Nearly 30% of all adult e-cigarette users were previously regular smokers of cigarettes and 11.4% were not regular smokers
"More than half (54 percent) of youth smokers ages 12-17 use menthol cigarettes, compared to less than one-third of smokers ages 35 and older," the agency reported, adding that the rate is even higher among African-American youth: 7 out of 10 young black smokers select menthol cigarettes
That decision was based on the FDAs determination that the new products offer greater benefits to population health than risks. The data, said Matthew Farrelly, director of the Office of Science at the FDAs Center for Tobacco Products, show that these nicotine pouch products meet that bar by benefiting adults who use cigarettes and/or smokeless tobacco products and completely switch to these products. Nicotine pouches contain substantially lower amounts of harmful constituents than cigarettes, the FDA noted
Other sources point to gaps in the availability of affordable and scientifically sound treatment, including lack of capacity in treatment programs, and the failure of many state Medicaid programs to cover medication needed for treatment of opioid dependence
