E-cigarette liquid packaging targets kids
U.S. regulators on Tuesday issued warnings to 13 companies selling e-cigarette liquids for using child-friendly images in their packaging, in the latest crackdown aimed at preventing tobacco sales to minors.
The packaging resembles that of juice boxes, candy or cookies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said, noting a recent increase in the number of reports to poison control centers. [Both agencies said the packaging of the products — some of which feature cartoonlike images — could mislead children into thinking the liquids, which can be highly toxic if swallowed, are actually things they commonly eat and drink.] [FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb, in a telephone briefing with reporters, said that it would be hard for “any reasonable person” to examine the products and not conclude that “they are deliberately being packaged and marketed in a way that is designed to not only be appealing to kids” but also to confuse them by mimicking items they frequently consume. He added that he planned to take more action against entities selling tobacco products to youth or marketing them in “this egregious fashion.”
“No tobacco products should be marketed in a way that endangers kids – especially by using imagery that misleads them into thinking the products are things they’d eat or drink,” Commissioner Gottlieb said.]
The FDA has made several sweeping moves in the past few months, including setting a maximum nicotine level for tobacco products as the regulator attempts to combat tobacco and nicotine addiction.
E-cigarettes are handheld electronic devices that vaporize an “e-liquid” fluid typically including nicotine and a flavor component. They have been grabbing market share away from traditional tobacco companies, and are available in different flavors.
“It takes a very small amount of these e-liquids, in some cases less than half a teaspoon … to (have) a fatal effect for a kid and even less than that to make them very, very sick,” an agency ｅxecutive said on a call with reporters.
…[The products being targeted include: “One Mad Hit Juice Box,” which resembles children’s apple juice boxes, such as Tree Top-brand juice boxes; “Vape Heads Sour Smurf Sauce,” which looks like War Heads candy; and “V’Nilla Cookies & Milk,” which resembles Nilla Wafer and Golden Oreo cookies; “Whip’d Strawberry,” which resembles Reddi-wip dairy whipped topping, and “Twirly Pop,” which the FDA said, “not only resembles a Unicorn Pop lollipop but is shipped with one.”]
Six of the letters issued were for dual violations where the products were illegally sold to minors online as well as packaged inappropriately.
“We don’t have to wait until there’s been an actual injury of a child. We can take action if it’s likely to cause substantial injury,” Acting Federal Trade Commission Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen said.
The latest warnings come a week after the FDA sent 40 warning letters to companies on the sale of tobacco products to minors, particularly those made by Juul Labs.
Twelve of the vendors issued warning letters on Tuesday did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
[The agencies told the companies that the products are “misbranded” under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act “because their labeling and/or advertising imitating kid-friendly foods is false or misleading.” In joining the FDA, the FTC cited its authority under the Federal Trade Commission Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive advertising.].
[The companies have 15 days to respond on how they will change the labels and packaging of the products. Failure to make changes “may result in further action such as seizure or injunction,” the agencies warned.].
Nick Warrender of Lifted Liquids and E-Liquid Retail, which makes Vape Heads Sour Smurf Sauce, said the product had been pulled from the market and repackaged six months ago.
“We … took a lot of money and steps to change the product to something that wouldn’t be (as) child-appealing as the original packaging,” Warrender said. “It seems to be a false narrative that they (regulators) are pushing.”
Article Source:https://www.studentnewsdaily.com/daily-news-article/e-cigarette-liquid-packaging-targets-kids/
ImageSource:"https://www.studentnewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/vaping-FDA.jpg" class="img-thumbnail" alt="E-cigarette liquid packaging targets kids
VOCABULARY WORDS
1.Liquid/noun: a substance that flows freely but is of constant volume, having a consistency like that of water or oil.
2.Prevent/verb: keep (something) from happening or arising.
3.Tobacco/noun: a preparation of the nicotine-rich leaves of an American plant, which are cured by a process of drying and fermentation for smoking or chewing.
4.Mislead/verb: cause (someone) to have a wrong idea or impression about someone or something.
5.Exam·ine/verb: gerund or present participle: examinspect (someone or something) in detail to determine their nature or condition; investigate thoroughly.
6.Mimic/verb: imitate (someone or their actions or words), typically in order to entertain or ridicule.
7.Frequently/adverb: regularly or habitually; often.
8.Egregious/adjective: outstandingly bad; shocking.
9.Tobacco/noun: a preparation of the nicotine-rich leaves of an American plant, which are cured by a process of drying and fermentation for smoking or chewing.
10.Commissioner/noun: a person appointed to a role on or by a commission.
11.Vape/informal: verb: inhale and exhale the vapor produced by an electronic cigarette or similar device.
12.Vendor/noun: a person or company offering something for sale, especially a trader in the street.
13.Seizure/noun: the action of capturing someone or something using force.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. The first paragraph of a news article should answer the questions who, what, where and when. List the who, what, where and when of this news item. (NOTE: The remainder of a news article provides details on the why and/or how.)
2. How might this harm children?
3. What did FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb say about the packaging? Be specific.
4. What is the FDA’s goal for the actions it has taken regarding tobacco products in the past few months?
5. a) What are the main ingredients in e-liquid?
b) What effect would ingesting e-liquid have on a child?
6. Check out the examples of the e-liquid marketed to look like familiar products that kids eat/drink at FDA.gov.
Nicholas Warrender, owner of the company that makes Vape Heads Sour Smurf Sauce complained that his company had spent a lot of money and time to change the packaging – saying that he recognized the problem and changed the design in November to feature a man in a beard, which he said signaled adult use of the product.
a) What is your reaction to Mr. Warrender’s claims?
b) Do you think these companies innocently/naively package their products to look like candy/whipped cream, etc? Explain your answer.
