U.S. Senator Moody raised concerns about illegal e-cigarettes at the FDA director’s hearing, saying they flood the market and harm youth. Makary acknowledged the rise of vape shops in the community and offered to work with law enforcement to crack down on illegal products.
Key points:
1. Us Senator Ashley Moody has pointed out that illegal e-cigarettes are flooding the US market.
2. FDA Commissioner-designate Marty Makary has proposed using FDA and law enforcement to work together to combat illegal products.
According to Florida Politics on March 10, U.S. Senator Ashley Moody, during Marty Makary’s confirmation hearing as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It focused on an issue she focused on as Florida’s attorney general: the impact of illegal vapes on the U.S. market.
Moody’s noted that illegal vape products are flooding the U.S. market, especially flavored vapes sold in convenience stores, which are not only unregulated but in some cases outright illegal.
- “Illegal vapes are flooding our markets and getting our kids addicted, similar to what we’ve seen with other harmful substances like fentanyl.”
Makary admits that many new vape shops have also popped up in his neighborhood, but he hasn’t studied the products in depth.
- “I don’t know what’s in these products and the public health authorities can’t even study them because it takes a long time for public health research to catch up, but it’s very concerning and it’s not right to ban them.”
Makary offered to use the FDA’s Office of Inspections and Investigations to work with the Justice Department and other law enforcement agencies to crack down on these illegal products.
After the departure of FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, senior policy adviser Sara Brenner was appointed as acting commissioner, a position that will be held until a permanent commissioner is confirmed. President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Martin Makary, a pancreatic surgeon at Johns Hopkins University, to be the FDA’s new commissioner. (Related reading: Trump nominates surgeon Dr. Makary to be FDA commissioner saying he can “correct the course”)
