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The FDA Is Serious About Stopping Young People From Vaping

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is honing in on ways to prevent and crack down on e-cigarette use in young people.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking steps to crack down on e-cigarette use among young people.

Commissioner Scott Gottlieb asked for more information on marketing practices from vaping company Juul, which he says makes products that appeal to teens and kids. Juul devices resemble flash drives and come with vape flavor options. The company's website says Juul is "an alternative for adult smokers."

In March, the agency also started a nationwide undercover investigation to find tobacco law violations. It ended up sending 40 warning letters to e-cigarette retailers, putting them on notice for selling Juul products to underage customers.

The moves are part of an FDA regulatory plan that launched last summer to prevent nicotine addiction. Gottlieb said the agency will take further action against companies it says market nicotine products in a way that misleads minors.

Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.