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VTA Response to CTP 5 Year Strategic Plan

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The Vapor Technology Association has reviewed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) five-year strategic plan. In short, VTA is deeply disappointed with the plan’s lack of substance and absence of specifics to move American smokers off of combustible products towards effective harm-reduction nicotine options.

In October, at the Food & Drug Law Insitute’s Tobacco and Nicotine Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., VTA called on FDA to make harm reduction the “north star” of the strategic plan. The plan that has now been released lacks any commitment, much less a clear roadmap, to aggressively move people who smoke towards non-combustible forms of nicotine. It speaks vaguely about the importance of health equity and insists that a primary focus of CTP remains on reducing tobacco-related death and disease – but provides no insight, details, or specific methods by which CTP will achieve this. Nor does it acknowledge the latest science in support of e-cigarettes as the most effective non-combustible option for smoking cessation.

Most concerning is that CTP’s strategic plan fails to even attempt to address the Reagan Udall Foundation’s (RUF) central and most damning criticisms that go to the core of CTP’s job:

  1. that CTP has not clearly met the most basic elements of its tobacco and nicotine regulatory program by defining what is required of applicants under the “Appropriate for the Protection of the Public Health” (APPH) standard in the Tobacco Control Act, and
  2. that CTP has not clearly explained how it is assessing the science to determine what is APPH.

The silence of CTP’s strategic plan on these issues is defeaning. By failing to address these core criticisms, CTP’s five-year strategic plan will continue to generate misinformation, inefficiency, litigation, and suspicions of political interference.

VTA has repeatedly called on CTP to speak immediately, loudly, and repeatedly to adults about tobacco harm reduction in order to start saving lives now. Instead, CTP mentions the notion of conducting “foundational” and “formative” research on whether it might speak to adults – at some unknown time in the future – about harm reduction and less harmful vaping and other nicotine alternatives. Meanwhile, 480,000 people die prematurely every year from cigarette smoking.

The release of CTP’s five-year strategic plan, which took a full year to construct, was an opportunity to demonstrate bold, not bureaucratic, leadership on tobacco harm reduction that could close the deadly chapter of cigarettes in America. Instead, what the American public was given is document that reflected little more than a commitment to bureaucracy without any real direction or goals, much less a strategy to achieve those goals. Only 15 of the 27 pages of government pabulum (littered with pictures, graphics, and process tables) could actually be considered a recitation of the “plan” but, in total, it revealed nothing more than a “check the box” exercise (which failed to even check the most important boxes).

The strategic plan was a huge missed opportunity for the bureacracts to stand up for science and tobacco harm reduction, and stand up for the millions of smokers in vulnerable Black, LGBTQ+, and low income popluations who would benefit the most from a plan that actually kickstarted the important work of improving and saving lives and reducing or eliminating smoking related diseases. Instead, CTP demonstrated that its hands are firmly gripped upon a wheel that it is refusing to turn as it careens off a public health cliff with the lives of American smokers in tow.

NEW POLL: American Public Grossly Misinformed About Benefits of E-Cigarette Use to Smokers & Low Risk of Vaping

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New polling conducted by KAConsulting, LLC, led by U.S. presidential advisor and market analytics expert Kellyanne Conway, reveals misinformation from public health institutions around e-cigarettes creates significant confusion for American public.

WASHINGTON – November 30, 2023 – The Vapor Technology Association (VTA) today
released new polling from pollster Kellyanne Conway, which reveals a significant information
gap in public perception versus reality regarding e-cigarettes being an effective tool for adults in
need of smoking cessation and harm reduction alternatives.

The poll is a national online survey of 1,000 registered U.S. voters, including 35% Republicans;
35% Democrats; 16% independents; and 14% unaffiliated. VTA’s polling sought to better
understand the current state of Americans’ knowledge, perceptions, and opinions on e-cigarette
use, including perceptions of where vaping lies among other risky behaviors, like smoking
cigarettes, drinking alcohol, and smoking marijuana.

