Congress Approves Bill Requiring Childproof Packaging for E-Cigarette Liquid

Originally published by Robert Kraft.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Congress approved a bill which would require childproof packaging for bottles of liquid nicotine for e-cigarettes. The bill is headed to President Obama to be signed into law. The Journal adds that the Food and Drug Administration has been slow to enact rules for the agency to Federally regulate e-cigarettes.

USA Today reports that the measure is intended to protect young children from nicotine poisoning, which “climbed dramatically” as e-cigarettes gained popularity. USA Today says that the “common-sense legislation” is now expected to be signed by President Obama. The FDA “proposed regulations for e-cigarettes nearly two years ago,” which “would ban sales to minors,” but the agency “has not said it will forbid companies from using flavors, such as cotton candy, that help them appeal to kids.”

The Hill reports in its “Floor Action” blog that the bill “will force manufacturers of electronic cigarettes to create child-proof packaging for their liquid nicotine products,” requiring them “to follow the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s standards and testing procedures in making sure liquid nicotine products are difficult for children under the age of five to open.” The Hill adds that “health and industry groups have been pushing the” FDA “to assert its authority over all tobacco products and issue first-ever regulations for e-cigarettes and cigars when it comes to product sales, packaging and labels.”

Congressional Quarterly notes that the “Office of Management and Budget continues to review final regulations that would bring more products including e-cigarettes under the” FDA’s “regulatory authority using the 2009 Tobacco Control Act.” That ruling “is not expected to address child-resistant packaging because the FDA separately began soliciting feedback on the issue last summer.”

From the news release of the American Association for Justice.

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