First lady Melania Trump on Monday aired her concern over the growing dangers associated with e-cigarettes and use of them by children.
“I am deeply concerned about the growing epidemic of e-cigarette use in our children. We need to do all we can to protect the public from tobacco-related disease and death, and prevent e-cigarettes from becoming an on-ramp to nicotine addiction for a generation of youth”, the first lady tweeted.
The US Food and Drug Administration sent a warning letter on Monday to Jull, the leading manufacturer of e-cigarettes, specifically addressing the company’s marketing tactics, which have stated e-cigarettes are a safer alternative to regular cigarettes. Additionally, there is concern that Juul’s message has been aimed directly at underage consumers.
“Regardless of where products like e-cigarettes fall on the continuum of tobacco product risk, the law is clear that, before marketing tobacco products for reduced risk, companies must demonstrate with specific evidence that their specific product does in fact pose less risk or is less harmful”, acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Ned Sharpless said in a statement about its warning to Jull, which has been given 15 days to respond to the FDA’s letter.
“Juul has ignored the law, and very concurringly, has made some of these statements in school to our nation’s youth”, Sharpless wrote.
The first lady’s “Be Best” initiative is centered on helping children, and one of its three pillars targets the health and well-being of kids.
There has been a dramatic rise in the number of children and teenagers using e-cigarettes since products have become more available, and Juul’s advertising and marketing campaigns have ramped up. The US Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention is working in tandem with the FDA to monitors the dangers associated with e-cigarette use, which in recent weeks has been linked to severe health concerns.
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