Latest news with #e-cigarettes
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
VCU toxicologist: ‘No vape is safe'
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — The trend of vaping use has picked up speed across the United States, particularly among young adults. But as cool as the smoking devices appear, Virginia Commonwealth University Forensic Toxicologist Dr. Michelle Peace says the e-cigarettes are doing more harm than good. Her candid message — no vape is safe. She has discovered in her research that 95% of all compounds in vape products are not safe to inhale. 'The framework exists for protecting the consumer,' Peace said. 'So enforcement really needs to happen full throttle. Probably just as important is education, as misinformation about vaping is rampant.' It's been her mission to expose the hidden toxic chemicals, as most users are in the dark about what they're actually inhaling. 'The primary compounds that make up a vape liquid are propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin,' she said. 'There are compounds such as ethyl acetate that are used as a flavoring chemical.' Ethyl acetate is also used in fingernail polish remover. 'So there are compounds that are used as industrial solvents to clean equipment and brakes, and the food industry uses them as a solvent for flavoring chemicals. That doesn't mean that they're safe to inhale.' So far, the has authorized 39 tobacco and menthol flavored e-cigarette products, though she says there are too many that are unregulated and without quality testing. 'We have found that the products that are authorized by the Food and Drug Administration do have significantly fewer chemicals in them,' she said, 'where, in an unauthorized product, we might find 15 to 20 different chemicals. And then, in an authorized product, we might find five or six. That's significantly less. But nonetheless, there's still chemicals that can harm people and their tissue.' Users can develop a hacking cough, dried out lung tissue or even worse. 'There are some really interesting studies that are coming out that demonstrate that vaping is changing your DNA,' she said. 'There's an indication that maybe your body is 13 years older than a non vapor. Through a project funded by the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, vapes are confiscated on school campuses in the Commonwealth and sent to VCU for testing. For those indirectly inhaling vapes, there's still a second-hand risk. And the bigger issue, according to Peace, is many people are using vapes to consume other drugs. has reported more than 2,800 vaping hospitalizations nationwide. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The FDA Just Approved Juul's E-Cigarettes. Does That Make Altria Stock a Buy Here?
Following a prolonged and high-stakes legal battle, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Juul marketing approval for its e-cigarettes. For Altria (MO), a tobacco giant and an early investor in Juul, this is an interesting development. While this is a positive on the regulatory front for the wider e-cigarette industry in general and the company's own NJOY brand, it also raises competitive pressure for Altria in the vaping market as it no longer holds a position in Juul. Investors should note that at the end of March, Altria also announced that it would halt sales of its NJOY e-cigarettes in the U.S. due to a patent infringement ruling in favor of Juul. More News from Barchart Opendoor Stock Is Surging Higher in a Frenzied Retail Rally. How Should You Play OPEN Shares Here? This Penny Stock Wants to Become the MicroStrategy of Dogecoin Robinhood Stock Stumbles as S&P 500 Inclusion Is Once Again Off the Table for HOOD Tired of missing midday reversals? The FREE Barchart Brief newsletter keeps you in the know. Sign up now! About Altria Altria is one of the most popular tobacco companies in the world with iconic brand such as Marlboro, Copenhagen, Skoal, and Black & Mild in its portfolio. Its diversified presence also includes smokeless products, cigars, and nicotine alternatives such as the aforementioned NJOY. MO stock is up 13.4% on a YTD basis, with the company boasting a market cap of $99 billion. Tobacco stocks are known for having high dividend yields, but Altria's is especially high at 6.9%. Moreover, the company is a 'Dividend King,' having increased dividends consecutively over the past 54 years. So, how should one play MO stock now? Let's have a closer look. Boring But Steady Financials When it comes to Altria's numbers, they are nothing extraordinary. In fact, they are quite boring, marked by not much growth. Over the past 10 years, the company's revenue and earnings have reported CAGRs of just -0.4% and 