At least 29 state attorneys requested the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to impose stricter rules on the sale and advertisement of electronic cigarettes.
The state attorneys requested the agency to ban or at least limit the airtime of television commercials showing the said product, as well as create a veto on the candy and fruit flavors that make e-cigarettes appealing to a younger audience.
According to the New York Times, the proposed rules are tougher than the earlier proposal of the FDA. In April, the agency proposed to restrict the sales of the e-cigarettes to people aged 18 and below and did not cover advertising and sales.
E-cigarettes are becoming more popular and are seen by many as an alternative to the real cigarettes made from tobacco. E-cigarettes convert nicotine-laced liquid to vapor that the user smokes.
The product is marketed and sold in different candy and fruit flavors. Blu, which was owned by Lorillard Inc., offers their customers various flavors such as Cherry Crush, Butter Crunch, and Pina Colada.
In 2009, the FDA banned different flavors of tobacco-based cigarettes except for menthol. Now, the group of state attorneys wants the agency to impose similar restrictions for e-cigarettes.
"The primary basis for doing so is the protection of public health, particularly of youth," the group wrote in a letter, quoted by the Wall Street Journal.
E-cigarettes are seen as a healthier alternative to tobacco-based cigarettes and some proponents even argued that these devices can be an effective tool in helping a smoker quit the habit.
Critics, however, argue that the health benefits of e-cigarettes are not yet established and can be used as a gateway for people to get addicted to nicotine, just like with tobacco-based cigarettes. The state attorneys argued that the number of high school students who have tried e-cigarettes increased to 10 percent in 2012, a major climb from the 4.7 percent recorded in 2011.
