A4.2-1

Appendix 4.2

E-Cigarette Trade Organizations and Advocacy Groups

References A4.2-3

List of Tables

Table A4.2-1 E-cigarette trade organizations and advocacy groups A4.2-2
A Report of the Surgeon General

A4.2-2 Appendix 4.2

Table A4.2-1 E-cigarette trade organizations and advocacy groups

Name of organization Stated mission Action

Smoke Free Alternatives Trade 

Association (SFATA) (http://www.

sfata.org) is a trade membership 

organization committed to the growth 

of the e-cigarette industry that claims 

to represent a wide cross-section of 

the industry, including manufacturers, 

distributors, retailers, and consumers. 

The organization aims to (1) provide 

an alternative to combustible tobacco 

products for adult smokers, with no 

tolerance for marketing or selling 

such products to minors; (2) promote 

recognized standards of quality to ensure 

that e-cigarette products are appropriately 

marketed, packaged, and sold; 

(3) encourage research demonstrating the 

harm-reduction potential, health effects, 

and role of e-cigarettes in regular tobacco 

cessation; and (4) support a public 

education campaign highlighting that 

e-cigarettes are intended only for adult 

use and to underscore their potential for 

adult smokers. 

Since the decision in Sottera, Inc. v. FDA

(2010), SFATA has advocated strongly before 

FDA with the goal of achieving a carve-out 

designation for e-cigarettes separate from 

tobacco regulation.

The Consumer Advocates for Smokefree Alternatives Association (CASAA)

(http://www.casaa.org) originated as an 

online forum that became a nonprofit 

consumer advocacy group (registered 

in the state of Alabama) in 2009. The 

organization claims to have no financial 

or policy ties to the e-cigarette, 

tobacco, or pharmaceutical industries, 

and that its bylaws strictly limit the 

number of e-cigarette retailers on its 

board of directors to one-third or less 

in order to prevent industry interests 

from having a majority vote. 

CASAA states its mission as “to ensure 

the availability of effective, affordable, 

and reduced-harm alternatives to 

smoking by increasing public awareness 

and education; to encourage the 

testing and development of products to 

achieve acceptable safety standards and 

reasonable regulation; and to promote 

the benefits of reduced harm alternatives” 

(CASAA n.d.).

CASAA maintains its website as an avenue 

for providing the public with easy access to 

news, scientific findings, calls to action, and 

pending legislation and regulatory decisions 

related to e-cigarettes. 

Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette 

Association (TVECA) (http://www.tveca.

com) is an international, nonprofit 

membership organization comprising 

companies involved in all sectors of 

the e-cigarette creation and promotion 

industry.

The group strives to dispel what it 

calls “inaccurate statements” (TVECA 

n.d.a.) about the marketing and sale of 

e-cigarettes to minors and their healthrisk potential. TVECA, which claims to 

be the longest-running international 

e-cigarette trade association, states that 

the organization was established “to 

provide the media, legislative bodies, 

and those that are currently using the 

[e-cigarette], a single industry resource to 

simply provide the scientific facts behind 

a new technology that has garnered 

disinformation” (TVECA n.d.b.). 

The group acts as a voice for the e-cigarette 

industry by granting interviews and 

public presentations, promotes industry 

standards and a code of conduct, and works 

with governmental agencies to ensure its 

members’ compliance with current tobacco 

and e-cigarette laws. TVECA’s CEO, Ray 

Story (as owner of Smoking Everywhere), 

was responsible for initiating the litigation 

against FDA that resulted in e-cigarettes 

being designated as tobacco products rather 

than drug-delivery devices.

The American Vaping Association (AVA) 

(http://www.vaping.info) is a nonprofit 

corporation that has filed for 501(c)(3) 

status in the state of New Jersey.

AVA’s stated mission is “educating the 

public and government officials about 

financial and public health benefits 

offered by vapor products” (AVA n.d.).

The organization advocates for small- and 

medium-sized businesses in the e-cigarette 

industry. AVA also distributes educational 

information via its website, blog, and 

social media (Facebook and Twitter). Press 

releases posted on the AVA blog tend to focus 

primarily on efforts to prevent local, state, 

and federal e-cigarette legislation.
E-Cigarette Trade Organizations and Advocacy Groups A4.2-3

E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults

Name of organization Stated mission Action

American E-Liquid Manufacturing 

Standards Association (AEMSA)

Founded in 2012, AEMSA (http://www.

aemsa.org) is a volunteer association 

primarily dedicated to developing 

and encouraging self-regulation of 

standards for the safe manufacture 

of the e-liquids that are sold for use 

in e-cigarettes. Although most of 

its members represent e-cigarette 

manufacturing, the organization’s 

membership also remains open 

to a limited proportion of nonmanufacturing participants such as 

consumer advocates and subject matter 

experts.

The association publicly acknowledges 

the fact that liquid nicotine can be an 

ingredient of concern to consumers 

and the public health community 

and states its mission to be one of 

promoting responsible and professional 

manufacturing, handling, and 

distribution of e-liquids. AEMSA claims 

its standards demand high-quality 

ingredients, content accuracy, and clean 

manufacturing environments. 

—

Note: Information in this table was obtained from the organization’s website on January 25, 2016. Unless cited otherwise, Web 

addresses were accurate as of July 5, 2016.

Table A4.2-1 Continued

References

American Vaping Association. About us, n.d.; <http://

vaping.info/about-us>; accessed: January 20, 2016.

Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives 

Association. Mission statement, n.d.; <http://casaa.org/

Mission_Statement.html>; accessed: January 19, 2016.

Sottera, Inc. v. Food and Drug Administration, No. 627 

F.3d 891 (D.C. Cir. 2010).

Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Association. About 

TVECA, n.d.a.; <http://www.tveca.com/about-tveca>;

accessed: January 20, 2016.

Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Association. Home 

page, n.d.b.; <http://www.tveca.com>; accessed: 

January 19, 2016.