The FDA has approved the first menthol-flavored electronic cigarettes for adult smokers, greenlighting four products from Njoy, a brand recently acquired by tobacco giant Altria. This move aims to support adult smokers in switching from traditional cigarettes, responsible for 480,000 annual deaths in the U.S. due to cancer, lung disease, and heart disease.
Njoy’s menthol e-cigarettes, available in both reusable and disposable forms, are being touted as a less harmful alternative to traditional smoking. Altria’s data suggests these products reduce exposure to harmful chemicals. However, the approval has sparked a fierce debate among parent groups and anti-tobacco advocates.“This decision could mean we’ll never be able to close the Pandora’s box of the youth vaping epidemic,” warns Meredith Berkman, co-founder of Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes. While youth vaping has declined, with about 10% of high schoolers using e-cigarettes last year, 90% of them preferred flavored products, including menthol.
The FDA’s approval is part of a broader effort to regulate the multibillion-dollar vaping industry. Despite their potential benefits for adult smokers, the agency emphasized that Njoy’s e-cigarettes are neither safe nor “FDA approved” for non-smokers.“Based on our rigorous scientific review, the benefits to adult smokers from switching to a less harmful product outweighed the risks to youth,” said Matthew Farrelly of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. As the FDA continues its review of major vaping brands, the debate over vaping’s risks and benefits rages on.
