Tobacco crackdown by the FDA fires from the right

The Trump administration is under fire from GOP lawmakers and conservative groups for its proposed crackdown on electronic cigarettes and menthol products.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday proposed radical new restrictions on the sale of electronic cigarettes to reduce the number of teenage ejaculations. The agency also said that it would seek to ban traditional cigarettes flavored with menthol and flavored cigars.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has adopted bold regulations that have been widely praised by Democrats and public health advocates.

"If passed, these two proposals will have a greater impact on the reduction of tobacco use among youth and the African-American community than any regulatory action taken by the federal government," said Matthew Myers. President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Children.

But legislators and conservatives of the GOP were appalled by the scope of the proposals, which they saw as harsh regulation.

"I am concerned that the measures proposed by the FDA will limit American adults' access to electronic cigarette products that help them to give up a more dangerous habit. I am also concerned about the deregulation of regulations, "Sen said. Ron JohnsonRonald (Ron) Harold JohnsonOvernight Health Care – Presented by the Partnership for Drug Safety – FDA limits sales of flavored electronic cigarettes | Proposes to ban menthol in tobacco | Left wants to vote on single-payer bill in new Congress | More than 12,000 people have lost Medicaid in the Arkansas Commerce Department to audit Trump's tariff exemptions. Trump's trip to rural Wisconsin highlights GOP PLUS participation rate (R-Wis.).

"It's disturbing … an administration that promises to put America at the forefront of targeting legal products made by Americans instead of focusing on states that flout federal drug laws." , Sen. Richard BurrRichard Mauze BurrRand Paul blocking a counterterrorism candidate appointed by the Senate committee seeks an interview with Steve Bannon, the attorney says that Dems can use the power of summons to recover the populist mantle PLUS (PC) said in a statement.

"I hope the administration will choose a better way to protect our children," Burr added.

The Trump Administration is proud of its efforts to lower regulation and help businesses. And in Gottlieb, the administration has an FDA chief with eminent conservative references.

Gottlieb was at the American Enterprise Institute before being called to lead the FDA. Previously, he served in the agency under former President George W. Bush.

But this story has not tempered the critics of the GOP conservatives.

Marc Scheineson, a lawyer and former associate commissioner at the FDA under George H. W. Bush, said Gottlieb needed more business confidence.

"By not trusting any business, giving them sinister motives, it raises eyebrows and is perceived as unfair and potentially non-republican," Scheineson said.

The FDA has faced a massive spike in teenage vaping, which has caused Gottlieb to change his stance on e-cigarettes in recent months.

Last spring, the agency relaxed the regulations on products. Gottlieb said he wanted to promote the innovation of products that can help adults quit smoking traditional cigarettes. Supporters of the vape say their products can help people quit smoking traditional cigarettes.

But as teenage vaping has soared, Gottlieb is cracking down on the industry.

He has launched a major campaign to stop the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors, accusing manufacturers and retailers of contributing to an "epidemic" of use in children and adolescents.

The agency's efforts were successful when the FDA announced that it would essentially restrict the sales of most flavored electronic cigarettes – popular among young people – to limited person-in-person locations.

Federal data have increased by 78% among high school students and 48% among college students since last year.

"This data shock my conscience," Gottlieb said when he announced the restrictions. "These increases must stop."

The ban on menthol will have to follow the federal regulatory process, which could take years, but Gottlieb was adamant that it was necessary.

"There is no evidence to suggest that menthol flavored cigarettes could play a role in harm reduction for adult smokers," he said in a statement.

Nevertheless, some Republicans have accused the agency of drifting government which, according to them, echoed the Obama administration.

"Gottlieb is very committed to Juul products and their use by underage children, which is very commendable," said Scheineson, who is now head of Alston & Bird's Food and Drugs Department, referring to the leading manufacturer of electronic cigarettes. from the country.

"What surprised many people was that they took over this public health problem and defeated all tobacco products by banning aromas and products. same Barack ObamaBarack Hussein ObamaWhen the Democrats prepare to challenge Trump in 2020, the political divide will be between the metropolitan and rural position of Trump: an "epic" victory in the Senate, "better than the other presidents" in the House: the carpool between the NASA and the Space Station is back as Russian rocket Soyuz resumes flying fast in eight years and [with] a democratic commissioner of the FDA did not propose it, "added Scheineson.

Patrick Hedger, political director of FreedomWorks, a conservative and libertarian defense group, said the agency's actions run counter to the goals of the rest of the Trump administration.

"The FDA is using its regulatory authority to try to achieve a perfect result rather than a realistic result at a time when the rest of the Trump administration does exactly the opposite," Hedger said.

"While we should all be concerned about the significant impact of tobacco on public health, the FDA continues to suffer from the mistake of nirvana, a problem that has long affected the state's pre-administrative state." Trump administration, "he added.

Daren Bakst, senior researcher at the Heritage Foundation, said the FDA imposed too many restrictions on adult smokers who want to use the electronic cigarette as a way to quit smoking.

"We do not want the government, or anyone else, to hinder these products," said Bakst. "The market has developed some important innovations that give hope to people who are struggling to stop smoking. [This] I would not say that politics is oriented towards the free market ".

But public health advocates came to Gottlieb's defense.

Samir Soneji, associate professor at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, said that adult smokers are not attracted to the flavors chosen by the FDA and that tobacco alternatives are much more effective for help people quit without harming the teenagers.

"If the vaping sector is serious, there is no reason for Juul to sell watermelon, mint or a mix of fruits because it attracts children and we start to learn that it does not appeal to smokers. adults. "

Soneji believes that the FDA's efforts are important in preventing youth smoking.

"No child has ever abused Nicorette gum," Soneji said. "The e-cigarette industry is constantly harming adult smokers.