US to ban Juul e-cigarettes after safety concerns

The US Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday that all vaping products produced by Juul Labs would be ordered off the market after the former industry leader failed to address safety concerns.

The decision clears the way for rival brands to increase their share of the market, which Juul once dominated.

In a statement, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said that the action is further progress on the FDA's commitment to ensuring that all e-cigarette and electronic nicotine delivery system products are marketed to consumers meet public health standards.

The products affected include the Juul device and its pods, which are currently available in the flavors Virginia tobacco and menthol, at nicotine concentrations of five and three percent.

The FDA said the data presented lacked sufficient evidence regarding the toxicological profile of the products after completing a two-year review of the company's marketing application.

It added that some of the company's study findings raised concerns due to insufficient and conflicting data - including regarding genotoxicity and potentially harmful chemicals leaching from the company's proprietary e-liquid pods.

Juul stopped selling fruit and candy e-cigarettes in 2019 due to the surge in youth vaping over its marketing of fruit and candy flavored e-cigarettes.

In January 2020, the FDA said that the sale of e-cigarettes in flavors other than tobacco or menthol would be illegal unless specifically authorized by the government.

Some e-cigarette products from other manufacturers, such as Reynolds American, the current market leader, NJOY and Logic Technology Development, have been approved by the agency.

Juul argued that vaping products can provide a solution to the harmful health effects of conventional cigarettes.

Chief Executive KC Crosthwaite said that the company is working hard to rebuild its reputation after an erosion of trust over the past few years because of Juul's products that are only used to transition adult smokers away from combustible cigarettes. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden's administration announced that they would develop a new policy that requires cigarette producers to reduce nicotine to non-addictive levels.

The FDA needs to publish a rule, which will likely be contested by industry.