FDA Cracks Down On Sale Of E-Cigs, Hookah Products To Minors

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made it clear to retailers and sellers of e-cigarette products that it is illegal to sell these types of products to anyone under the age of 18.

The FDA said on Thursday it will now take action against sellers of e-cigarette, e-liquids, cigars, hookah tobacco and other new tobacco products if caught selling to anyone under the age of 18 or failing to verify the age of anyone looking under 27.

The FDA noted that during compliance checks at national retail chains, tobacco specialty stores and online retailers, minors successfully purchased tobacco regulated products illegal. Of note to the agency, many "youth-appealing flavors" such as bubble gum, cotton candy and gummy bear could be a factor in play.

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The FDA along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate the use of e-cigarette among high school students soared by more than 900 percent between 2011 and 2015. As such, the FDA felt it necessary to expand its authority to oversee e-cigarette sales in May.

New rules and law went into effect on August 8 to "protect future generations from the dangers of tobacco use through provisions aimed at restricting youth access."

"We're helping protect the health of America's youth by enforcing restrictions that make it illegal to sell tobacco products to minors — including e-cigarettes, e-liquids and cigars, said Mitch Zeller, J.D., director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products. "Retailers play a vital role in keeping harmful and addictive tobacco products out of the hands of children and we urge them to take that responsibility seriously."

"It's clear from these initial compliance checks that there's a need for strong federal enforcement of these important youth access restrictions," Zeller concluded.

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