We wear clothes made from synthetic fibres. We use frying pans coated in Teflon. We don’t think twice about using all kinds of things made from manmade synthetic polymers as opposed to ones that occur naturally in the world around us.
But how would you feel about inhaling synthetic nicotine?
For some, it may be a step – or an inhalation – too far. But this could be in our future, if the latest news stories are any indication. Vapers in America have been reacting to the new regulations being brought in by the FDA. When they do come into force on 8th August, they will totally change the landscape of vaping as we know it, at least as far as the US is concerned.
The new regulations mean no new products will be able to be made or sold unless they have prior approval from the FDA. The approval process brings a range of extreme requirements into play, and it is estimated to cost around $1 million for each and every new product that must be put through the system. Moreover, the creators won’t even know whether that investment will be worth it, as approval is not guaranteed.
Where does synthetic nicotine come in?
The belief is that synthetic nicotine – essentially manufactured in a lab instead of being taken from the tobacco plant as is normally the case – could duck under these new regulations. Since tobacco-based vaping products are covered by the new regulations, it could just be possible to use synthetic nicotine in e-liquids without having to go through the same approval process other e-liquids will.
This is still very new, and three patents are currently pending in this area, so no additional details are likely to become known for a while yet. But it could – it just could – change the vaping industry as we know it. Many smaller manufacturers look set to go out of business altogether thanks to the new regulations. Only the biggest companies will even consider being able to afford to pay upwards of a million dollars for every new product they want to release. And since they will pretty much have the market to themselves, it would likely be a realistic investment for them.
Will synthetic nicotine be regulated?
It’s uncertain. The FDA will use the Tobacco Control Act to regulate the vaping industry as indicated above. Nicotine exists naturally as part of the tobacco plant, so it is logical that any product containing naturally-derived nicotine would fall under the provisions of that Act.
However, since synthetic nicotine doesn’t fulfil this criteria, it technically would not be covered by the regulations. That’s all good for now, but you can bet the FDA will make more changes to the Tobacco Control Act, or bring in other regulations that will ensure synthetically-produced nicotine is eventually controlled in a similar way. And that would bring the industry back to square one again.
Will something similar happen in the UK?
Only time will tell, to be honest. The FDA regulations obviously only apply in America, but many other countries are bound to be watching to see how they are received over there.
But for the moment, the main thing to consider is that synthetic nicotine could prove itself to be an unlikely saviour in the vaping industry. Many companies are very likely to quit the industry thanks to these new regulations, primarily because they cannot afford to jump through the new and expensive hoops. If an alternative should present itself, who would blame them for heading straight for it?
Indeed, there are already a number of well-known companies who are using the lab-created nicotine in their products. It is perhaps no coincidence to learn these companies already do plenty to ensure they are responsible about sales and marketing in this industry.
This could definitely be a big step forward for vaping – at least in the US, and at least at the moment. But when further regulation comes in to cover the synthetic version of nicotine, what will happen next? Will more companies end up going out of business?
We don’t reject the idea of regulation in itself. However, if this path isn’t trodden carefully enough, many people will end up going back to smoking, purely because vaping has been driven out of business altogether. That wouldn’t be good for all those who have used vaping as a healthier alternative to smoking, not to mention as a successful way of quitting.
What is your opinion on synthetic nicotine? Would you use it if given the chance? Do you think this is the future of vaping, or are you expecting to see it heavily regulated and therefore pricier and less easily available in the future? Let us know your thoughts below, and don’t forget to share on social media too.
