Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation and Truth Initiative released data showing from January 2020 to December 2022, there was an increase in e-cigarette unit sales by nearly 47% and an increase in the total number of e-cigarette brands sold by 46.2%. An increased proportion of unit sales were seen among products favored by youth including products with fruit, candy and sweet flavors (29.2% to 41.3%) and disposable e-cigarettes (24.7% to 51.8%). 

Lisa A. Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), issued the following statement: 

“The tobacco industry should not be permitted to continue to target our young people with these addictive products. Illegal products should be removed from the market immediately. We were pleased to see the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) enforcement announcement today against two of the e-cigarette products most popular with youth. 

“Yet the growth in sales and brands must be a call to action for the FDA to not only finish its premarket review process for new e-cigarette products, but more importantly to implement comprehensive, effective enforcement measures to ensure products that are illegal are removed from the market swiftly. 

“Additionally, the FDA must deny marketing applications for any flavored tobacco product and states and localities working to end the sale of flavored tobacco products should include menthol cigarettes and all other flavored tobacco products to ensure policies are comprehensive.  There is no scientific rationale for permitting any flavored tobacco product to remain on the market.” 

This story was published by American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network on June 22, 2023. It is republished with permission.