For a long time there has been an increase in popularity of vaping among millennials in the US, attributed to many reasons such as the unscrupulous marketing of the products to teenagers, unsubstantiated claims made by the industry leaders, and so on.
This led to an overwhelming success for e-cigarettes and vaping products in general. With their success, however, also came a few dark results, such as health damages and numerous accidents resulting from the use of vaping devices and products. And so earlier this year, numerous vaping companies and their CEOs were invited to testify before Congress.
The Testimony
On February 5, 2020, five CEOs of the major e-cigarette ventures in America testified before Congress regarding an avalanche of concerns, lawsuits and public scrutiny resulting from the safety concerns of e-cigarettes.
One of the major bones of contention was the popularity of the product among high school students, a significant number of which are reported to smoke e-cigarettes.
One of the CEOs testified at the hearing, and made it clear that this was a problem the company recognizes, are continually addressing, and coming up with measures to fight and guard against. He also mentioned that it would be a shame if the millions of adults who could benefit from the products are denied the opportunity thanks to their inability to address the issue.
He assured that his company is “focused on combating underage access.”
Purposeful Targeting
The CEOs all denied allegations that they were actively targeting children and adolescents on purpose. They referred to the fact that the sales and production of sweet-flavored vaping products had already been stopped even before the FDA ban on them went into effect last year.
Social Media Marketing
Most of the executives also reiterated their commitment to the policy of stopping social media marketing, which could be considered as targeting underage audiences.
Is Vaping Safe?
On the issue of whether nicotine that is found in e-liquids (one of the most important vaping products), is harmful and should be regulated, the CEOs deferred and asserted that only the FDA is in the place to make that decision.
Sales Freeze
A CEO was also asked whether his company would consider a sales freeze until the issue is resolved, to which he replied that the company’s FDA approval application should make the decision.
E-cigarettes and e-liquids are still available for purchase on specialized online stores such as Aqua Vape and other market places.
Conclusion
The legal pressure on e-cigarettes continues to mount amidst various lawsuits, regulations, and restrictions. Some of the companies are currently undergoing a major restructuring, and this latest appearance before Congress is sure to have a significant level impact on the company, and the industry as a whole.