Vapers have been patiently awaiting the findings from the Reagan Udall inspection of the CTP at FDA. This evaluation focuses on four areas, compliance and enforcement, regulations and guidance, application review, and communication with public and stakeholders. Even though in the end the FDA is not obligated to follow these recommendations, some hoped they might bring about some positive change. 

While this report shows FDA’s many flaws it still manages to tote the same anti-vaping youth usage rhetoric we have come to expect.  Many vapers like me were hopeful but not expecting much to come from these findings as it is particularly hard to keep a positive outlook when the FDA has not budged on their messaging thus far. 

In true FDA fashion just 2 weeks later they reaffirmed their stance on e-cigarettes by reposting three videos on how to “be on the lookout for signs your teen could be addicted to smoking or vaping”.  The videos feature Dr. Deepa Camenda, professor at Yale, and Dr. Susan Walley, of American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Tobacco Control.  These peculiar videos touch on everything from poor performance at school to children behaving aggressively.  In addition they claim that teens who may be vaping could regularly be wheezing, become easily fatigued, or suffer from chronic coughing.

The FDA seems to still be hell bent on confusing the public with warning parents to look out for conditions caused by black market THC, NOT nicotine vaping. This messaging that they constantly claim is for youth clearly targets parents that could potentially use these harm reduction options if they are current smokers.

These actions from the FDA, while disappointing are not a surprise to the vaping community. Another reason that harm reduction advocacy is paramount to help adult smokers find a safer alternative.