At a recent tobacco and nicotine forum in Leesburg, Virginia, the FDA’s acting director of the Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), Bret Koplow, gave a pretty candid update on where things stand with vaping regulation. Spoiler: a lot of enforcement, a shrinking backlog, and a slow but steady push on nicotine pouches.
Massive Seizures, Clear Message to Industry
Koplow didn’t mince words—the FDA is going after unauthorized e-cigarettes in a big way. He said the agency is now working with federal partners on large-scale seizures of products that haven’t gotten the green light. No names, but the message is clear: if you’re selling products without an OK from the FDA, your inventory could disappear overnight.
PMTA Backlog Cut by 70%—But Not Many Approvals
On the application side, things are moving. The FDA has cleared out about 70% of its premarket tobacco application (PMTA) backlog over the past year. In total, they’ve looked at roughly 27 million applications.
But here’s the kicker: very few have actually been authorized. Why? Most applications just didn’t have the science to back up claims of public health benefit. Koplow didn’t sugarcoat it—submitting a form isn’t enough. You need real data.
Nicotine Pouches: A Pilot That’s Actually Working
One bright spot? Nicotine pouches. The FDA launched a pilot program to speed up reviews for certain products, and so far, it’s working. Faster authorizations are already happening, and officials hope the lessons learned here could pave the way for a smarter, more efficient review process across other categories.
Balancing Act: Helping Smokers vs. Protecting Kids
Koplow also touched on the tightrope the FDA has to walk. On one hand, e-cigarettes and alternatives could help adult smokers quit. On the other, youth vaping is still a real concern—even if rates have dropped a bit.
He noted that public perception of nicotine risks is still all over the place, and the agency wants stronger evidence showing just how much safer alternatives really are compared to burning tobacco.