As students across the nation return to school, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is sounding the alarm about vape pens designed to resemble highlighter markers. These products have raised concerns due to their packaging and promotion, with High Light vapes potentially enticing more kids to try nicotine. Many of these vapes come in kid-friendly flavors, such as strawberry banana, mango, and blueberry ice. In addition, the design makes it easy for kids to hide the product from teachers, parents and other adults.
“Sales of such unauthorized tobacco products are prohibited,” states the FDA.
As Emily’s Hope reported earlier this year, the FDA has only authorized 23 tobacco-flavored e-cigarette products, yet the number of e-cig devices sold in the U.S. has nearly tripled to more than 9,000 since 2000.
“It’s a great threat to our youth, and these are products that have not undergone any FDA scrutiny-no testing and no safety mechanism,” Florida Retail Federation CEO told FOX 35.
Without FDA oversight, authorities and consumers don’t know what ingredients or how much nicotine is in the vapes. Unfortunately, parents should not be just concerned about their children ingesting tobacco when using these products, but there have also been reports of black-market vaping products containing fentanyl.
In fact, two students at a Dayton, Ohio middle school were hospitalized earlier this year after using a vape pen at school. In January of this year, a New York high school student also passed out after taking a hit from a vape that was suspected to be laced with fentanyl.
School officials, along with the FDA, urge parents to talk with their children about the dangers of e-cigarette and nicotine use.
