Vape maker ordered to pull flavored products from market over violations
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned an electronic cigarette company to stop selling nearly 100 flavored vaping products that can’t be legally sold because they lack required marketing authorization.
The Clifton, New Jersey-based Eonsmoke LLC sells flavored e-liquids that are compatible with popular devices made by companies like Juul. The FDA said Eonsmoke broke federal law by marketing tobacco products with flavors like mango, cotton candy, sour gummy worm and others without FDA permission.
Eonsmoke has been marketing its tobacco products as presenting a lower risk of tobacco-related diseases than other tobacco products, such as claiming that its e-cigs “provide you with a premium vaping experience without the thousands of harmful chemicals and additives often found in tobacco cigarettes,” according to the FDA. Officials said they were citing the company for the marketing claims, which they said had not been reviewed by the agency.
Also, the company has advertised through social media influencers without including a required nicotine warning statement, according to the FDA.
This was the second time the FDA has warned Eonsmoke about its marketing, which acting FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless called “illegal.”
“We’re taking today’s action because Eonsmoke has ignored the law by marketing dozens of unauthorized e-cigarette products,” he said.
As of Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 1,604 cases of lung injury related to e-cig or vape use had been reported, including 34 confirmed deaths. Cases of injury have been reported in every state except Alaska, plus the District of Columbia and a U.S. territory.
FDA surveys have shown a steep increase in teen vaping. Sharpless said preliminary data from the FDA’s annual youth tobacco survey show a continued rise in youth e-cigarette use.
“The marketing of illegal electronic nicotine delivery system products is particularly concerning given the epidemic of youth vaping that we’re facing, which we know has resulted in part from irresponsible practices of manufacturers, importers and retailers who have targeted kids in their marketing and has been fueled by flavored products that we know are appealing to kids,” Sharpless said.
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