Rep. Hunter introduces vapor bill

Vapor has another possible savior. Today, U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter introduced legislation that would curtail the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulatory power over vapor products. The Cigarette Smoking Reduction and Electronic Vapor Alternatives Act creates new regulatory framework that removes vapor from controls imposed under the Tobacco Control Act.

The legislation underscores the uniqueness of vaping technology and products, and advances vaping as a widely recognized life-saving alternative to traditional tobacco use, according to post on Hunter’s website. “This bill is the way forward for smokers who want to quit smoking and vapers who enjoy vaping,” said Hunter. “No less important, this bill will set the vaping industry on a solid path for decades to come and require consideration of the harm reduction benefits associated with vaping.

“The idea that vaping should be viewed and regulated no different than tobacco ignores the fact that countless Americans are turning to this one alternative to reduce their urge to smoke cigarettes or quit once and for all.  It’s also a fact that small businesses that sell vaping products will experience severe hardship under the existing regulatory structure and desperately need the relief and clarity that this legislation provides.

Hunter told Vapor Voice in a previous interview that he started smoking as a teenager and then quit before picking it back up serving as a Marine in Iraq and Afghanistan. “Vaping is what helped me to stop smoking and I know from the experiences of so many others that I’m not alone.  It’s time that vaping is embraced and accepted for the benefits its offers—among them harm reduction,” he said.

If enacted, the new act would allow e-liquids to be regulated by the FDA using commonly accepted industry manufacturing standards. The bill also establishes standards for vaping hardware and batteries to protect consumers.  One year after enactment, all e-liquids and vaping hardware must conform to manufacturing standards within the bill, according to the post. The legislation also requires the FDA to consider harm reduction within the scope of the Tobacco Control Act.

Reps. Tom Cole and Sanford Bishop also introduced a vapor bill in February. That bill, the FDA Deeming Authority Clarification Act of 2017, would change the predicate date in the FDA’s deeming regulations. This would allow products introduced before a new predicate date to stay on the market without having to go through the FDA’s costly premarket approval process.