WASHINGTON (Reuters) - US regulators have said they are preparing to ban flavored e-cigarettes as hundreds of people develop a mysterious lung disease.
A number of deaths are suspected among people who smoke this type of e-cigarette.
At a White House press conference, US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar announced a plan to remove flavored e-cigarette products such as gum and mango flavored cigarettes.
Azar added that e-cigarettes with flavors will be withdrawn from the market until the approval of the US Food and Drug Administration.
Azar went on to say that e-cigarettes with flavors are popular with young people and should therefore be banned.
Azar's remarks came after accompanied by Ned Charbels, acting food and drug commissioner, briefed President Donald Trump on new data showing an increase in the number of teenagers smoking electronic cigarettes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last week it was investigating more than 450 cases of lung disease, including five deaths suspected by officials of e-cigarette smoking.
Five million children in the United States smoke electronic cigarettes, while about 8 million adults smoke cigarettes, Sharpless said.