Imperial blows vapour up the FDA after ecig crackdown
By Oliver Haill
Date: Friday 16 Nov 2018
(Sharecast News) - Cigarette maker Imperial Brands said it was developing a version of electronic cigarettes that could be locked to prevent possible underage use, after a fresh US regulatory crackdown on vaping.
The announcement from FTSE 100-listed Imperial came a day after the US Food and Drug Administration announced new restrictions on flavoured e-cigs.
FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb said only tobacco, mint and menthol e-cigarette flavours of can sold by retailers, with other sweet-flavours only to be sold at age-restricted stores or through online merchants that use age-verification checks.
Gottlieb also said he plans to push forward on bans for menthol cigarettes and flavoured cigars next year, though he did not say another more specific on a timeframe apart from that the agency "should be able to move with some added efficiency".
Blowing smoke up the regulator, Imperial said it "welcomed" the moves and insisted that vapour products "are for adult smokers and their sale to anyone underage should be prevented", suggesting its own range of electronic products were "significantly better alternative than combustible cigarettes".
Imperial said it was developing a "connected" version of its Myblu device with a locking technology after Gottlieb's pledged to accelerate development and review vapour products with child protection features.
On the FDA's proposals regarding menthol cigarettes and flavoured cigars, Imperial argued that such a ban should be "supported by the relevant science and other evidence" and that this would be "likely to require a multi-year process".
Imperial shares, down almost 17% this year but up 11% since April, were up 0.6% to 2,609.5p in early trading on Friday morning. Rival British American Tobacco, down 44% this year, was down a few more pennies to 2,769.5p.
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