JUUL reportedly may be forced to remove its e-cigarettes from the US market.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is said to have been reviewing the company for almost two years and could make an announcement as early as today, 22 June, according to Wall Street Journal.
Four years ago the company was accused of fuelling a surge of underage vaping after an enormous spike in youth e-cig use in that period.
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After an increase in young people taking up the habit, the FDA earlier banned fruit flavoured e-cigarettes, resulting in each company selling the products to apply to keep them on the shelves. Although, at the time JUUL was expected to have its application approved by the agency.
"[The bans last April] will help save lives, particularly among those disproportionately affected by these deadly products," the FDA wrote in a statement last year. "With these actions, the FDA will help significantly reduce youth initiation, increase the chances of smoking cessation."
According to Truth Initiative, in 2017, 11.7 percent of high school students had used an e-cigarette in the past 30 days and by 2018, that number had risen to 21 percent. Although, that number dropped to 19.6 percent in 2020.
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In a statement posted on their website, K.C. Crosthwaite, Chairman & CEO of Juul Labs claimed the company is aware of the spike and is acting to change the trend.
He said: "To be clear, nicotine is addictive and can cause certain harms to health. It would be best if no one used any nicotine product.
"As a company that sells products that contain nicotine, we must earn our social license to operate.
"Policymakers, regulators and the general public must trust us to design, manufacture and market our products in ways that are consistent with the goal of offering alternatives to adult smokers, while keeping our products, and marketing of our products, away from those underage.
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"We’re quite aware of an erosion in that trust over the past few years.
"We’re working hard to rebuild it.
"We believe that we will meet this challenge."
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He added: "Failure would threaten the entire harm reduction opportunity represented by vapor products, and that opportunity is too important to lose.
"Meeting the challenge started with actions we’ve already taken, including halting all broadcast, digital and print product advertisements, and working with our retail partners to enhance access restrictions at point-of-sale.
"We have also restructured our company, shifting resources to support our key priorities: combating underage usage, developing technologies to further restrict underage access to our products, and submitting scientifically robust Premarket Tobacco Product Applications (PMTAs) to FDA."
UNILAD has contacted JUUL Labs for comment.
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Speaking to The Mirror, Dr Gareth Nye predicted seeing a ‘whole generation’ of 30-year-olds experiencing lung conditions in the next 10 years.
He warned: “There is limited scientific evidence regarding these products, mainly [regarding] the liquid used to vape with, rather than the vaping device itself.”
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Topics: World News
Anish Vij