Truth Initiative applauds FDA, DOJ for filing for permanent injunctions against six illegal e-cigarette manufacturers

Statement by Robin Koval, CEO and President of Truth Initiative

We applaud the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for filing suits, for the first time, to bar six e-cigarette manufacturers which have been marketing their products illegally for far too long from continuing to sell their products. This important move by the FDA and DOJ to remove these tobacco products produced by manufacturers actively flouting the law is exactly what Truth Initiative and other public health organizations have been calling on the FDA to do.

E-cigarettes and other newly deemed tobacco product manufacturers were given a significant amount of time to follow the law and submit premarket applications for the FDA to review their products.  This premarket review would allow the FDA to determine if the products were appropriate for the protection of public health. The companies that the FDA and DOJ have filed permanent injunctions against didn’t even attempt to follow the law, despite receiving FDA warning letters informing them they were in violation. Instead, they refused to comply and continued marketing their illegal e-cigarette products. 

We hope that today’s action is a prelude to additional decisive enforcement against the many other e-cigarette manufacturers and retailers who market their products illegally often despite receiving FDA denials of applications, submitting no application or insufficient applications, and/or are in receipt of FDA warning letters. This includes some of the most popular products such as Puff Bar which is currently the #1 choice among youth. We urge the FDA and DOJ to accelerate this important work to remove all e-cigarette products on the market that do not have FDA authorization. It’s time for the tobacco industry to stop blatantly ignoring the law, thwarting FDA’s process, and perpetuating the national youth e-cigarette epidemic which remains a serious public health threat.