FDA May Allow Some Flavored Vapes Aimed at Adults

Follow Drugslib on

By HealthDay Staff HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Judith Stewart, BPharm. Last updated on March 11, 2026.

via HealthDay

WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2026 — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may allow some flavored e-cigarettes back on the market, but there’s a catch.

They would be marketed to adults, not teens.

Under guidance released Monday, the FDA said it may consider approving vape flavors such as mint, coffee, tea and spices like clove or cinnamon. But it will continue rejecting sweet or fruit-flavored products, which officials said are more appealing to teenagers.

Flavored e-cigarettes have been at the center of debate for years, and with many MAGA voters embracing them, the Trump White House views vaping as an election issue. In 2019, vaping among high school students rose sharply, leading federal officials to call it an epidemic.

Later that year, the Trump administration banned most flavored vaping products.

Since then, surveys have shown that teen vaping has dropped significantly, but concerns about youth nicotine persist.

While some folks in the vaping industry had hoped the new policy would open the door to more flavors and products, Mitch Zeller, a former FDA tobacco official, told The New York Times that companies expecting approval may be disappointed.

“If I was the e-cigarette industry and I was expecting that this was going to be a new day for the agency’s consideration of candy and fruit and dessert flavored e-cigarettes, I would be disappointed with this guidance document,” he said.

Public health groups also criticized the plan.

“Allowing any flavors on the market benefits only corporations and harms public health,” said Kelsey Romeo-Stuppy, managing attorney for the public health group Action on Smoking & Health. “That is not a gamble we should be willing to take.”

Meanwhile, Luis Pinto, a spokesman for Reynolds American, told The Times that the company supports “safer nicotine alternatives” that help adult smokers switch from cigarettes.

The market for illegal flavored vapes remains massive. Industry estimates suggest about 70% of e-cigarette sales in the U.S. come from illicit products.

Some of these devices resemble everyday objects such as highlighters, jewelry or video-game gadgets, making them easier to conceal.

Health experts say nicotine can be especially harmful for young people, because it increases the risk of addiction and may cause chronic respiratory issues.

Ranjana Caple, director of federal advocacy at the American Lung Association, said the new policy could give tobacco companies another way to market flavored products.

“We’ve seen this playbook before — tobacco companies once promoted ‘light’ and ‘low tar’ cigarettes to get around health concerns, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them rebrand or tweak products to fit these new categories,” she said in a report from The Times.

Some researchers also questioned how the FDA would decide which flavors appeal to adults versus teens.

Adam Leventhal, a public health scientist at the University of Southern California, said the lines could be blurry.

“How do you operationalize what is a coffee flavor versus mocha Frappuccino flavor?” he said.

Sources

  • The New York Times, March 9, 2026

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2026-03-12 01:49

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords