In a rare interview on CNBC this week, new FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb had some very positive comments about vaping. Appearing on Squawk Box, host Joe Kernen asked some tough questions, and the new commissioner didn’t mince words. When asked if vaping is a safer and healthier alternative to smoking, Gottlieb replied that all vapers have known that for a long time.
“Nicotine doesn't have much of an effect. The harm comes from the carcinogens in the burning of tobacco.”
The words were simple but effective. Gottlieb sounded confident, knowledgeable, and assertive. And while he was polite, he was also visibly annoyed by the seemingly unnecessary question. He acknowledged that the regulatory process was necessary to ensure vaping was safe for the American public, but he stopped short of directly suggesting that FDA regulations be repealed altogether.
Issues discussed included the theory that vaping is a gateway to smoking for minors. During the brief exchange, host Andrew Ross Sorkin asked if it was true that more people who quit smoking use vaping than those who quit vaping use tobacco. The FDA commissioner declined to come forward, saying more research was needed to prove it.
Sorkin also asked: “And do you think e-cigarettes are safe?
Gottlieb replied:
“I think they need to go through a proper regulatory process like we're doing, part of the announcement is we're setting up a regulatory process, but I think they have the potential to be safe alternatives to cigarettes.”
Gottlieb, vaping and FDA law
The PMTA has been around for decades, but initially applied only to Big Tobacco products. In an effort to improve the law and include vaping, the FDA under former FDA President Robert Califf classified all e-liquids and e-cigarettes as tobacco products. This has been the center of much controversy.
Judging by Gottlieb's recent comments on CNBC, it seems he's open to changing the PMTA for vapers in the future, or he simply wants more scientific evidence to back up his decision going forward.
Source: Matt Rowland - vapes.com
Translated by: The Vape Club
