AEI defended the alternative tobacco system, emphasizing that vaping is estimated to be 95 percent less harmful than smoking. | Contributed image
+ Regulatory
Carol Ostrow | Jan 8, 2017

Research suggests e-cigarettes "poorly understood"

The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) recently published an article examining the e-cigarette industry, particularly striving to determine whether the haze surrounding public perception of the business is as pervasive as it was one year ago.

 

AEI’s Sally Satel said as the new year begins, electronic cigarettes are still “controversial and … poorly understood,” expressing hope that new administration personnel slated for leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) will keep an open mind towards e-cigarette commerce.

 

Citing what she called “burdensome” FDA laws and fear-driven CDC hesitation, Satel also expressed disappointment in the apparent policy change touted by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, whom she said in 2015 conveyed the need for clarity to shape policy, yet recently appeared to ignore data regarding the age range for which vaping products are targeted, essentially depriving policy makers and the public of important information.

 

AEI defended the alternative tobacco system, emphasizing that vaping is estimated to be 95 percent less harmful than smoking and remains a viable substitute for those who find it difficult to quit the habit altogether.

 

The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research is a think tank based in Washington, D.C. focusing on government, economics and social welfare.

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