WASHINGTON – U.S. regulators on Thursday took their first steps
to crack down on e-cigarettes and cigars, increasingly popular among American
youth, and banned sales to anyone under age 18 in hopes of preventing a new
generation from becoming hooked on nicotine.

The Food and Drug Administration’s action brought regulation of
e-cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco and hookah tobacco in line with existing
rules for cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and roll-your-own tobacco. The new
rules take effect in 90 days.

Health advocacy groups hailed the move, while industry officials
said it could cripple many of the smaller companies that make e-cigarette
devices they say can help traditional smokers quit. Wall Street analysts expect
the regulation to herald a new wave of consolidation led by big tobacco
companies.

The FDA said it will require companies to submit e-cigarettes
and other newer tobacco products for regulatory review, provide it with a list
of their ingredients and place health warnings on packages and in
advertisements.

The FDA’s regulation had been highly anticipated after the
agency issued a proposed rule two years ago on how to oversee the $3 billion
e-cigarette industry and these other products.

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell said
health officials still do not have the scientific evidence showing e-cigarettes
can help smokers quit and avoid the known ills of tobacco. In the interim, the
quick uptake of e-cigarettes by young people has added urgency to instituting
consumer protections, Burwell said.

“Nicotine does not belong in the hands of kids,”
Burwell told reporters.

E-cigarettes are handheld electronic devices that vaporize a
fluid typically including nicotine and a flavor component. Using them is called
“vaping.”

Three million U.S. middle and high school students reported
using e-cigarettes in 2015, compared with 2.46 million in 2014, making them the
most commonly used tobacco products for youngsters, according to the most
recent federal data.

“This is a real epidemic and banning the sales of these
products to minors, much like cigarettes, is a critical step to protecting
their health now and into the future,” said Democratic U.S. Representative
Lois Capps of California.

Other groups including American Academy of Pediatrics also
lauded the FDA move. However, public health advocates have also urged the
agency to ban the use of flavored nicotine liquid in e-cigarette and personal
vaporizers.

They
say the flavors, which can range from bacon to bubble gum, are a major draw for
youngsters to take up vaping. FDA officials said they would consider future
regulation on flavors based on further study of the potential risks and
benefits of vaping.

Congresswoman
Debbie Dingell (MI-12) released a statement on the new rules announced by the
FDA

“Today’s
announcement by the FDA is an important step toward ensuring key protections
are in place for electronic cigarettes, which up until now have gone largely
unregulated. With e-cigarette use among high school students skyrocketing from
1.5 percent in 2011 to 16 percent in 2015, we can all agree that banning the
sale of tobacco products to kids and teenagers under 18 years old is a positive
step in protecting future generations from the risk of tobacco use.
Additionally, following a horrific incident in my district, where a Wyandotte
man was severely injured by an exploding e-cigarette, it is welcome news that
all parts of the e-cigarette, including the battery, will be regulated for
safety.”