US President Donald Trump's administration has announced plans to ban the sale of all-flavored e-cigarettes as part of an expanded campaign, while officials warned that sweet flavors have left millions of minors in the nicotine addiction circle.
Trump and senior US officials have voiced concern about the increased use of electronic cigarettes by minors. The move comes as officials investigate a number of deaths and possibly hundreds of e-cigarette-related lung diseases.
According to Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, the US Food and Drug Administration is working with Trump's blessing to prepare a "guidance document" that will lead to banning all flavors of e-cigarettes except tobacco.
"As soon as the FDA completes this manual, we will begin law enforcement to remove all these products from the market," Azar told reporters during a meeting with Trump and First Lady Melania at the Oval Office.
He said the ban would include mint, menthol, chewing gum, candy, fruit, alcohol and other flavors.
Azar explained that the latest data showed an increase in the use of young e-cigarettes, and that young people were attracted to flavors such as mint and menthol. Nearly eight million US adults use such cigarettes as well as about five million minors.