Vaping: FDA approves e-cigarette in US for first time

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates medical products in the US, has approved an e-cigarette for sale for the first time.

It authorised the marketing of three products from RJ Reynolds, under the Vuse brand.

The FDA decided that the benefit to adults trying to quit smoking outweighs the risk of teenagers becoming hooked.

The permitted products are tobacco-flavoured, as opposed to the sweet flavours popular with younger people.

E-cigarettes have been widely sold in the US for the past decade, but their take-up by teenagers has caused concern.

Manufacturers have been waiting more than a year for official authorisation, as the FDA examined the potential pros and cons for public health.

The FDA, which was given the power to regulate new tobacco products more than a decade ago, has been carrying out a study of e-cigarettes to decide which ones can continue to be sold.