TUSTIN, Calif. -- E Cigarette Reviewed, a proponent of the electronic cigarette industry that offers product reviews online, said that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) guidance on e-cigarettes fails to recognize the product's "undeniable potential" as a harm-reduction device, and along with other advocates, is calling on the FDA to take an evidence-based approach to the technology.
The FDA is proposing a rule to bring new "tobacco" products under its regulation by April 2013. Although it has not explicitly stated that this will include electronic cigarettes, it has made its intentions clear in the past, the group said, and recently held a public hearing on the topic.
Failing to base policy decisions on evidence encourages millions of Americans to revert to the exponentially more dangerous tobacco option.
E-cigarettes are an alternative to smoking tobacco, turning a nicotine-infused solution into vapor which is inhaled by the user. They contain no tar, carbon monoxide or the overwhelming majority of harmful chemicals found in tobacco smoke.
The FDA's stance on e-cigarettes appears to be largely derived from an analysis it conducted of two brands in 2009, E Cigarette Reviewed said.
The remaining concerns raised by the FDA are speculative, claiming that the lack of evidence leads to uncertainty with regards to their safety, said the website. "It is impossible to deny that more research is needed to draw more weighty conclusions, but any organization which refuses to acknowledge that they have a high potential for the reduction of harm in comparison to tobacco cigarettes is actively ignoring mounting evidence and common sense," E Cigarette Reviewed said.
Citing studies, research and data, E Cigarette Reviewed is calling on the FDA to support its position with evidence "rather than bias and speculation."
Tustin, Calif.-based E Cigarette Reviewed is a leading source of electronic cigarette reviews. E-cigarette buyers use the site to compare and select the best e-cigarettes based on peer reviews. E Cigarette Reviewed said that it aims to bring transparency to the e-cigarette industry by testing and reviewing the latest products on the market and offering an unbiased opinion to the users.
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