Juul Now Only Sells Tobacco And Mint Vaping Flavors In The US

Vaping company Juul has announced that it will no longer sell flavored liquids, the only exception being pods that contain mint and tobacco flavors. The change will take place in the United States where the FDA is cracking down on the sale of flavored liquids, citing concerns over health and their appeal to minors. Pending an FDA review of its flavored products, customers will no longer be able to buy Juul's Fruit, Mango, Creme, and Cucumber flavors in the US.

The business change was announced today by Juul CEO K.C. Crosthwaite, who cited the FDA's Premarket Tobacco Application (PMTA), a process that requires companies to get authorization for the sale of a new tobacco product. The FDA is using the PMTA process to clear the market of all unauthorized flavored vaping liquids, something it emphasized in recent weeks amid the ongoing vaping lung injury outbreak.

Crosthwaite said Juul won't engage in lobbying in regards to the FDA's draft flavor guidance and that it will 'fully support and comply' with the administration's final policy once it goes into effect. He went on to say:

We must reset the vapor category by earning the trust of society and working cooperatively with regulators, policymakers, and stakeholders to combat underage use while providing an alternative to adult smokers.

The suspension of these sales follows the company's end of all of its print, broadcast, and digital ads in the US, as well as the end of its 'active support' for San Francisco's Proposition C. Critics have expressed concerns that Juul may have been marketing to minors, something the company denies.

Juul sells a pod-based vaping product that resembles a USB stick, a design replicated by a number of competitors that have popped up over the years. Though Juul restricts sales to adults, many third-party online vendors offer various vaping products for sale without requiring proof of age, making it easy for teens to acquire the products.