8%, respectively. Following this trend, the first quarter was a mixed bag for the company. While net revenues of $5.5 billion denoted a yearly decline of 5.7%, adjusted earnings went up by 6% in the same period to $1.23. A decline of 13.3% seen in shipments of its flagship Marlboro cigarettes was a primary reason for the overall decline in sales. Meanwhile, while volumes for NJOY consumables increased by 23.9% from the previous year to 13.5 million units, NJOY devices witnessed a significant 70% decline in reported shipments. Overall, its retail share of consumables increased to 6.6%. Altria closed the quarter with a cash balance of $4.73 billion. This was above its short-term debt levels of $2.6 billion. For 2025, the company expects its earnings to be in the range of $5.30 to $5.45 per share, the midpoint of which would represent growth of 5% from 2024. Altria's Tailwinds and Headwinds One growth product for Altria is its On! nicotine pouch brand, which has been gaining ground, and could take the lead in place of NJOY in its alternative portfolio. The company grew the market share of its On! pouches to 8.8%, up from 7% in the year-ago period. Sales volumes also grew to 39.3 million cans, a jump of 18% from a year ago. Notably, the company sees potential for further expansion, especially with new flavors planned and the possibility of launching On! PLUS in the U.S., a variant currently sold in select European markets. Further, despite shifting industry trends, Altria's cigarette business remains strong. Marlboro still holds nearly 46% of the U.S. cigarette market, maintaining its dominance. Additionally, the Black & Mild brand also continues to perform well in the machine-made cigar category. Meanwhile, on the heated tobacco front, often referred to as HTC, Altria is exploring two new products: Ploom and SWIC. Both are marketed as reduced-risk alternatives. Ploom, a product developed with Japan Tobacco, is awaiting FDA authorization before a potential U.S. debut. While timelines aren't certain, Altria seems optimistic. The other option, SWIC, features a capsule-style heated tobacco system and might appeal to smokers who haven't transitioned to vape products but are still looking for non-combustible alternatives. That said, not all bets have worked out. The $12.8 billion investment in Juul Labs failed to pan out, and Altria eventually abandoned that stake. Perhaps even more problematic was losing the right to sell IQOS in the U.S., a product many had viewed as a cornerstone of its reduced-risk portfolio. Though On! is gaining, the broader picture in oral tobacco tells a different story. Altria's overall share in the segment slipped from 37.8% to 34.7% year-over-year. Meanwhile, the NJOY ACE platform is in limbo. The U.S. International Trade Commission issued cease-and-desist and exclusion orders, preventing Altria from importing or selling it domestically for now. This followed a ruling that NJOY ACE had infringed on four Juul Labs patents. Altria could try modifying the device to bypass those patents, but that approach may be risky. Any major redesign would likely trigger a fresh FDA application, and the approval process is neither quick nor guaranteed. Analyst Opinions on MO Stock Thus, analysts have deemed MO stock to be a 'Hold' with a mean target price of $57.73, which has already been surpassed. However, the high target price of $65 denotes an upside potential of about 8% from current levels. Out of 14 analysts covering the stock, four have a 'Strong Buy' rating, eight have a 'Hold' rating, one has a 'Moderate Sell' rating, and one has a 'Strong Sell' rating. On the date of publication, Pathikrit Bose did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Associated Press
19-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Juul gets FDA's OK to keep selling tobacco and menthol e-cigarettes
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is allowing vaping brand Juul to keep its e-cigarettes on the market, providing relief to a company that has struggled for years after being widely blamed for sparking the teen vaping trend. FDA regulators said Thursday that Juul's studies show its e-cigarettes are less harmful for adult smokers, who can benefit from switching completely to vaping. The FDA decision applies to both tobacco- and menthol-flavored versions of the reusable product, which works with nicotine-filled cartridges sold in two different strengths. Juul previously discontinued several fruit and candy flavors that helped drive its popularity but were favored by teens. Juul will be one of only two U.S. companies authorized to sell menthol-flavored vapes, which many adults prefer to tobacco flavor. 