BAT welcomes FDA's new guidance on vaping products

British American Tobacco has welcomed the US Food and Drug Administration’s new guidance on vaping products.

In a statement on Thursday, the FDA announced that companies will have 30 days to stop making and selling cartridge-based vaping devices, including mint, fruit and dessert flavoured e-cigarettes. The ban does not apply to menthol or tobacco flavours and excludes vape pens, which require a user to manually fill the e-cigarette with liquid.

The FCA’s new rules focus on vaping products with pre-filled cartridges.

"As we work to combat the troubling epidemic of youth e-cigarette use, the enforcement policy we’re issuing today confirms our commitment to dramatically limit children’s access to certain flavoured e-cigarette products we know are so appealing to them - so-called cartridge-based products that are both easy to use and easily concealable," said FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn.

"We will continue to use our full regulatory authority thoughtfully and thoroughly to tackle this alarming crisis that’s affecting children, families, schools and communities."

BAT said in a statement on Friday that it welcomes the FDA's "acknowledgement that a regulated vapour category provides a credible alternative to smoking".

“Following a significant period of disruption and uncertainty, this regulatory clarity is a welcome step towards returning the US vapour market to stability," the company said.

BAT said it was ready to comply with all the new flavour guidelines and that it was confident all of its Vuse digital vapour products will be shown to be appropriate for the protection of public health.

BAT’s chief executive officer, Jack Bowles, said: "Yesterday's announcement takes us a step closer to a predictable regulatory environment in a key marketplace, but focus must now shift to enforcement to ensure vapour market regulations are effective.

"We have long said it is not the marketing of these products per se that is the concern, it is the irresponsible marketing of them that should be robustly addressed. For us, smart regulatory frameworks partnered with responsible marketing and appropriate enforcement will ensure the sustainability of adult consumer choice across all categories."