Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FTC Orders E-Cigarette Companies To Provide Marketing And Sales Information
The Federal Trade Commission wants to know how e-cigarette manufactures are selling, advertising, and promoting their products, which are already facing scrutiny elsewhere in the executive branch and in Congress. Juul Labs Inc., R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, Fontem US, Logic Technology Development, Nu Mark, and NJOY are being compelled by the commission to provide it with data on their advertising and marketing; websites and social media used to advertise or sell their products; any affiliate or influencer marketing; and promotion on college campuses from 2015 through 2018. (Stein, 10/3)
The information sought by the commission includes annual sales, product giveaways, characteristics of e-cigarette items, such as product flavors, advertising expenses and college-campus programs. 鈥淭he goal is to assist the commission, policy makers, and the public to better understand the rapidly growing e-cigarette market,鈥 the FTC said Thursday. (Sebastian, 10/3)
Altria Group Inc, which owns Nu Mark and has a 35% stake in Juul, will comply with the FTC request for information on Nu Mark, a company spokesman said. A Juul spokesman said the company will fully cooperate with the FTC. A Fontem Ventures spokeswoman said the company has been working with the FTC and will meet the request鈥檚 deadline. Reynolds American said it is reviewing the request, while Japan Tobacco said it is looking forward to continuing its dialogue with the FTC. (Pietsch, 10/3)
The orders are different from a separate probe into whether Juul deliberately targeted its advertising efforts, including the use of paid 鈥渋nfluencers,鈥 to appeal to minors. That probe was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, but the agency has not confirmed its existence. (Weixel, 10/3)
Federal law prohibits traditional tobacco companies from numerous sales tactics, including giving away cigarettes, sponsoring sports events and advertising on television, radio, public transportation and billboards. But those laws don鈥檛 apply to e-cigarettes, which first launched in the U.S. in 2007. (Perrone, 10/3)
Meanwhile, some influential conservatives are calling for the Trump administration to hold back on its plans to ban flavored tobacco. They argue such a move would hurt small vape business owners and people trying to quit smoking.
A coalition of conservative groups led by Americans for Tax Reform is urging the Trump administration to abandon its plan to ban flavored e-cigarette sales.聽The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to issued guidance on the prohibition soon, arguing the flavors are appealing to children and leading to rising youth vaping rates. (Hellmann, 10/3)
Several outlets also take a look at the history behind regulation of cigarettes and vaping products and also how the growing anxiety about the outbreak of respiratory problems might be dangerous.
The recent controversy around the health risks of vaping is but a small piece in a long history of the tobacco industry in the United States. The history of regulatory fights over tobacco products goes back to the earliest days of the U.S., University of Virginia assistant professor Sarah Milov writes in her new book "The Cigarette: A Political History." Like traditional cigarettes, electronic cigarettes weren鈥檛 regulated when they hit the market. Plus, vaping is much more inconspicuous than smoking. (Hobson and Hagan, 10/3)
There appears to be a unanimous consensus that something should be done to better understand and prevent this vaping-related harm. The message from many in the public-health community simply has been to avoid vaping. Last week the CDC told Americans as much. But as bans are actually being implemented, some experts are realizing the potentially dangerous effects of misplacing collective anxiety. (Hamblin, 10/1)
