Enlarge By Frederic J. Brown, AFP/Getty Images The electronic cigarette and other battery-powered devices are designed to provide the physical sensation and flavors similar to inhaled tobacco smoke. The Food and Drug Administration, recently granted the authority to regulate tobacco as a drug, is taking aim at electronic cigarettes — battery-powered cigarette look-alikes that deliver nicotine and produce a puff of odorless vapor. Tests show that e-cigarettes contain "known carcinogens and toxic chemicals," including diethylene glycol, an ingredient used in antifreeze, officials announced Wednesday during a teleconference. The FDA notes that the products have no warning labels. Over the past year, the FDA has seized 50 shipments of e-cigarettes, which the agency considers to be combination drug/medical devices, says the FDA's Michael Levy. Companies were marketing the products illegally, because they hadn't gotten FDA approval for new drugs or medical devices, says Joshua Sharfstein, principal deputy commissioner of the FDA. The FDA is reviewing the new tobacco law and considering a range of enforcement actions, which could include recalls or even criminal sanctions, Levy says. E-cigarette makers say their products can be used anywhere and don't produce secondhand smoke. In April, one maker, Smoking Everywhere, filed a federal lawsuit against the FDA, claiming the agency doesn't have the jurisdiction to regulate its products. Health advocates, however, say that e-cigarettes are being marketed to kids. By adding flavors such as bubble gum, e-cigarettes could get children hooked on nicotine and serve as a gateway to tobacco, says Jonathan Winickoff, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Tobacco Consortium, who spoke at the FDA's teleconference. He notes that the products are sold online and at shopping malls, where their marketing videos are seen by children and teens. Ads make e-cigarettes look sexy and grown-up, says Matthew McKenna of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And seeing adults use them in public places that are normally smoke-free could make kids think that smoking — of any kind — is normal and safe, he says. On its website, the Electronic Cigarette Association denies marketing to children. It notes that the $100 cost of an e-cigarette starter kit — and the added cost of refill cartridges — make them unaffordable for kids. Ron MacDonald, president and CEO of Crown7 e-cigarettes, says he's just trying to give smokers an alternative to tobacco. "The bottom line is that if a smoker wants to smoke, they are going to smoke regular cigarettes," he says. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more