The poll confirms what many scientists and academics have lamented for years: The American
people are overwhelmingly misinformed by public health institutions, such as the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), on the dramatically lower risks and
significant benefit tradeoffs of vaping nicotine versus smoking cigarettes, which kill nearly half a
million Americans every year.

When provided factual information about e-cigarettes, public perception of vaping skewed from
largely negative towards a demonstrable openness around the potential benefits of e-cigarettes,
particularly for current smokers. Additionally, the poll demonstrates that Americans, despite their
overwhelmingly negative views on e-cigarettes, ranked numerous other behaviors and lifestyle
choices, like drinking alcohol or smoking marijuana, as much riskier.

“The poll that VTA conducted with Kellyanne and her team underscores what we have argued for years: that public health officials and lawmakers must follow the science when it comes to vaping and stop misinforming the public about the benefits and relative risks of e-cigarettes and other non-combustible nicotine products, especially as an effective harm reduction tool for those who currently smoke cigarettes,” said Tony Abboud, executive director of VTA. “This watershed polling demonstrates the clear and present danger of this public health misinformation gap that needs to be addressed.”

“This poll demonstrates the effect of information underload combined with unaddressed confusion about an issue – the result is chaos,” said Kellyanne Conway. “Yet, when Americans are provided accurate information about e-cigarette use, their opinion shifts dramatically. This shows the power of politicized science versus actual science.”

Key findings included in the polling’s results:

  • An overwhelming majority of Americans (84%) have a negative view of vaping nicotine and 78% wrongly believe that vaping nicotine is as or more dangerous than smoking cigarettes.
  • When informed that vaping is more effective than nicotine replacement therapies such a nicotine gums and patches in helping adult smokers quit, 37% of respondents say they are less likely to support a ban.
  • When informed of the United Kingdom’s “Swap to Stop” program of handing out free vaping starter kits to help people stop smoking, 40% of Americans say they would be more likely to support such a program in the U.S.
  • More than half of Americans (53%) say FDA’s rejection of 99% of e-cigarette applications while approving cigarettes over vaping products at a rate of 45 to 1 is unreasonable policy.
  • A majority of Americans (79%) state that banning e-cigarettes would just result in a black market for people to continue buying and selling nicotine vaping products.
  • Half of Americans (49%) say it is unreasonable policy for FDA to use youth vaping as a reason to ban flavored e-cigarettes when FDA also says youth vaping is not an epidemic.
  • More than half (56%) of Americans believe that FDA is making unfair decisions or playing politics about tobacco and vaping and should return to focusing on protecting public health.
  • Only 35% of Americans say FDA should continue on its current path with respect to tobacco and vaping.
  • Vaping nicotine is considered the least dangerous activity (7%) to a person’s life when compared to other activities, like using illegal drugs, not wearing a seatbelt in a car, poor nutrition, and drinking alcohol.

The FDA’s CTP sets tobacco and e-cigarette policy in the U.S. The use of selective science to
justify agenda-driven decisions regarding e-cigarettes or any other less harmful non-
combustible product is ultimately dangerous to public health and confusing for millions of
Americans looking to quit smoking. This new data reveals the extent of this confusion and the
fact the majority of Americans think that FDA is heading in the wrong direction with its e-
cigarette and tobacco policy.

“This polling clearly demonstrates that the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products has been successful in creating confusion around vaping in the U.S., and when provided the facts, the majority of Americans believe that FDA’s current trajectory of banning virtually all e-cigarettes is the wrong policy which is driven by political and not scientific rationale,” concluded Mr. Abboud.

“VTA looks forward to working with all regulators to correct the record, get the right information about vaping benefits to American consumers, and help reset the FDA’s skewed agenda on less harmful nicotine products based on science and common-sense solutions.”

For more information and a complete copy of the poll, follow the link below.

View Complete Poll Results (PDF)

About VTA

The Vapor Technology Association is the U.S. industry trade association whose members are dedicated to sound science-based regulation and selling innovative high-quality vapor products that provide adult smokers with a better alternative to combustible cigarettes. VTA represents the industry-leading manufacturers of vapor devices, e-liquids, and flavorings, as well as the distributors and retailers, including hardworking American mom-and-pop brick-and-mortar retail store owners.

