FDA reverses crucial ban on cancer-causing product as agency caves to protect profits over public safety
The agency said Thursday it will allow the sale of Juul's original e-cigarettes, along with refill cartridges in tobacco and menthol flavors.
Juul, which was once a major player in the e-cigarette market before suffering a backlash after its flavored pods became popular among teens, has seen its fortunes dwindle amid lawsuits and plummeting sales.
The FDA's decision will offer a new lease of life to the vape maker, which came close to filing for bankruptcy following a federal ban in 2022.
However, the move comes one month after researchers at the University of California, Davis found the disposable vapes release more cancer-causing toxic metals than cigarettes.
One of the disposable e-cigarettes studied released more lead levels during a day's use than nearly 20 packs of traditional cigarettes.
The FDA argued that Juul submitted 'robust data' detailing how about 2million adults stopped smoking cigarettes and switched to Juul.
According to the agency, this was the deciding factor in authorizing Juul products, as the benefit of helping adult smokers quit outweighed the risks to non-smokers
The agency said: 'While today's actions permit these specific e-cigarette products to be legally marketed in the US to adults 21 and older, it does not mean these tobacco products are safe, nor are they FDA approved.'
KC Crosthwaite, Juul's chief executive, called the move 'an important step toward making the cigarette obsolete.'
He also claimed underage use of Juul products was 'down 98 percent since 2019, to one-half of one percent of youth.'
While decades of research definitively show smoking cigarettes causes nine in 10 cases of lung cancer, the picture surrounding e-cigarettes is less clear.
However, concerns are mounting. One February study showed vaping may be even more dangerous than smoking, as it has been linked to dementia, heart disease and organ failure.
And an analysis from the University of California, Davis published last month showed disposable e-cigarettes released more toxic metals like lead and nickel in a day than a pack of 20 cigarettes.
And in a case study published earlier this year, a New Jersey man died of what's thought to be the first documented case of lung cancer caused by e-cigarettes.
About six percent of US adults - about 17million - vape, according to the latest CDC data.
And roughly six percent of middle school students and eight percent of high school students report vaping at least once in the last 30 days.
However, most young people have opted for fruit flavors, which are still not authorized in the US.
Rates among young people have also drastically fallen, dropping from 27 percent of high school students in 2019 to eight percent in 2024, a 10-year low.
Juul has denied allegations that it marketed its vapes to children and teenagers. It stopped selling some fruit flavors in 2019 amid backlash from parents and regulators.
In 2022, the FDA announced it would ban the sale of Juul products nationwide, claiming the company had not proven keeping the vapes on shelves 'would be appropriate for the protection of the public health.'
Flavored products in particular are often the target of regulations because they are easier to use as a gateway for people that do not smoke already, since one of the primary deterrents to picking up tobacco is the taste.
It especially plays a role for younger smokers who use vape devices like a Juul.
While they may not enjoy the taste of nicotine, it is much easier to get hooked on the fruity, tasteful, flavors.
FDA commissioner Dr Marty Makary has said the agency will aggressively police the sale of unauthorized e-cigarettes from China that are often sold at convenience stores and online.
Several lawmakers have opposed the authorization of Juul's products. Senator Duck Durbin, a democrat from Illinois, said in a statement that Juul 'ignited' a vaping epidemic among kids and teens and 'lied about the harms of their vapes.'
He said: 'It is clear that the Trump administration does not care about our kids.
'Instead, they are giving the green light to Big Tobacco to continue lining their pockets by peddling poison.'
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