US orders restriction on e-cigarette sales; youth use surges

Washington (AFP) – US regulators Thursday ordered sharp restrictions on sales of e-cigarettes, as national data showed a 78 percent single-year surge in vaping among young people, with two-thirds using fruit and candy-flavored products.

The proposed regulations announced by the Food and Drug Administration would allow flavored e-cigarettes products to be sold in stores only, not online, and would also ban menthol in cigarettes and flavored cigars.

The changes will be open to a public comment period lasting until June before they would take effect.