FDA bans products that help kids hide vape use from parents

On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it was sending warning letters to 10 manufacturers to stop making products designed to allow youth to vape without getting caught by parents or teachers.

The products being targeted by the FDA include: backpacks and sweatshirts designed with stealth pockets to hold and conceal an electronic cigarette; vaping products that resemble smartwatches or children's toys such as a portable video game system or fidget spinner; and vaping liquids that imitate packaging for food products that often are marketed and appeal to youth, such as candy, or feature cartoon characters like SpongeBob SquarePants.

"The FDA is especially disturbed by some of these new products being marketed to children and teens by promoting the ease with which they can be used to conceal product use," Mitch Zeller, J.D., director of the FDA Center for Tobacco Products, said in an agency press release. Of course, the products appeal to kids because they allow "them to conceal tobacco product use from parents, teachers, law enforcement or other adults," he said.

Warning letters were issued to: Vaprwear Gear, LLC (manufacturer, online retailer); Vapewear, LLC (manufacturer, online retailer); Wizman Limited (manufacturer, online retailer); EightCig, LLC (online retailer); Ejuicepack, LLC (online retailer); Vape Royalty, LLC (online retailer); VapeCentric, Inc. (online retailer); Dukhan Store (online retailer); VapeSourcing (online retailer); AND Shenzhen Uwell Technology Co., Ltd. d/b/a DTD Distribution Inc. (importer, retailer).

If the companies do not stop the manufacture, distribution, and/or sale of these unauthorized products, they risk additional FDA action such as an injunction, seizure, and/or fines, the agency said in the news release.