According to The Wall Street Journal, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is banning sales of Juul e-cigarettes in the U.S., starting as early as next Wednesday.
This order is coming two years after the FDA began its review of the products, when Juul sought authorization to keep its e-cigarette devices off the market after being condemned for marketing nicotine to teenagers. In September, the company wrote they were “committed to transitioning adult smokers away from combustible cigarettes while combating underage use,” reports People.
This marketing issue caused Juul to ban all of its flavored products from shelves back in 2019, leaving two flavors available for purchase: Tobacco and Menthol. The company’s CEO, Kevin Burns, was also forced to step down due to vaping backlash at the time.
While it’s expected that it will take some time for the product to permanently leave shelves, this is another step in the nicotine-banishing movement the U.S. government is trying to encourage.
Updated 7/7/22:
According to People, the FDA is temporarily suspending its recent ban against Juul and allowing the company to keep its products on the market for the time being. In a Twitter post, the brand writes, “The agency has determined that there are scientific issues unique to the JUUL application that warrant additional review.”
“Today’s action is further progress on the FDA’s commitment to ensuring that all e-cigarette and electronic nicotine delivery system products currently being marketed to consumers meet our public health standards,” says FDA commissioner Dr. Robert Califf, per a release. “The agency has dedicated significant resources to review products from the companies that account for most of the U.S. market. We recognize these make up a significant part of the available products and many have played a disproportionate role in the rise in youth vaping.”
