A new study shows that a majority of the public believes that e-cigarettes should be regulated by the FDA, and didn't know they currently weren't under their umbrella.
The study, conducted by Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Rutgers School of Public Health, found 90% of respondents were aware of e-cigarettes, but 62.5% did not know the devices are unregulated, with 83.5% of all respondents agreeing they should be. This number included 77.9% of current e-cigarette users.
Nearly 87% of all respondents and 78% of e-cigarette users agreed that e-cigarettes should carry warning labels about potential risks, and a majority of respondents also agreed the devices should have the same legal age of sale as other tobacco products, according to the report.
The proposal made by the FDA last April would require e-cigarette makers to register their products with the FDA, make an application to market the devices, use a nicotine addiction warning label and create a minimum purchase age, along with other requirements. While previous research has captured e-cigarette use and awareness, there is little data on e-cigarette policy perceptions, according to a press release about the study.
