FDA to ban most e-cigarette flavor cartridges

WASHINGTON—The Trump administration announced on Thursday it will ban e-cigarette cartridge flavor pods except for menthol and tobacco. The Food and Drug Administration will target companies that sell fruit, candy, mint, and dessert flavors. But the ban exempts large, tank-based devices that allow adult vape shop consumers to mix their own nicotine liquids.

How will the ban affect vaping? The administration said the move will help curb underage use without gutting a multibillion-dollar industry. President Donald Trump told reporters, “We’re going to protect our families. We’re going to protect our children. We’re going to protect the industry.”

Dig deeper: Read Kiley Crossland’s report in Relations about the ingredient causing vaping-related lung illnesses, and read her report on teens using vaping to self-medicate for mental health issues.