[HealthyTribes] FDA Proposal on Menthol, Flavored Cigars, and E-cigarettes

[Weston Tara E]

Good morning, all.

Yesterday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed new steps to reduce youth access to flavored tobacco products by banning flavors in little cigars and menthol in cigarettes. If the FDA pursues these policies, they would be an important step to reduce tobacco use among youth and communities of color that have been disproportionately targeted by menthol tobacco advertising.

The FDA also announced that they would consider tighter regulations for flavored e-cigarettes. In the meantime, they hope that manufacturers and retailers will voluntarily remove flavored e-cigarette products from in-person locations and heighten measures for age verification online to prevent kids from accessing them.

Yesterday's announcement does not include immediate regulatory action but instead outlines a policy framework that the FDA may advance.

Tobacco remains sweet, cheap and easy to get in Oregon. New data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the FDA yesterday showed that youth e-cigarette use skyrocketed nationally from 2017 to 2018, increasing by 78% in a single year. These new data and FDA's announcement highlight two key points:

  1.  Nicotine addiction is an important health issue, and a new generation of kids is at risk from e-cigarette and vape products.
  2.  Local communities and jurisdictions play a critical role by acting first to protect kids. Counties and cities that adopt strong tobacco control policies create public health evidence and demonstrate groundswells of support that drive state and federal change.
We've included press statements from the FDA and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids below, as well as the new CDC data. Let me or your liaison know if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Tara

FDA: https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm625884.htm<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.fda.gov_NewsEvents_Newsroom_PressAnnouncements_ucm625884.htm&d=DwMFAg&c=7gilq_oJKU2hnacFUWFTuYqjMQ111TRstgx6WoATdXo&r=hXOTJUAl2nsljAgmELfTyYpyS1eUGJSDiT3O3SAeUfE&m=LkaSP0oX81LAZPXNIf3xpl82WLnSBscGR7zbnGBjxoo&s=3J0Q8Ze03npVl-MOynpBf_0D6co8NbQXZPzMNl_qX10&e=>
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/press-releases/2018_11_15_fda
CDC release: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6745a5.htm?s_cid=mm6745a5_w

Tara Weston, MPH
Policy Specialist
OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY
Public Health Division
Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention
tara.e.weston at state.or.us<mailto:tara.e.weston at state.or.us>
Desk:  971-673-1047
Cell: 503-758-5523
http://www.oregon.gov/OHA

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