AAP Statement in Response to FDA Authorization of Menthol-Flavored E-Cigarettes

By AAP President Benjamin Hoffman, MD, FAAP
 
“Given everything we know about how appealing flavored tobacco products are to children, the American Academy of Pediatrics is profoundly disappointed that the Food and Drug Administration has chosen to authorize several menthol-flavored e-cigarettes. This decision will have serious health consequences for children and young people. 
 
“Menthol is one of the most popular e-cigarette flavors among youth and has been shown to increase tobacco product initiation among children by masking the harshness of nicotine. These products have no place on the market.
 
“Previous decisions by the FDA to allow the marketing of flavored e-cigarettes had disastrous consequences for children that we are still working to overcome. 
 
These products will inevitably end up in the backpacks of middle schoolers. Once that happens, the FDA will have an obligation to immediately reverse this deeply unwise decision.”

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.