'This is an important milestone for the company and I think we made a scientifically sound case for the role that menthol can play in e-vapor,' Juul CEO K.C. Crosthwaite told The Associated Press. Parents, politicians and anti-tobacco groups are certain to oppose FDA's decision. They have argued for years that Juul products should be permanently banned due to their role in triggering a yearslong spike in underage vaping. 'It is a big step in the wrong direction to authorize sales of the product that was responsible for this public health crisis in the first place,' said Yolonda Richardson, CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids in a statement. Juul was once valued at over $13 billion and its small, sleek e-cigarettes revolutionized the image and technology of the vaping industry. But the company has since been forced to slash hundreds of jobs and pay billions to settle lawsuits over its role in the rise of youth vaping. The FDA had ordered the company to remove its products from the market in June 2022. But then the agency abruptly reversed course days later and agreed to reopen its scientific review of Juul's application after the company pushed back in court. Juul said that regulators had overlooked thousands of pages of scientific data critical to its submission. Thursday's announcement is not an approval or endorsement, and the FDA reiterated 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 and other chemicals found in traditional cigarettes. The FDA decision applies to Juul's original system, which is now roughly a decade old. Crosthwaite said the company hopes to win authorization for its next-generation device and is also considering applying to FDA for more flavors. 'It's critically important that American adults who use tobacco have regulated options,' Crosthwaite said. In recent years, the FDA has authorized a handful of e-cigarettes to help adult smokers cut back on cigarettes. Juul's main competitors, Vuse and Njoy, each previously received FDA permission to remain on the market. Njoy sells the only other menthol-flavored e-cigarettes authorized by FDA. To meet FDA requirements, companies must show that their products benefit public health. In practice, that means proving that adult smokers who use them are likely to quit or reduce their smoking, while teens are unlikely to get hooked on them. The brainchild of two Stanford University students, Juul launched in 2015 and within two years rocketed to the top of the vaping market. Juul quickly outpaced older brands with its high-nicotine, fruity-flavored cartridges, sold in mango, mint and creme brulé. The company's small, discrete devices provided a more potent, user-friendly alternative to older, bulkier devices. But the company's rise was fueled by underage use, and e-cigarettes quickly became ubiquitous in U.S. schools. In 2019, the company was pressured into halting all advertising and eliminating most of its flavors, leaving only tobacco and menthol-flavored options. By then the company was already the target of multiple investigations and lawsuits by federal, state and local officials as well as class action attorneys. In 2022, the company paid $1.7 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits brought by families of Juul users, school districts, city governments and Native American tribes. The company separately agreed to pay $1.1 billion to settle lawsuits or investigations from most U.S. states. Juul is no longer the top-selling e-cigarette brand and now trails Vuse, which is sold by tobacco giant Reynolds American, which also makes Camel and Newport cigarettes. Teens have shifted away from Juul amid a wider drop in vaping, according to the latest federal figures. The FDA reported last year that teen vaping dropped to a 10-year low, after stepped up enforcement against unauthorized brands imported from China, such as Elf Bar.
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
FDA authorizes Juul to continue selling e-cigarettes
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ruled that vaping brand Juul Labs can continue to sell its e-cigarettes and refill cartridges in the US. The FDA's decision was based on Juul's studies, which demonstrated that its e-cigarettes are less harmful for adult smokers who switch from traditional cigarettes. This ruling provides a new lease of life for Juul, which has faced years of intense regulatory scrutiny, numerous lawsuits, and significant financial difficulties due to concerns over teen vaping. Juul will be one of only two companies permitted to sell menthol-flavored vapes in the US following this decision. The ruling has drawn criticism from parents and anti-tobacco groups, who argue that Juul was responsible for the surge in youth vaping.
