health • May. 6, 2026

FDA Approves Fruit-Flavored E-Cigarettes for Adults in Major Policy Shift Under Trump

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved fruit-flavored e-cigarettes for adult use for the first time, marking a significant regulatory shift under the Trump administration and reigniting debates over public health, youth vaping concerns, and tobacco industry oversight.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the sale of fruit-flavored electronic cigarettes for the first time, marking a major shift in federal vaping policy. The decision allows a California-based company to market vaping products in flavors including mango, blueberry and menthol varieties, products that regulators say are intended only for adult smokers trying to quit or reduce cigarette use.

For years, federal regulators had limited approvals mainly to tobacco- and menthol-flavored vaping products because of concerns that sweeter flavors could attract teenagers. Health organizations and parent groups have repeatedly argued that fruit and candy flavors played a major role in the rise of underage vaping across the United States. The newly authorized products will be sold by Los Angeles-based company Glas Inc.

under names such as Gold, Sapphire, Classic Menthol and Fresh Menthol. According to the FDA, the products include a digital age-verification system designed to prevent use by minors. Customers must verify their age through a government-issued ID linked to a smartphone before the device can function through Bluetooth connection.

Federal officials stressed that the authorization does not mean the products are completely safe or officially endorsed by the government. Instead, regulators said the decision was based on evidence suggesting the products may help some adult smokers move away from traditional cigarettes, which remain linked to hundreds of thousands of deaths every year from cancer, heart disease and lung illness. The decision is expected to face criticism from anti-tobacco organizations, which warn that flavored vaping products could once again increase youth vaping rates.

Although teen vaping in the U.S. has recently dropped to its lowest level in a decade, health advocates say unauthorized fruit- and candy-flavored disposable vapes remain widely available in stores and online. The vaping industry has spent months lobbying federal officials to loosen restrictions on flavored products.

During the 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump publicly promised support for the vaping industry and received backing from vaping businesses and users. Under former President Joe Biden, regulators rejected more than one million applications for flavored vaping products as part of a broader crackdown on youth vaping. However, recent policy discussions inside the FDA have suggested that some flavors may have value in helping adult smokers transition away from cigarettes.

Industry groups welcomed the latest authorization, while public health experts said the long-term effects on teen vaping and smoking rates will need to be closely monitored in the coming years..