The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is continuing its years-long crackdown on nicotine use by teenagers and young adults, with the federal agency now focusing its attention on flavored gummies, according to The Verge.
The FDA announced on Thursday, August 18, that it had issued a warning letter to Krave Nic, which sells gummies containing one milligram of nicotine each in three flavors - Cherry Bomb, Pineapple, and Blueraz. The agency said in its statement that the company needs authorization from the FDA to manufacture or sell this type of product.
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said that nicotine gummies are a public health crisis waiting to happen among the nation's youth, particularly as they head into a new school year.
FDA targets flavored gummies, cracks down on nicotine use by teens
Flavored gummies are a relatively new entry into the nicotine market. Nicotine gums have been around for decades and are designed to help people quit smoking. Flavored pouches, gummies, and other recreational products not intended to help people quit smoking are a recent addition to the market.
According to a study of children in southern California published this month that the FDA cited in its statement, they are already the second most popular type of nicotine product used by high schoolers.
Alyssa Harlow, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, told NBC News that the brands use modern packaging designs and engage in their digital and social media marketing campaigns.
Harlow said they come in several sweet flavors, and several of these nicotine products resemble candy, which may create a sense of familiarity for the youth. She added that they are also quite discreet and easy to conceal from authority figures, making the products appealing to teens.
Lauren Czaplicki, an assistant scientist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said that these products' covert and discrete nature might mean that they are used to supplement e-cigarettes or cigarettes.
Flavored gummies are gaining in popularity among teens
Vaping has declined among teens over the past few years. Juul stopped selling flavored products after receiving backlash from the federal government, resulting in its popularity dropping off among children. The FDA is now trying to pull it from the market.
The agency has rejected applications to sell thousands of vaping products in the past year and has only allowed tobacco flavors. Teens and adolescents, however, are still using disposable flavored vapes and the arrival of flavored gummies offers another avenue for nicotine products.
The announcement and a warning letter from the FDA showed that the agency plans to jump on other nicotine delivery systems that might have a similar appeal to children and teens.
