The Food and Drug Administration has finished its first spate of surprise inspections of vape shops and found they need to do a better job of monitoring quality and training, the latest in a wide crackdown on e-cigarette makers and retailers.
Inspectors found a “lack of quality assurance programs, standard operating procedures, and full labeling of ingredients by the inspected manufacturers suggest that consumers might not receive complete information regarding product contents,” the agency said Friday.
The FDA conducted surprise inspections in 2016 of 31 retailers that only sold finished products and 28 manufacturers of e-cigarette and vaping products. The agency has been increasing enforcement of e-cigarette makers and retailers as some lawmakers have complained they are not doing enough to regulate e-cigarette use.
The FDA found that all the vape shops were in compliance with the agency’s regulatory requirements in effect at the time of inspection. At the same time, they flagged their quality monitoring and labeling.
For instance, of the 28 manufacturers, only one reported testing the finished product to determine it contained the amount of nicotine on the label.
E-cigarettes typically contain fewer chemicals than traditional cigarettes but may contain levels of lead, according to the website smokefree.gov.
The inspection findings could influence future agency requirements and gives a look into the state of vape shop policies.
The government has been applying more scrutiny to vape shops and e-cigarette retailers.
The FDA warned 40 retailers back in April for selling e-cigarettes to minors. It also warned 17 companies in May of marketing liquids used in e-cigarettes with kid-friendly flavors resembling candy and cookies.
A 2009 law gave the FDA authority to regulate e-cigarettes, but critics have dinged the agency for not implementing a regulatory structure fast enough.
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