美国国家公共电台 NPR FDA Cracks Down On E-Cigarette Sales To Curb Teen Vaping（在线收听）

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

Federal regulators plan to ban the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes at retail locations like gas stations and convenience stores. They also plan to require people buying e-cigarettes online to verify their age. From Colorado Public Radio, John Daley has these details.

JOHN DALEY, BYLINE: The new restrictions come as the FDA has been trying to rein in a dramatic increase in vaping by young people. Smoking of traditional tobacco cigarettes has fallen to a record low, but the popularity of e-cigarettes with youth is raising alarm bells. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told Politico's Pulse Check podcast he fears one form of nicotine is replacing another.

SCOTT GOTTLIEB: The bottom line is that if we are creating a whole pool of kids addicted to nicotine through e-cigarettes, some proportion of them are going to become long-term users of combustible tobacco that otherwise might never have an issue on tobacco.

DALEY: Dr. Amy Sass works in adolescent medicine at Children's Hospital Colorado. She says research indicates e-cigarettes can affect teens' brain development. And the e-cig flavors, like mint, mango and cucumber, really attract kids.

AMY SASS: I think these new rules would be a great first step.

DALEY: Colorado is among the leading states for teen vaping. Governor John Hickenlooper applauds the FDA taking action.

JOHN HICKENLOOPER: What's nice about this is that the FDA is following on and therefore amplifying public attention towards this issue.

DALEY: Don Daniels, who teaches about tobacco risks at a Colorado high school, welcomes the new crackdown. He says convenience stores and gas stations are mainly where teens buy e-cigarettes. But students tell him they'll still be able to buy online.

DON DANIELS: Kids can have adults or older siblings buy the product for them, and that's already happening.

DALEY: Many in the vaping industry fear the FDA regulations will make it harder for adult smokers to quit. But some say the marketing to kids has gone too far. Ray Story is CEO of an industry trade group. He says vaping giant Juul has been irresponsible when it comes to teen use.

RAY STORY: And you get to a point where basically they're selling a product that is like a lollipop.

DALEY: Juul declined to comment. The exact FDA rules are expected next week. For NPR News in Denver, I'm John Daley.

CHANG: This story is a reporting partnership of NPR, Colorado Public Radio and Kaiser Health News.

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