Juul ordered to halt sale of electronic cigarette products in U.S.

Federal health officials in the United States ordered Juul to withdraw its electronic cigarettes from the market on Thursday. This is the latest blow to the troubled company widely accused of causing a surge in vaping among teens.

The action is part of a sweeping effort by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to bring scientific scrutiny to the multibillion-dollar vaping industry after years of regulatory delays.

FDA saidJuul must stop selling its vaping devices and tobacco- and menthol flavoured cartridges. All products that are already on the market must be withdrawn. The agency doesn’t restrict consumers from using Juul products. said.

Companies must prove that e-cigarettes are good for public health in order to remain on the market. In practice, that means proving that adult smokers who use the devices are likely to quit or reduce their smoking, while teens are unlikely to get hooked on them.

FDA stated that Juul, one of the most popular vaping products, may have played a “disproportionately” role in the rise of teen vaping. The FDA saidThursday Juul’s application was denied because it didn’t contain enough evidence to prove that its products were “appropriate for the protection of public health.”

Juul saidIt disagrees with FDA’s findings. The company will seek to suspend the ban while it considers its options, including an appeal and speaking with regulators.

‘Insufficient or conflicting data’

FDA issued a statement. saidJuul’s application raised significant questions from regulators and didn’t provide enough information to assess any potential risks.

The agency saidThe company’s research revealed that there was “insufficient and inconsistent data” regarding potentially harmful chemicals leaching into Juul’s cartridges.

“The FDA is issuing these denial orders because it doesn’t have the data required to determine relevant risks to health, and the FDA has no data.” Michele Mital is the acting director of FDA’s tobacco center. saidIn the statement.

The agency has granted some ecigarette applications. Since last fall, the agency has granted its approval to tobacco-flavoured ecigarettes from R.J. Reynolds and Logic.

But industry players and anti-tobacco advocates have complained that those products account for just a tiny portion of the $6-billion US vaping market in the U.S.

Regulators repeatedly delayed decisions on market leaders’ devices, including Juul which, despite sales falling, remains the best-selling vaping brand.

The agency rejected more than a million applications for e-cigarettes and related products last year, primarily because of their potential appeal to minors.

The American Lung Association praised Thursday’s decision as “long overdue” and “most welcome”. said Juul was “largely responsible” for what it called the “youth vaping epidemic.” 

The rapid rise in vaping

E-cigarettes were first introduced in the U.S. over a decade ago. They promise to be a safer alternative to smoking. The devices heat nicotine to create a vapour that can be inhaled.

However, there have been conflicting studies on whether vaping products really help smokers quit. The FDA was repeatedly thwarted in its efforts to rule on vaping products.

There are now hundreds of vaping companies offering a wide range of nicotine solutions in a variety flavors and strengths.

In 2018, the vaping issue was made more urgent when Juul’s high nicotine, fruity-flavoured cartridges became a national craze among middle- and high school students.

The company is facing a series of federal and state investigations into its early marketing strategies, which included giving away Juul products at parties and concerts hosted by young influencers.

In 2019, the FDA forced the company to stop all advertising and eliminate its dessert flavours. The FDA restricted small vaping devices’ flavours to tobacco and menthol the following year. Separately, the U.S. Congress increased the purchase age of all tobacco and vaping products from 21 to 21.

However, the question of whether ecigarettes should be kept on the market remained.

The FDA is currently working under a court mandate to render its decisions. Anti-tobacco organizations successfully sued the agency in an attempt to speed up its review.

FDA regulators warned companies that they would have long-term, rigorous data to show a clear benefit to vapers switching to vaping. However, all but the most prominent e-cigarette manufacturers have refused to conduct this kind of costly and time-consuming research.