The American tobacco group Altria (Marlboro, Chersterfield…) announced Thursday that it will stop selling some of its e-cigarettes, which are supposed to be more popular with young people, as more and more teenagers start vaping.
LIMITED PRODUCTION THE TIME THE FDA FINDS "A SOLUTION"
The CEO from Altria, Howard Willard, also announced, in the same letter to the American health authorities (FDA), the support of his group for raising the legal age for buying cigarettes, conventional or electronic, to 21 years in the United States. Altria will cease the sale of two types of liquid refill cigarettes (called "pods"), of the brand Markten, until the FDA explicitly authorizes them or " the problem of young people is solved". For the remaining e-cigarettes which mimic the shape and color of cigarettes, only three flavors will now be sold: tobacco, menthol and mint.
Current exotic scents, which are known to appeal to teenage vapers, range from strawberry and nutty to other fruits, to names like " Mardi Gras " and " Caribeean Oasis". These perfumes will no longer be offered for sale by Altria. " Based on public information from the FDA and others, we believe that products using pods are important contributors to the increase in youth vaping.“, Writes the boss of Altria.
Although the group believes they are doing their utmost to prevent young people from buying its products, he explains, “ we do not want to risk contributing to the problem". The announcement will increase the pressure on the absolute leader in the vaping market, Juul, which has captured nearly three quarters of the market in two years. The FDA has called on e-cigarette makers to find a way to prevent young people from buying their products, and is preparing more stringent regulations.
JUUL ALWAYS IN THE SIGHT OF THE FDA
Juul is particularly in his sights: his offices were inspected by agents of the FDA on September 28 in San Francisco. Full figures from the 2018 annual National Tobacco and Youth Survey have yet to be released, but the number of vapers in U.S. high schools has increased 75% from 2017 to 2018, according to a recent opinion piece from the Chief. from the FDA, Scott Gottlieb, and Health Secretary Alex Azar in the Washington Post. " It's an epidemic“, They wrote.
We do not find many carcinogenic products of cigarettes, such as tar, in electronic cigarettes, which however contain nicotine, a product not linked to cancer but causing addiction.
Source : Lefigaro.fr/
