Wanna vape? You’re gonna need ID for that.
In a landmark move, the FDA issued 499 pages of regulations pertaining to the sale and production of e-cigarettes and the liquid they hold. This is the first time the government has stepped in to regulate the use of such devices.
The most obvious step the FDA is taking is to restrict the sale of e-cigarettes and related accouterments to people over 18. Anyone 26 or younger will have to show ID to buy them as well. This is similar to the laws regarding the sale of traditional cigarettes (except for California, which just raised the age to purchase cigarettes to 21.)
According to the New York Times, the FDA will also “subject producers to federal regulation for the first time, requiring them to register with the F.D.A. and provide it with a detailed account of their products’ ingredients and their manufacturing processes. Producers will also have to apply to the F.D.A. for permission to sell their products. That includes vape shops that mix their own e-cigarette liquid.”
Translated: up until now, no one really knows what’s in the liquid Vape Lyfe-ers are inhaling. Now we’ll know. Well, within 2 years we’ll know. That’s how long producers have to comply.
The new regulations are being hailed as a public health victory by anti-smoking forces who see vaping as a gateway to traditional cigarettes. Vape proponents consider the rules unduly onerous and likely to put small producers out of business.
Regardless of your feelings about the rules — or vaping in general — please remember that the nicotine levels in e-cigarette liquids can be dangerous to children and pets, so users should store them securely.