Also Read VTA’s Executive Director Addresses the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey

VTA Issues Statement Criticizing FDA Inspection Blitz Announcement

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Vapor Trade Group Warns Against What it Says Is FDA Misinformation That Jeopardizes Harm Reduction Mission

WASHINGTON, June 23, 2023 (Newswire) – Following the FDA’s announcement of what it called a “nationwide retailer inspection blitz” which targeted 189 small business retailers, Vapor Technology Association Executive Director Tony Abboud released the following statement:

“The actions this week by the FDA demonstrate once again that it has no control over the market it is charged with regulating. FDA’s announcement unfairly targets small business owners while offering its tacit support of the biggest companies. FDA currently operates with a de facto policy to remove all non-tobacco flavored vaping products from the market, while it continues to approve combustible tobacco products at an alarming rate. FDA has a responsibility to create a marketplace that allows the most innovative products that adults actually want to use, not arbitrarily pick winners and losers due to pressure from political officials.”

FDA synchronized its “blitz” announcement with not one, but two CDC reports, which misrepresent the real trends in youth vaping. One study cited by FDA was conducted with an agenda driven special interest group and funded by a prominent billionaire. The CDC’s own National Youth Tobacco Survey has shown the dramatic reduction in youth e-cigarette use. Since its peak in 2019, vaping is down 50% amongst high schoolers and 70% amongst middle schoolers, and now sits at 2014 levels.

In fact, Brian King, the Director of the Center for Tobacco Policy (CTP), has stated publicly that CTP no longer considers youth vaping an epidemic. This is welcome news. And given these facts, the reported “rise” in flavored vape sales must necessarily be amongst adults who either desire or need less harmful alternatives to cigarettes.

“FDA has also misused scant data from a second CDC study to sensationalize the risk to small children by claiming a supposed increase in poison control calls – the overwhelming majority of which – 99.8% – had no major effect. This sleight of hand is being used to justify its actions against just one product while at the same time ignoring the data showing two other vaping products owned by cigarette companies were also specifically identified in the study.”

Given the known dangers of smoking, FDA must take a stronger stance on cigarettes than it does on vaping. Instead, the FDA has authorized the sale of 900 new cigarette products, two-thirds of which are owned by the biggest tobacco companies. The FDA can no longer, in good conscience, continue down this path.

34 million adults are addicted to cigarettes – the only product which when used as intended will kill you. By selectively targeting vaping, FDA is working overtime to eliminate effective harm reduction options for adults and ensuring the only option for many will be to continue smoking.”

About VTA

The Vapor Technology Association is the U.S. industry trade association whose members are dedicated to sound science-based regulation and selling innovative high-quality vapor products that provide adult smokers with a better alternative to combustible cigarettes. VTA represents the industry-leading manufacturers of vapor devices, e-liquids, and flavorings, as well as the distributors and retailers, including hardworking American mom-and-pop brick-and-mortar retail store owners.

VTA Files SCOTUS Brief Supporting Avail Vapor’s 4th Circuit Appeal

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WASHINGTON, June 18, 2023 – On June 14, 2023, the Vapor Technology Association (VTA) filed an amicus curiae brief with the Supreme Court of the United States in the case Avail Vapor, LLC, et al. v. US Food & Drug Administration. The brief was filed in support of Petitioners’ – Avail Vapor and Blackbriar Regulatory Consulting – Petition for Writ of Certiorari seeking Supreme Court review of the Marketing Denial Orders issued to Petitioners in connection with their open-system flavored vaping products. VTA’s amicus brief encouraged the Supreme Court to take up the case because it will have “major public health and economic impacts that will dramatically affect millions of Americans.”

The Supreme Court Avail

First, VTA explained that only one week after the Fourth Circuit’s decision upholding the MDOs, an Independent Tobacco Expert Panel released its report on FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products which revealed serious regulatory failings of the agency, including those specifically raised by Petitioners in the Supreme Court Petition. The report which roundly crticized the FDA’s handling of pre-market tobacco applications, like those at issue in the Petition, had been called for by FDA Commissioner Robert Califf himself.

