As cigarettes and other smoking devices are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so should e-cigarettes. Nicotine is an addictive chemical in cigarettes which kills thousands a year and is regulated by the FDA. E-cigs also contain the chemical, making it a good candidate for government regulation. FDA regulations can only make e-cigarettes safer for those wanting to quit smoking, which is their intended use.  

The FDA has the power to regulate what products are sold to minors, like alcohol. People under 18 cannot buy cigarettes, and e-cigs should not be in their hands either, which qualifies for intervention of government regulations.  

With proper marketing and regulations, the government can reinforce the stoppage of cigarette use for a nicotine-free generation. To contest the monumental youth involvement with vaporizers, the FDA can hinder adolescent-geared advertising, make them expensive, like cigarettes, and alter the sale and display of e-cigs. 

Nicotine in e-cigarettes can increase one’s heart rate and affect the development of the prefrontal cortex, causing attention disorder and lack of impulse control. The chemicals found in flavored e-cigs, like diacetyl, are associated with lung diseases. Other components in them, like propylene and glycerol, can form into formaldehyde when heated by a vaporizer, as determined from the Harvard health department.  

The government calls for regulation of cigarettes and not e-cigs because of the disease and death rates from tobacco. E-cigarettes have no morbid reports like regular cigarettes, which doesn’t necessarily provoke government involvement.  

Although e-cigarettes are a better option over cigarettes, the government should be involved to assure they meet safety standards. The FDA can ensure handling e-cigs safely and require warning labels. It is only in consumers’ best interest to have government regulation for quality control and safe consumption. With this, manufacturers will have to provide the FDA with the ingredients in the vaporizers and approve new products to ensure that everything is safe.