CNN
17-07-2025
- Business
- CNN
Juul gets FDA's OK to keep selling tobacco and menthol e-cigarettes
Drugs in society Federal agenciesFacebookTweetLink Follow The Food and Drug Administration is allowing vaping brand Juul to keep its e-cigarettes on the market, providing relief to a company that has struggled for years after being widely blamed for sparking the teen vaping trend. FDA regulators said Thursday that Juul's studies show its e-cigarettes are less harmful for adult smokers, who can benefit from switching completely to vaping. The FDA decision applies to both tobacco- and menthol-flavored versions of the reusable product, which works with nicotine-filled cartridges sold in two different strengths. Juul previously discontinued several fruit and candy flavors that helped drive its popularity but were favored by teens. Juul will be one of only two U.S. companies authorized to sell menthol-flavored vapes, which many adults prefer to tobacco flavor. 'This is an important milestone for the company and I think we made a scientifically sound case for the role that menthol can play in e-vapor,' Juul CEO K.C. Crosthwaite told The Associated Press. Parents, politicians and anti-tobacco groups are certain to oppose FDA's decision. They have argued for years that Juul products should be permanently banned due to their role in triggering a yearslong spike in underage vaping. 'It is a big step in the wrong direction to authorize sales of the product that was responsible for this public health crisis in the first place,' said Yolonda Richardson, CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids in a statement. Juul was once valued at over $13 billion and its small, sleek e-cigarettes revolutionized the image and technology of the vaping industry. But the company has since been forced to slash hundreds of jobs and pay billions to settle lawsuits over its role in the rise of youth vaping. The FDA had ordered the company to remove its products from the market in June 2022. But then the agency abruptly reversed course days later and agreed to reopen its scientific review of Juul's application after the company pushed back in court. Juul said that regulators had overlooked thousands of pages of scientific data critical to its submission. Thursday's announcement is not an approval or endorsement, and the FDA reiterated 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 and other chemicals found in traditional cigarettes. The FDA decision applies to Juul's original system, which is now roughly a decade old. Crosthwaite said the company hopes to win authorization for its next-generation device and is also considering applying to FDA for more flavors. 'It's critically important that American adults who use tobacco have regulated options,' Crosthwaite said. In recent years, the FDA has authorized a handful of e-cigarettes to help adult smokers cut back on cigarettes. Juul's main competitors, Vuse and Njoy, each previously received FDA permission to remain on the market. Njoy sells the only other menthol-flavored e-cigarettes authorized by FDA. To meet FDA requirements, companies must show that their products benefit public health. In practice, that means proving that adult smokers who use them are likely to quit or reduce their smoking, while teens are unlikely to get hooked on them. The brainchild of two Stanford University students, Juul launched in 2015 and within two years rocketed to the top of the vaping market. Juul quickly outpaced older brands with its high-nicotine, fruity-flavored cartridges, sold in mango, mint and creme brulé. The company's small, discrete devices provided a more potent, user-friendly alternative to older, bulkier devices. But the company's rise was fueled by underage use, and e-cigarettes quickly became ubiquitous in U.S. schools. In 2019, the company was pressured into halting all advertising and eliminating most of its flavors, leaving only tobacco and menthol-flavored options. By then the company was already the target of multiple investigations and lawsuits by federal, state and local officials as well as class action attorneys. In 2022, the company paid $1.7 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits brought by families of Juul users, school districts, city governments and Native American tribes. The company separately agreed to pay $1.1 billion to settle lawsuits or investigations from most U.S. states. Juul is no longer the top-selling e-cigarette brand and now trails Vuse, which is sold by tobacco giant Reynolds American, which also makes Camel and Newport cigarettes. Teens have shifted away from Juul amid a wider drop in vaping, according to the latest federal figures. The FDA reported last year that teen vaping dropped to a 10-year low, after stepped up enforcement against unauthorized brands imported from China, such as Elf Bar. Unlike Juul, disposable e-cigarettes like Elf Bar still come in fruit and candy flavors, despite efforts by regulators to block their use.
