FDA Banning Flavored E-Cigarette Pods In Effort To Stop Product From Enticing Teens
DUNCANVILLE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Inside pulmonologist Dr. Stephen Mueller's office, patients are met with a "Stop Vaping" sign.
"It's not safe and to say it's safe is just plain wrong. I think the data has shown that," said Dr. Mueller of Methodist Charlton.
Dallas County Health and Human Services reported its first teen vaping-related death Tuesday.
The person did have chronic underlying medical conditions.
Dallas County health officials says so far, they've received 53 reports of people being hospitalized in their facilities with cases potentially associated with vaping.
Almost half are under the age of 21. And more than 70% are males.
Now, the Food and Drug Administration has ordered the ban of mint, fruit and dessert flavored closed cartridge pods - due to their appeal to teens.
The FDA has not said when the ban will go into effect.
"I think it is clearly the flavor," Dr. Mueller said. "That's what has brought groups of people to vaping that really would not have normally started otherwise. The things that created the problem we're not just the flavors, it was more the materials that we're there"
At Vaporized in Duncanville, store employees will tell you vaping is not for teens or even some adults.
"We have plenty of customers who come in here and say they want to vape for fun and we turn them away because that's not what we're about. This is a safer alternative to cigarettes," Ricardo Bocanegra III, Vaporized General Manager.
"It's not safe. We are loosening up a little bit about our folks that smoke that use it as a smoking cessation tool. If they're going to use it, use it as a means to stop."
