US States Move to Ban Synthetic Nicotine
Lawmakers in Georgia, Maryland, and Mississippi have recently introduced bills in their respective states that would allow only vaping products authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration or currently under review for authorization to be sold. The l
<\/div>
Legislators in Georgia, Maryland, and Mississippi have recently introduced bills in their respective states that only allow the sale of vaping products authorized or awaiting authorization by the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration).<\/span><\/div>
<\/div>
These legislations will also establish a catalog to inventory authorized vaping products, which will eventually be made public. On the surface, these bills appear to reiterate what the FDA is already doing through its Premarket Tobacco Product Application (PMTA) process, through which the FDA has rejected millions of products. However, many point out that these bills are a roundabout way to ban synthetic nicotine.<\/span><\/div>
<\/div>
As synthetic nicotine is currently unregulated, many manufacturers have turned to synthetic nicotine as a way to continue selling their products. <\/span><\/div>
<\/div>
"Elected officials supporting these bills may mistakenly believe their proposals only target illegal and counterfeit dealers," Greg Conley, president of the American Vaping Association, told Filter. "The reality is that these bills will shut down licensed small businesses that fully comply with federal, state, and local laws."<\/span><\/div>
<\/div>
According to Filter, the Republican lawmakers proposing these bills—Maryland Senator JB Jennings, Georgia Senator Jeff Mullis, and Mississippi Representative Nick Bain—have received campaign contributions ranging from $500 to $4,800 from Juul Labs. Some believe that Juul and other large companies want to see a reduction in synthetic nicotine (and competition).<\/span><\/div>
<\/div>
"To protect the opportunity for adult smokers to reduce harm, Juul Labs supports a fully regulated, science-based market," a Juul spokesperson said. "Illegal sales and illegal products, as well as products designed to evade federal and state oversight, undermine the harm reduction and responsible vaping category."<\/span><\/div>
