According to the official website of the US FDA, four Glas e-cigarette products have been approved to be marketed through the Pre-Marketing Tobacco Product Application (PMTA) process, and are available for sale to adults aged 21 and above. The approved products include Classic Menthol (Classic Mint), Fresh Menthol (Fresh Mint), Gold (Gold), and Sapphire (Sapphire) Pod. Each product contains 50mg/ml nicotine derived from tobacco.
According to the Associated Press, “Gold” corresponds to the “mango” flavor and “Sapphire” to the “blueberry” flavor. This marks the first time that the FDA has approved non-tobacco-flavored and non-mint-flavored e-cigarette products.
Preventive measures for use by minors
The FDA’s review has found that the Glas e-cigarette device, combined with age verification and market restrictions, can effectively prevent minors from using it.
Users need to verify their age through the government-issued ID card and pair their smartphones. The device cannot be used when not paired with a mobile phone.
The application will also randomly conduct biometric checks to confirm the user’s identity.
Adults’ usage experience and verification of effectiveness
The review shows that the vast majority of adults aged 21 and above were able to successfully complete the age verification process, and they also found the device instructions and software operation to be simple. However, minors and young people were unable to use it.
Market supervision and compliance requirements
Advertising and promotion are restricted to minimize exposure for teenagers. The FDA requires companies to ensure that advertisements, marketing, and promotions are only targeted at adults aged 21 and above, and to track, measure, and report the effectiveness of the measures as well as the demographic data of the audience.
Continuous supervision and risk management: The FDA stated that if it discovers that a company has not complied with regulations, it will take appropriate actions, including suspending or revoking the authorization.
Adult Legal Sales and Public Health Statement
The authorization is only applicable to the above four Glas products and does not cover other products.
The FDA reiterates that there are no safe tobacco products. People who do not use tobacco should not start using it, and teenagers are not allowed to use it.