The Food and Drug Administration is stepping in to regulate the e-cigarette business. The feds issued a new rule that vaping businesses cannot sell to anyone under 18 years old.
Jon Brower, owner of Waldo Vapes in Kansas City, Missouri, said he never sells to anyone under age 21. Brower said while the new minimum age is not a concern, he is worried that other new federal mandates will hurt his industry.
According to Brower, one of the new federal mandates is that manufacturers of the nicotine-infused liquid used in vaping will have to have clinical testing on every flavor and nicotine level of the products they sell.
"That could cost millions of dollars and it's money these small manufacturers don't have," said Brower.
If the manufacturers go out of business, Brower wouldn't have anything to sell and he could eventually also go out of business.
"I think what's going to happen is there will be big legal battle between the feds and vaping companies," Brower explained.
He also said the federal government is stepping in to regulate the vaping industry because of the money involved. Sales of e-cigarettes online and in stores have skyrocketed and are expected to reach more than $1 billion this year.
"We don't pay taxes and the government wants it's share," Brower added.
He also said big tobacco companies are angry because they're losing business as cigarette smokers turn to vaping.
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Cynthia Newsome can be reached at Cynthia.Newsome@kshb.com.
