The American Thoracic Society pushed back against the FDA’s recent authorization of three Vuse vaping products, calling the FDA’s assertions that the e-cigarettes can reduce harm to smokers “unproven.”

“The ATS reiterates our long-held position — e-cigarettes are not “safe” and the claims that e-cigarettes are a harm reduction tool remain unproven. All e-cigarettes have significant health risks including nicotine addiction and respiratory disease,” said ATS President Lynn Schnapp, MD, ATSF. ” We are concerned that the agency has approved Vuse products with high nicotine concentration.”

On Tuesday, the FDA authorized marketing of Vuse . In the authorization announcement, the FDA said: “The manufacturer’s data demonstrates its tobacco-flavored products could benefit addicted adult smokers who switch to these products – either completely or with a significant reduction in cigarette consumption – by reducing their exposure to harmful chemicals,” said Mitch Zeller, JD, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products.

The agency denied 10 other Vuse products that incorporated flavors, however, the FDA has yet to weigh in on some of the company’s menthol flavored vaping products.

“While we appreciate that the FDA rejected RJR/Vuse application for flavored e-cigarette products, we note with concern that the agency has not yet rejected the Vuse application for menthol e-cigarette products,” the ATS said in its statement. “The presence of any flavored e-cigarette product poses an unacceptable risk to our nation’s youth. The ATS calls on the FDA to protect our nation’s youth by rejecting all flavored e-cigarette products — including menthol flavored e-cigarettes.”