FDA Not Out to Ban Electronic Cigarettes

The FDA doesn't want to ban electronic cigarettes a spokes person has been quoted as saying in the Christian Science Monitor this week. Rather, they would like to give premarket approval and see some sort of data showing the products are safe and effective for their intended use.

"Some of the product information says you can use the e-cigarettes to help quit smoking," says Siobhan DeLancey, a spokeswoman for the FDA. The agency believes the products should be brought to it for premarket approval, and data should be presented showing the product is safe and effective for its intended use.

However, some of the urban legends about the FDA wanting to ban the products are not true, DeLancey says. "What we are saying is for them to be sold, you should be able to evaluate how safe and effective they are – especially if they are a smoking replacement used over several years, perhaps a lifetime," she says.

Christian Science Monitor quoting FDA spokes woman Siobhan DeLancey

So, once again, I have to wonder what the electronic cigarette manufacturers are doing to collect data showing how safe they are. The anecdotal evidence from users seems to indicate these might be the best stop smoking aid ever invented, but some scientists need to show they are safe before the FDA will be happy. But with her mentioning long term and "lifetime", how long would such a study have to go on? Will we have to wait five years to have electronic cigarettes be FDA approved? And is big Pharma already ahead of them in testing their own versions?