is a highly addictive substance whether it is contained in a conventional cigarette or an electronic cigarette. And since secondhand emissions from e-cigarettes are not yet known to be harmful or not, it is important that the FDA continues investigating to eventually regulate the product.

To read more about e-cigarettes and the FDA's slow regulating process, visit this Boston.com article.