WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell is asking the Food and Drug Administration to expedite a rule to regulate electronic cigarettes after a Wyandotte man was hurt when one of the devices exploded in his hand.
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Dingell, D-Dearborn, sent a letter Thursday to Stephen Ostroff, the FDA’s acting commissioner, saying the incident involving Jason Diekman, a veteran from tours in Iraq and Afghanistan who was burned after the e-cigarette exploded, underscores the need for federal rules on the devices.
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“Consumers deserve peace of mind in knowing the products they buy at the store are safe for use,” Dingell said in the letter.
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“Such assurances currently do not exist for electronic cigarettes due to the absence of federal regulation of these products.”

Dingell notes in the letter that the FDA had already issued a proposed rule — not yet finalized — to extend the agency’s authority to cover e-cigarettes or vapor pens.
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Once finalized, the rule would allow for e-cigarettes to be regulated just as the FDA currently regulates cigarettes.
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She also urged the FDA to keep a provision in the proposed rule which would require approval even for some e-cigarettes already on the market.
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According to media reports earlier this month, Diekman, of Wyandotte, suffered burns on his arm and abdomen when the vapor pen he was holding exploded and shot out of his hand.
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Dingell said it is just one of numerous incidents that have occurred across the country.

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