Washington: The US government approved three new tobacco products, the first set of electronic nicotine delivery systems authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the regulatory agency said.
“Today’s authorizations are an important step toward ensuring all new tobacco products undergo the FDA’s robust, scientific premarket evaluation,” FDA Tobacco Products Director Mitch Zeller said in a press release on Tuesday.
The three products, all manufactured by R.J. Reynolds (RJR) Vapor Company, consisting of equipment and cartridges of nicotine-infused liquid needed for vaping, the release said.
In granting approval, the FDA relied on data from studies showing that users of the e-cigarettes were exposed to fewer harmful substances than if they smoked ordinary cigarettes, the release said.
As a result, the products could be useful in helping wean smokers from traditional cigarettes, the release added.
The FDA denied RJR applications for ten flavoured versions of its e-cigarettes, reflecting studies showing young people are more likely to become addicted to nicotine when flavoured vaping products are available, according to the release.
