Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems: A Policy Statement From the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Society of Clinical Oncology

Introduction:
This policy statement, jointly published by the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Society of Clinical Oncology, provides an overview of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), including their potential benefits and harms. The statement includes recommendations for regulation, research, and clinical practice related to ENDS.

Key Points:

* ENDS, including electronic cigarettes, are battery-operated devices that deliver nicotine in an aerosolized form.
* The health impacts of ENDS are not well understood, and there are concerns about their potential to serve as a gateway to combustible tobacco use, particularly among youth.
* The statement recommends supporting federal, state, and local regulation of ENDS, including requiring manufacturers to register with the US Food and Drug Administration and report all product ingredients, requiring childproof caps on ENDS liquids, and including warning labels on products and their advertisements.
* The statement also recommends prohibiting youth-oriented marketing and sales, prohibiting child-friendly ENDS flavors, and prohibiting ENDS use in places where cigarette smoking is prohibited.
* The statement calls for additional research on the health impacts of ENDS, understanding patterns of ENDS use, and determining what role ENDS have in cessation.
* The statement emphasizes the importance of preventing tobacco use initiation and facilitating cessation as the best ways to combat the problems caused by smoking.
* The statement notes that while some smokers report using ENDS to reduce and/or stop smoking, there is insufficient data on the long-term health consequences of ENDS, their value as tobacco-cessation aids, and their effects on the use of combustible tobacco products by nonsmokers and current smokers.

Main Message:
The main message of this policy statement is that while ENDS may have potential as harm reduction devices and tobacco-cessation interventions, there are also significant concerns about their potential harms, particularly to youth. The statement recommends a comprehensive approach to regulation, research, and clinical practice to ensure that the potential benefits of ENDS are realized while minimizing their potential harms.

Brandon, Thomas H., Maciej L. Goniewicz, Nasser H. Hanna, Dorothy K. Hatsukami, Roy S. Herbst, Jennifer A. Hobin, Jamie S. Ostroff, et al. “Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems: A Policy Statement From the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Society of Clinical Oncology.” Journal of Clinical Oncology 33, no. 8 (March 10, 2015): 952–63. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2014.59.4465.