Tobacco

Will Your e-Vapor Inventory be Compliant in September?

pmta
Photograph courtesy of EAS-E

Find trusted vapor partners, like E-Alternative Solutions (EAS), who are committed to making sure retailers are set up for success before and during FDA’s PMTA process. How can retailers ensure their e-vapor inventory will be compliant come September 9th? 

The PMTA submission deadline of September 9, 2020 has been looming over the e-vapor industry. Vapor brands and manufacturers who do not submit PMTAs will be required to remove all of their SKUs from the market before this deadline. Moreover, vapor products which were introduced to the market after August 8, 2016 continue to be non-compliant and remain illegal to sell. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has expressed its intention to prioritize enforcement of the Deeming Rule that states vapor products may only be reintroduced for sale if a Marketing Order Letter is issued via the PMTA pathway. But, retailers should be warned: Not all e-vapor brands will be filing PMTAs and inventories may need to be adjusted very soon.

With about a month to go, the September 9 deadline now poses an even more significant hurdle for e-vapor retailers. Vapor products which may be selling well today could quickly become non-compliant shortly. The risk of potential supply disruptions is high, and retailers will need to be able to speak with confidence about product availability to adult tobacco consumers. How can retailers prepare their stores with a product mix that can cater to the demand of adult shoppers after the deadline while delivering expected margins?

Retailers should make sure they’re partnered with responsible e-vapor providers who have the right combination of compliance, leadership, and financial resources to successfully file PMTAs and help stores navigate this highly regulated, very confusing industry. The right vapor partners will make this time-intensive process manageable and the investment worthwhile for long-term success and continued profits.

For instance, E-Alternative Solutions (EAS) already received Acceptance and Filing Letters in July from FDA for its wide-ranging portfolio of Leap® and Leap Go®vapor products. Thus EAS’s submissions have officially moved to the Substantive Review Phase of the PMTA process where FDA will evaluate the data and scientific information that was included. If the application materials support the proposition that EAS’s products are appropriate for the protection of public health, FDA will issue a Marketing Order Letter to authorize the continued marketing and sale of Leap and Leap Go. While under review, Leap and Leap Go have multiple tobacco and menthol flavors for adult tobacco users to choose from and retailers to sell.

As the PMTA process continues and regulations are enforced, retailers should be asking about what support they’ll receive from their vapor partners. EAS, for example, provides consistent communications, regulatory analyses, and FDA compliant point-of-sale materials while its individual PMTAs are under review. EAS is also currently building next-generation digital tools which keep C-store owners and employees up to date on vapor laws and tobacco compliance.

The right partners will continue to be there with retailers every step of the way during times of uncertainty, and initiatives like those of EAS are testaments to how e-vapor brands are supporting retailers and the vapor category at large.

CLICK HERE to contact EAS.

This post is sponsored by EAS

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