Second, VTA explained that the world’s leading tobacco and nicotine researchers have undermined the scientific underpinnings of the FDA’s decision-making rationale, and called into question the public health objectives of removing flavored ENDS products from the market, making review by the Court important not to simply re-examine the science (which courts generally will not do), but to evaluate the propriety of the highly questionable process used by FDA to implement the requirements of the Tobacco Control Act.

Third, VTA explained that the independent vapor industry comprises more than 10,000 companies across the United States and is responsible for generating more than 130,000 jobs and more than $22 billion in economic activity for the U.S. economy – an industry that would be devastated by FDA’s continued march to ban flavored ENDS. VTA also explained the results of its expert economists’ analysis that FDA’s removal of all flavored vaping products from the market would lead to the shutdown of close to 10,000 businesses, causing the loss of 99,158 full-time equivalent jobs, the loss of $5,258,906,715 in wages and benefits, and the loss of $16,449,776,269 to the U.S. economy, all of which makes the issue before the Court important for consideration.

The goal of the brief is to encourage the Supreme Court to take up the case petitioning for review. Our hope is that our amicus brief offers the Supreme Court additional context and rationale for why reviewing FDA’s actions is exceptionally important. Read the brief or download here:

22 1112 Amicus Brief Of Vapor Technology Association

ABOUT VTA
The Vapor Technology Association is the U.S. industry trade association whose members are dedicated to sound science-based regulation and selling innovative high-quality vapor products that provide adult smokers with a better alternative to combustible cigarettes. VTA represents the industry-leading manufacturers of vapor devices, e-liquids, and flavorings, as well as the distributors and retailers, including hardworking American mom-and-pop brick-and-mortar retail store owners.

VTA Responds to the Final Reagan-Udall Foundation Report

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Leading Vape Trade Association Raises Concerns Over Continued Political Interference at the Center for Tobacco Policy 

WASHINGTON, FEBRUARY 24, 2023 –  Following the FDA’s response to the
Reagan-Udall Foundation’s critical report, Vapor Technology Association Executive Director Tony Abboud released the following statement:

“The FDA’s response to the Reagan-Udall Report highlights deep, structural problems with the CTP leadership and its operations. The agency’s response does not give any confidence that the biggest problem – the ongoing interference in the scientific process by political officials will ultimately be addressed – particularly since CTP continued this practice after the Reagan-Udall Foundation report was issued.”

“Tellingly, CTP has acknowledged that it operates with no long-term strategic plan yet at the same time turns around and asks for more money both in the form taxpayer funded appropriations as well as $100M in ‘user fees’. Under no circumstances should Congress consider appropriating even more money to an agency bureaucracy that operates with a such a concerning lack of transparency and without a long-term strategic plan in place.”

“To be clear, the request for user fee funding would require passage of a new federal excise tax that ultimately will be passed on to consumers in violation of President Biden’s pledge of no new taxes. According to the FDA, every single manufacturer is selling illegal products (because FDA has only authorized a handful of e-cigarettes). Yet, FDA has no concern about government imposing and collecting new taxes on illegal products to fund their bureaucracy.”

“Unfortunately, CTP currently operates with a de facto policy that denies market approval to any non-tobacco flavored vaping products. This goes against the preponderance of the scientific evidence, including CTP’s own internal documentation, that concluded flavored vaping products are effective tools to help adult smokers quit. Since 2010, when e-cigarettes became widely available in the US, we have seen adults who smoke drop by a remarkable 62 percent. Flavored e-cigarettes should be a key part of the Administration’s cancer moonshot. Unfortunately, CTP seems determined to drive smokers to the riskiest of all nicotine devices – combustible cigarettes – and, while the devil is in the details, nothing in today’s announcement hinted at any material shift in FDA’s perpetual attack on every nicotine containing product.”

ABOUT VTA
The Vapor Technology Association is the U.S. industry trade association whose members are dedicated to innovating and selling high-quality vapor products that provide adult smokers with a better alternative to combustible cigarettes. VTA represents the industry-leading manufacturers of vapor devices, e-liquids, and flavorings, as well as the distributors and retailers, including hardworking American mom-and-pop brick-and-mortar retail store owners.

