FDA Authorizes First Fruit-Flavored E-Cigarettes

The Food and Drug Administration announced on Tuesday its first authorization of fruit-flavored electronic cigarettes for adult smokers, marking a significant policy change for Los Angeles-based company Glas Inc.

The products, marketed as Gold (mango), Sapphire (blueberry), Classic Menthol and Fresh Menthol, represent the agency's initial approval of fruit flavors beyond previously permitted tobacco and menthol varieties. The FDA emphasized that the authorization is not an endorsement and targets only adults seeking to quit or reduce cigarette use. Officials cited the company's digital age-verification system as a safeguard against youth access. Users must scan a government-issued ID via a cellphone app, with the devices operable only when Bluetooth-connected to the verified phone.

The decision follows months of appeals from vaping manufacturers to administration officials, including groups like the Vapor Technology Association. It coincides with teen vaping rates reaching a 10-year low, according to government data. Proponents argue e-cigarettes, available in the U.S. since 2007, offer adults an alternative to traditional smoking, which causes about 480,000 deaths annually from...