May 6, 2026 — The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized, for the first time, fruit-flavored electronic cigarettes intended for adult smokers — a significant policy change after months of lobbying directed at President Trump by the vaping industry. Public health and parent groups are expected to oppose the move, which comes as teen vaping rates have fallen to a 10-year low and as manufacturers pressed the Republican administration to ease restrictions.
Vaping companies have long argued their products can reduce the toll of cigarette smoking, which is blamed for roughly 480,000 U.S. deaths a year from cancer, lung disease and heart disease. E-cigarettes have been marketed in the U.S. since 2007, but worries about youth uptake have overshadowed potential adult benefits.
The newly authorized devices, made by Los Angeles-based Glas Inc., include mango and blueberry flavors plus two menthol varieties. Glas plans to sell them under the names Gold, Sapphire, Classic Menthol and Fresh Menthol, according to the FDA.
Until now, the agency had only allowed tobacco- or menthol-flavored vaping products to be marketed; most prior authorizations went to large manufacturers such as Juul and Altria. The FDA emphasized Tuesday that its action is an authorization for marketing, not an endorsement, and that the Glas products are intended only for adults who want to quit or cut back on cigarettes.
A central element of the agency’s decision was Glas’s digital age-verification system. Prospective users must verify their age by scanning a government ID on a mobile phone; the devices then work only when connected via Bluetooth to the verified user’s phone. The FDA said it believes these safeguards make youth access unlikely but also said it will closely monitor how the products are marketed and will act if the company fails to comply with legal and regulatory requirements. The agency warned it could suspend or withdraw authorization if youth use increases or if the risks begin to outweigh benefits.
Anti-tobacco groups called the authorization a critical test case. Kathy Crosby of the Truth Initiative said it is essential to remain vigilant in protecting young people and to monitor any authorized products closely.
The policy shift follows recent lobbying by industry groups such as the Vapor Technology Association, which met with administration officials, and a March FDA guidance that acknowledged some flavors — menthol, coffee, mint and spice — could help appeal to adult smokers while reiterating that sweeter fruit, candy and dessert flavors are more likely to attract teens.
Under the Biden administration, the FDA denied more than a million marketing applications for candy- or fruit-flavored products, part of an effort credited with contributing to the recent decline in teen vaping after a 2019 surge. As a candidate, President Trump pledged to “save” vaping and received support from e-cigarette companies, shop owners and vaping advocates; the current approval reflects a shift under Republican leadership.
Critics note that most teenagers who vape still use unauthorized fruit- and candy-flavored products, often inexpensive disposable brands imported from abroad that remain widely available despite being technically illegal. The FDA reiterated its authority to act if the market or youth use patterns change, signaling continued regulatory scrutiny even as it allows this new class of adult-oriented flavored products.