Crackdown on ‘ vaping’

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned five manufacturers of e-cigarettes and other “vaping” products that it would bring criminal or civil charges if necessary to stop the five, plus other makers and retailers, from marketing to minors.

“If the companies don’t know, or if they don’t want to know,” he said, that such purchases are underway, “we’ll now be helping to identify it for them.”

He said that if necessary, the FDA would bring criminal or civil charges.

“JUUL Labs will work proactively with FDA in response to its request,” a Juul spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. “We are committed to preventing underage use of our product, and we want to be part of the solution in

keeping e-cigarettes out of the hands of young people.”

The other four products facing the 60-day deadline are RJR Vapor Co.’s Vuse, Altria Group’s MarkTen, Imperial Grand’s blu and devices made by Logic. Those companies were not immediately available for comment.

Gottlieb has said many times that he believes that e-cigarettes and similar products known as electronic nicotine delivery systems may be effective options for adults who

want to stop smoking but still crave nicotine. But in announcing the agency’s moves, he said regulators may have to curb the availability of the devices to keep them out of the hands of youths.

“Inevitably what we are going to have to contemplate are actions that may narrow the off-ramp for adults who see e-cigarettes as a viable alternative to combustible tobacco in order to close the on ramp for kids,” Gottlieb said. “It’s an unfortunate trade-off.”