FreedomWorks Statement on FDA’s Decision to Regulate Sale of E-Cigarettes

In response to the FDA’s announcement of its plan to produce a regulation to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes in most stores, Patrick Hedger, FreedomWorks Director of Policy, commented:

“The FDA’s decision on this matter is a profound disappointment and only serves to undermine the Trump administration’s deregulatory agenda. Over the past two years, President Trump has saved the economy more than $33 billion in economic growth by cutting red tape. This unilateral action by the FDA is a serious step backwards.

“In July 2017, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb promised to embrace tobacco harm reduction and acknowledge that not all nicotine products present equal dangers and that, in fact, reduced-risk products can help improve health outcomes for smokers previously left to die under the ‘just quit’ strategy. This would have brought FDA back in line with the intent of Congress under the Tobacco Control Act of 2009.

“Commissioner Gottlieb has tragically done a 180. Instead of working with industry to promote innovative and less harmful products, the FDA has continued to do nothing but smother new products and businesses in bureaucratic red tape and obstruction, emblematic of the culture in Washington that President Trump has tried to change.”