PreMarket Tobacco Applications (PMTA) is the application process new tobacco products need to pass before they can be legally marketed in the United States.

Any person or company can submit a PMTA if they have a new tobacco product they wish to bring to the market.

The PMTA process was put in place to ensure all tobacco-related products meet a certain standard. There are a number of requirements a product must meet, all of which are intended to ensure public safety.

Here’s how it’s made the tobacco market safer for everyone:

To pass the application process, the advertising and marketing materials that will be used to promote the products are also reviewed by the FDA.

It’s a requirement that manufacturers or importers demonstrate that their marketing is appropriate for the protection of public health.

This means that warnings about the health risks of the product are clear. As well as the message being appropriate to those of legal age to smoke. There are stricter rules than ever regarding enticing underage smokers.

With the public’s health being the main concern of the FDA, manufacturers need to be 100% transparent about the possible health benefits or harm their product can cause.

This includes both the short and long-term health effects associated with using the product. As well as the likelihood of anyone who does not currently smoke or use similar products being enticed to do so.

Manufacturers have to submit a complete list of all the ingredients being used in their products. As well as explaining or demonstrating what their manufacturing process is.

This ensures that the FDA knows exactly what ingredients are going into the product. They can consult with third-party experts as to whether or not any of the ingredients pose too great of a health risk.

In addition to knowing what’s in the product, the PreMarket Tobacco Applications process means manufacturers are required to go through the process again if they change any of the ingredients.

There is a real concern that children are being enticed to start smoking and trying other tobacco-related products.

Various regulations have come into place to stop this, and the PMTA is one such process.

A lot of the requirements from the FDA are very deliberately aimed at making sure new products are not designed to appeal to children. Flashy packaging and a wide range of flavours have previously been criticised as deliberately enticing kids.

Any manufacturers trying to pass products that look or sound appealing to children, or to anyone currently not smoking, either through marketing or the product itself will not make it through to the market.

To bottom line is that the PMTA process was introduced to ensure any tobacco-related products meet all the standards and guidelines set out by the FDA to protect the public’s safety.

It’s a steep barrier to entry that will certainly stop some potentially harmful products hitting the market that would have certainly made their way through before the PreMarket Tobacco Applications become legislation.

Whichever side you’re on; be that a manufacturer of tobacco products, or a consumer, there’s no doubt that the PMTA is a step in the right direction in regard to regulating the industry and putting in additional steps to protect everyone’s safety.

The post How PreMarket Tobacco Applications made the e-cigarette market safer for everyone appeared first on Inter Scientific.