MEDIA CONTACT
press@vaportechnology.org

VTA Responds to the Final Reagan-Udall Foundation Report

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Leading Vapor Trade Group Urges FDA to Adopt Reforms to Protect Sanctity of Scientific Process 

WASHINGTON, December 20, 2022 (Newswire.com) – Following the Reagan Udall Foundation release of their final report reviewing the operations of FDA’s tobacco program, the Vapor Technology Association, through its Executive Director Tony Abboud, released the following statement: 

“The Reagan-Udall Foundation’s independent review of FDA’s tobacco program has uncovered systemic problems inside the Center for Tobacco Products that allowed political decisions to override the science-based recommendations of FDA professional staff concerning the authorization of vaping products that would provide safer alternatives for adult smokers looking to quit combustible cigarettes.  

“The Reagan-Udall review was requested by FDA Commissioner Califf to address problems with the Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) programs for regulations and guidance, application review, compliance and enforcement, and communication with the public and other stakeholders. Their observations included the following:

  • CTP has no strategic plan and must create one that identifies the Center’s strategic objectives and plots an operational roadmap to achieve them.
  • CTP must resolve how to weigh the public health benefits of adults who use ENDS that will completely quit smoking combustible tobacco products against the potential public health harms to youth who use ENDS.
  • CTP has not clearly articulated what is required to meet the appropriateness for the protection of public health standard.
  • CTP struggles to function as a regulator due to some of its own policy choices.
  • CTP faces significant challenges in clearing policies through the career and political infrastructure.
  • CTP lacks consistent implementation of its own policies, particularly with respect to harm reduction.
  • CTP has not been transparent regarding its failure to clear the market of illegal products.
  • CTP’s current goals and priorities are unclear in communication and practice.

“The Vapor Technology Association has raised concerns for years about the opaque and questionable operations of the CTP. Reagan-Udall’s review highlights a shifting and arbitrary decision-making process, untethered from science due to political or external pressures, that has damaged the marketplace for safer vaping products, impaired the FDA’s credibility, undermined the FDA’s mission of harm reduction by denying millions of American smokers truthful information and authorized products. We are pleased to see many of the recommendations VTA provided to the Reagan-Udall Foundation reflected in the Foundation’s report.

“The fact that CTP has continued to issue major decisions despite deficiencies highlighted by Reagan-Udall is highly questionable. VTA agrees that ‘CTP must invest the time, now…to create and implement a Strategic Plan’ and that ‘the path to resolving many of the Center’s current challenges starts with establishing the scientific and policy framework to make clear and timely product decisions.’ For that reason, the FDA Commissioner should instruct CTP to stand down on issuing any further denials of less harmful nicotine alternative product applications until CTP has been able to review and implement the safeguards and recommendations made by the Reagan-Udall Foundation, and VTA stands ready to assist FDA and CTP by providing the necessary stakeholder input that the Foundation also said was necessary,” said Tony Abboud.

ABOUT VTA
The Vapor Technology Association is the U.S. industry trade association whose members are dedicated to sound science-based regulation and selling innovative high-quality vapor products that provide adult smokers with a better alternative to combustible cigarettes. VTA represents the industry-leading manufacturers of vapor devices, e-liquids, and flavorings, as well as the distributors and retailers, including hardworking American mom-and-pop brick-and-mortar retail store owners. Source: Vapor Technology Association

The VTA Submits Supreme Court Amicus Brief on Vaping Flavor Ban

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WASHINGTON, November 15, 2022 (Newswire.com) – On Nov. 8, 2022, voters in California passed a ballot initiative (Proposition 31) upholding a 2020 law banning the sale of most flavored tobacco products. On Nov. 9, 2022, R.J. Reynolds (RJR), filed a federal lawsuit challenging California’s ban as being unlawfully preempted by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009, (TCA). Yesterday, the Vapor Technology Association (VTA) filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court of the United States in support of a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in another RJR case asserting similar arguments against the earlier L.A. County ordinance banning all flavored tobacco products. Supreme Court review is critical for two reasons.

