You might be thinking: "I'm just one person. Can my comment really make a difference?" The short answer is yes — especially right now, and here's why.

The May 2026 enforcement guidance that allowed products to stay on the market during review is currently being challenged in court specifically because the FDA didn't provide a public comment period before making the change. If the courts agree, the FDA will likely need to open a formal comment period — and that's when individual voices add up.

But you don't have to wait for a court order. The FDA regularly accepts public comments on proposed rules, draft guidances, and policy changes through regulations.gov. Multiple dockets related to tobacco products are active or have recent comment periods, and agencies do read and consider the comments they receive — particularly when those comments contain personal experience, specific data, and thoughtful policy analysis.

Here's what makes this moment uniquely important:

• New commissioner = fresh start. Overton will be setting her own priorities and direction. Early input can shape those priorities before positions harden.
• Policy is in motion. The accelerated authorization plan, the May enforcement guidance, and the flavored product approvals are all actively being debated and litigated. Your voice enters the conversation while decisions are still being made.
• Both sides are organizing. Public health groups are submitting comments, industry groups are submitting data, and state attorneys general are weighing in. If adult vapers and consumers don't participate, the policy debate only hears from organized interests — not the people most directly affected.

Whether you support the current direction or oppose it, your perspective deserves a place in the record. The FDA regulates products that affect millions of adults who use them as an alternative to smoking — and millions more who could be put at risk by youth access. Both perspectives matter, and both deserve to be heard.