health
The FDA’s strategy on vaping is going up in smoke
The Food and Drug Administration is hoping to take a page out of John Kerry’s flip-flopping playbook. While running for president in 2004, Kerry tried to explain his blatant inconsistency on a spending bill by saying he was for it before he was against it. Kerry’s attempt at rhetorical origami didn’t work then, and it won’t work for the FDA now.
TL;DR
- Federal law mandates FDA authorization for tobacco and vaping products before sale.
- The FDA has significantly exceeded the 180-day review period for product applications.
- The agency is allowing products to be sold even before authorization, a move criticized as flouting congressional directives.
- This strategy is seen as risky and potentially endangers public safety by enabling the proliferation of illicit vapes.