First, the “substantial effect on the Nation’s economy” created by the sale of tobacco products is of great significance. The passage of the TCA in 2009 led to the creation of a new, independent distribution chain of companies, including manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and retailers, that has steadily grown outside of the traditional tobacco products industry, offering their customers non-combustible nicotine vapor products as alternatives to smoking cigarettes. According to a new economic impact report (prepared by John Dunham & Associates), the independent vapor industry comprises more than 10,000 companies across the United States and is responsible for generating more than 130,000 jobs and more than $22 billion in economic activity for the U.S. economy.

This industry would be devastated by unrestricted flavor bans, given its unique and substantial reliance on the sale of flavored vapor products to adult consumers. Importantly, the potential shutdown of close to 10,000 businesses, causing the loss of 99,158 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs, the loss of $5,258,906,715 in wages and benefits, and the loss of $16,449,776,269 to the U.S. economy makes the issue before the Court incredibly important. In the state of California, where the majority of e-liquid manufacturers of the independent vapor products industry are based, losses would total approximately 6,925 FTE jobs, paying $445,565,776 in wages and benefits, and the economic output of the California economy would be diminished by $1,497,332,882 if flavored vapor products could not be sold. 

Second, since the passage of the L.A. County Ordinance – leading tobacco-control scientists have challenged the notion of banning flavored e-cigarette flavors and have warned that decreasing availability of flavored vaping products harms the ability of adult smokers to quit smoking cigarettes. Instead of blanket bans, these tobacco-control scientists endorse alternative time, place and manner restrictions for the sale of flavored vaping products.

Permitting local and state governments to implement unscientific bans that directly interfere with the fundamental purpose of the TCA and would overrule the FDA’s decision-making for products deemed appropriate for the protection of public health, is not only unlawful, but is dangerous from a public health perspective, in VTA’s view.

ABOUT VTA
The Vapor Technology Association is the U.S. industry trade association whose members are dedicated to sound science-based regulation and selling innovative high-quality vapor products that provide adult smokers with a better alternative to combustible cigarettes. VTA represents the industry-leading manufacturers of vapor devices, e-liquids, and flavorings, as well as the distributors and retailers, including hardworking American mom-and-pop brick-and-mortar retail store owners.

Vapor Association Challenges FDA’s Youth Vaping Analysis

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Vape Trade Group Warns That Latest FDA Action Risks Jeopardizing Agency Credibility and Harm Reduction Mission

WASHINGTON, October 7, 2022 (Newswire.com) – Following the Food and Drug Administration’s release of the National Youth Tobacco Survey, Vapor Technology Association Executive Director Tony Abboud released the following statement: 

“Yesterday, the FDA, in coordination with the CDC, released new data from the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) on e-cigarette use among U.S. youth. The FDA represents the NYTS data to show that youth vaping ‘remains high,’ yet a deeper dive into the data show only a small uptick in experimental or infrequent use while regular use remains flat or is slightly down. 

“The fact remains that since 2019, according to the CDC, the number of high school students who have tried vaping (1 time in the last 30 days) has dropped by 50%, and the number of middle school students has plummeted by 70%. During that same time period, the number of high-school students who ‘frequently’ vape has dropped by 37% and the number of middle school students has dropped by 65%. FDA’s near single-minded focus on youth who experiment with vaping versus those who are frequent users ignores what clearly is a consistent trend of youth away from vaping products. Rather than focusing on removing products from the market in an attempt to impact youth vaping, the FDA should instead support common-sense regulatory reforms that would better restrict access to products instead. Simply removing products from the market is not the answer when those products are also proven to help adult smokers quit. 

“It is well documented that flavored vapor products help adult smokers to switch to less harmful vaping and study after study after study has confirmed this. Since 2010, when e-cigarettes became widely available in the U.S., smoking rates have declined by more than half. Tobacco use is down. Youth vaping is down. These are both good things and are not in dispute. Unfortunately, there are still 40 million Americans addicted to cigarettes. Every year, 500,000 die from smoking-related diseases and yet less than three percent of our kids are using vapes on a regular basis. The FDA’s failure to acknowledge this reality ignores the role vaping plays in harm reduction and smoking cessation, and puts more lives at risk.”

