U.S. FDA vapor rules go into effect

On Monday, August 8, innovation in the vapor industry dies. This is the date the first phase of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) rules regulating the vapor industry go into effect.

Key provisions include:
– bans sales of all deemed products that aren’t on the market on August 8, 2016,
– bans manufacturers/retailers from making truthful health claims about deemed products,
– bans free sampling of all deemed products to adults,
– bans sales of deemed products to anyone under 18, and
– requires photo ID of consumers appearing under 27 who tries purchase products

The best hope for the industry is changing the predicate date. On April 19, 2016, the House Appropriations Committee voted to include a bipartisan amendment, sponsored by  Rep. Tom Cole (R – OK) and Rep. Sanford Bishop (D – GA), to the 2017 fiscal year Agricultural Appropriations bill that would amend the February 15, 2007 “grandfather date” for currently unregulated tobacco product categories, including nicotine-containing electronic vaping devices and the “e-liquid” used in them.