FDA clears Juul2 vape with age-lock tech
The FDA has allowed Juul Labs to sell an updated e-cigarette with optional age-verification software, marking its first new device in over a decade.
Juul Labs received federal permission on Friday to sell an updated version of its e-cigarette. The new device includes an optional age-verification system designed to prevent underage use.
The Food and Drug Administration's decision allows the company to sell a new version of its top-selling vaping device for the first time since its launch more than a decade ago. In recent years, Juul has laid off hundreds of employees while paying roughly $3 billion to settle lawsuits over teen use of its products.
Juul plans to market the new device under the brand name Juul2. It will be sold with updated versions of its tobacco- and menthol-flavored cartridges. In 2019, the company discontinued several flavors, including mango, mint and creme, that were favored by teens.
Company plans and regulatory stance
In a statement, Juul CEO K.C. Croswaite said the company plans to market its new system with a portfolio of flavors targeted to adult nicotine consumers. These flavors would go beyond just tobacco and menthol.
The FDA emphasized that its latest announcement is not an approval or endorsement. Regulators stated that people who do not smoke should not use Juul or any other e-cigarettes. The FDA determination indicates that smokers who switch completely to Juul can reduce their exposure to deadly carcinogens found in traditional cigarettes.
According to company studies reviewed by the FDA, between 20% to 50% of smokers who used Juul products were able to stop smoking at the end of six weeks. The quitting rates varied based on the flavors and nicotine strengths used.
Age verification and market context
The new device gives users the option to require age verification via an online app before the e-cigarette can be unlocked. This technology is a key part of the updated product.
The FDA has authorized a handful of e-cigarettes to help adult smokers quit or cut back. In May, the FDA cleared the first fruit-flavored electronic cigarettes intended for adult smokers. That approval represented a major policy shift.
Juul is no longer the top-selling e-cigarette brand in the U.S. It now trails Vuse, which is sold by tobacco giant Reynolds American. Reynolds also makes Camel and Newport cigarettes.
Federal figures show teens have shifted away from Juul as part of a wider drop in vaping. Teens who continue to vape mostly use unauthorized disposable e-cigarettes imported from China. These devices often come in fruit and candy flavors.