ABOUT VTA
The Vapor Technology Association is the U.S. industry trade association whose members are dedicated to sound science-based regulation and selling innovative high-quality vapor products that provide adult smokers with a better alternative to combustible cigarettes. VTA represents the industry-leading manufacturers of vapor devices, e-liquids, and flavorings, as well as the distributors and retailers, including hardworking American mom-and-pop brick-and-mortar retail store owners.

MEDIA CONTACT
press@vaportechnology.org

Why The VTA Supports Menthol Ban for Tobacco

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Urges Agency to Pursue Ban While Preserving Market for Properly Regulated Vaping Products

WASHINGTON, August 3, 2022 (Newswire.com) – Today, the Vapor Technology Association (VTA) submitted official comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in support of the FDA’s proposed tobacco product standard banning menthol-flavored cigarettes and strongly encouraged the FDA to continue to build the necessary offramp to menthol and flavored vaping products for smokers to access effective smoking alternatives.  VTA Executive Director Tony Abboud issued a statement summarizing the filing: 

“The menthol cigarette rule could be one of the most significant steps that the FDA has taken to protect public health in the United States. It has the potential to dramatically reduce cigarette smoking – the leading cause of death and disease of Americans – but only if the Agency heeds the warning of scientists that menthol smokers must have access to less harmful vaping and other alternative nicotine products. Without that, the rule threatens to turn what should be a public health victory into a weak half measure that, in the absence of other decisive action from the FDA, will fall far short of the benefits the Agency claims.

“FDA’s own proffered scientific experts acknowledge that at least 50%, and in some cases a larger percentage, of smokers will continue to smoke cigarettes or other combustible products after the menthol cigarette rule is put into effect unless provided access to effective alternatives. To fulfill its own harm reduction mission, the agency must use its PMTA process to ensure a rational, regulated legal marketplace with suitable, less harmful non-combustible alternatives.”

ABOUT VTA
The Vapor Technology Association is the U.S. industry trade association whose members are dedicated to innovating and selling high-quality vapor products that provide adult smokers with a better alternative to combustible cigarettes. VTA represents the industry-leading manufacturers of vapor devices, e-liquids, and flavorings, as well as the distributors and retailers, including hardworking American mom-and-pop brick-and-mortar retail store owners.

MEDIA CONTACT
press@vaportechnology.org

Vapor Association Expresses Support for Menthol Cigarette Ban

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VAPOR TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION SUBMITS COMMENTS IN FAVOR OF FDA MENTHOL BAN FOR CIGARETTES

Urges Agency to Pursue Ban While Preserving Market for Properly Regulated Vaping Products

WASHINGTON, August 02, 2022 (Newswire.com) – Today, the Vapor Technology Association (VTA) submitted official comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advocating in support of FDA’s proposed tobacco product standard that would ban menthol flavored cigarettes and strongly encouraging the FDA to continue to build the necessary offramp to menthol and flavored vaping products for smokers to access effective smoking alternatives.   

“The menthol cigarette rule could be one of the most significant steps that the FDA has taken to protect public health in the United States.  It has the potential to dramatically reducing cigarette smoking – the leading cause of death and disease of Americans – but only if the Agency heeds the warning of scientists that menthol smokers must have access to less harmful vaping and other alternative nicotine products. These limitations threaten to take what should be a public health victory and turn it into a half measure that, in the absence of other decisive action from the FDA, will fall far short of the benefits the Agency claims.”

“FDA’s own proffered scientific experts acknowledge that at least 50%, and in some cases a larger percentage, of smokers will continue to smoke cigarettes or other combustible products after the menthol cigarette rule is put into effect unless provided access to effective alternatives. To fulfill its own harm reduction mission, the agency must use its PMTA process to ensure a rational, regulated legal marketplace with suitable less harmful non-combustible alternatives.”

Read the full comment here.

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