Source: newsweek.com
Date: 10/13/18
Author: Kelly Wynne

A vape company, HelloCig Electronic Technology Co., has included Viagra and Cialis in its liquids, and has raised the ire of the Food and Drug Administration.

One liquid was called e-Cialis, a popular erectile dysfunction drug, and was displayed with photos of the real product, according to Ars Technica. A weight loss drug, whose brand was banned in Europe, was allegedly adapted into the liquid form as well, though FDA testing proved it instead contained the erectile dysfunction medication found in Viagra.

The FDA sent a warning letter to HelloCig on Thursday. It urged the company to make the necessary changes to properly market their products and asked they comply with FDA regulations to continue selling any type of drug.

HelloCig alleged they responded to the FDA in a statement sent to USA Today Saturday. “Our aim is to fully comply with all FDA regulations, both in letter and spirit,” the statement read.

The FDA also released a statement, written by FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, on the illegal sale of these liquids on Thursday. “There are no e-liquid products approved to contain prescription drugs or any other medications that require a doctor’s supervision,” the statement read. “Prescription drugs are carefully evaluated and labeled to reflect the risks of the medications and their potential interactions with other medicines, and vaping active drug ingredients is an ineffective route of delivery and can be dangerous.”

Gottlieb considers the e-cigarette usage among teenagers an epidemic, he clarified in a statement last month. “E-cigs have become an almost ubiquitous—and dangerous—trend among teens,” he wrote. “The disturbing and accelerating trajectory of use we’re seeing in youth, and the resulting path to addiction, must end. It’s simply not tolerable. I’ll be clear. The FDA won’t tolerate a whole generation of young people becoming addicted to nicotine as a tradeoff for enabling adults to have unfettered access to these same products.”

HelloCig is based in China but sells vaping products in America. The brand carries over 150 flavors of e-liquid among other products like “e-herbs, e-healthcare and e-beverages smoke liquid.”