Round two. The fight to ease FDA requirements over vapor products was halted last year when Congressmen Tom Cole (Oklahoma) and Sanford Bishop (Georgia) failed to get their Cole-Bishop Amendment into federal budget legislation. Howe
ver, the two Republicans have regrouped in their effort to alter the FDA’s deeming regulations for new tobacco products and the fight is back on track.
Cole and Bishop reintroduced legislation, designated HR 1136, on Feb. 16 to amend the FDA’s rules. The proposal would change the current Feb. 2007 predicate date for new tobacco products, as well as introduce other vaping-related initiatives, according to a press release from Cole’s office.
Changing the predicate date will not alter the FDA’s approval authority over products introduced after the new predicate date. The legislation would allow all current products to remain on the market. Existing products will still have to comply with the FDA’s safety and marketing rules.