FDA to ban flavored e-cigarette sales in convenience stores

You might have a hard time finding flavored e-cigs outside of vape shops in the future. According to The Washington Post, the Food and Drug Administration plans to announce a ban on the sales of most pod-based flavored e-cigarettes in convenience stores and gas stations across the country. It's reportedly part of the agency's efforts to curb sales of e-cigs to minors, since studies show that flavors tend to attract underage buyers. The FDA says that there's been a 77 percent increase in the use of e-cigarettes among high school students in 2018 -- Juul has been particularly popular among teens to the point that vaping with Juul is now commonly known as "juuling."

Back in September, the FDA gave e-cigarette makers 60 days to prove they aren't targeting minors. But it sounds like the agency has decided to take take stronger measures against the sales of e-cigs to underage consumers. The restriction will only cover pod-based products and not open-tank systems sold in vape shops. Further, it will not apply to menthol-flavored pods, because menthol is permitted in regular cigarettes. The FDA doesn't want to give real cigarettes an edge over their battery-powered alternatives, since that could push adult smokers to go back to real ones.

In addition to the sales restriction, the Post says FDA will also require online shops to ask their customers to verify their age. And in case those measures fail to cause a decline in use among minors, the FDA is reportedly planning to impose even more restrictions in the future.