Statement: FDA takes strong stance against youth vaping epidemic by removing JUUL products from U.S. marketplace

DENVER —  In a decision aimed at curbing the ongoing youth vaping epidemic, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday ordered Juul to take its e-cigarettes off the U.S. market. The decision came after a two-year review of data that Juul submitted to the FDA. While the e-cigarettes were unapproved, the FDA allowed them to remain on store shelves.

Among vapers of all ages, Juul has been the best-selling e-cigarette brand in the United States in recent years. More than 2 million U.S. high school and middle school students were current users of e-cigarettes according to the most recent National Youth Tobacco Survey. Of those, 130,000 said Juul was their “usual” brand. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance that can harm adolescent brain development — and all Juul e-cigarettes have a high level of nicotine; a single Juul pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes. Also, the CDC says Juul makes some of the few e-cigarettes that use nicotine salts, which allow particularly high levels of nicotine to be inhaled more easily and with less irritation.

In response to the FDA’s action, CoPIRG Advocate Alex Simon said:

“Better late than never, it’s a victory for public health to see these products finally removed from the marketplace – but still not enough. Over the years the FDA allowed unapproved Juul e-cigs to remain on store shelves, and thousands of American teens fell into the nicotine trap and are now on the road to a lifetime of addiction. 

“The FDA shouldn’t allow any e-cigarettes to be sold while the companies’ applications are still under review. And to make a true dent in youth vaping, the agency should immediately end the sale of all flavored e-cigarettes, including menthol.”