FDA Eases Vape, Nicotine Pouch Regulations

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has implemented a policy shift allowing a greater number of new vape and nicotine pouch products to enter the market without prior authorization. This change, announced earlier this month, involves the FDA exercising 'enforcement discretion' for manufacturers whose license applications meet specific standards, potentially enabling hundreds of products to be sold in the coming weeks and months. Previously, the FDA required pre-market authorization for these products, partly to restrict youth access to vaping. The policy adjustment follows lobbying efforts by tobacco industry executives, who argued that the FDA's former stance fostered a large illegal market for unauthorized vaping products.