INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
In a statement released today, Juul Labs has responded to FDA moves to increase regulation on flavored tobacco products in order to curb
This comes at a time when Juul Labs is under increasing scrutiny.
Here the statement from Juul Labs CEO Kevin Burns:
We fully support FDA
efforts to curb underage use of tobacco products, and we believe restricting access to flavors will negatively impact current adult smokers
in their journey to switch from combustible cigarettes
Appropriate flavors help adult smokers who do not want to be reminded of the tobacco-taste of a cigarette
We encourage FDA to allow for further scientific exploration on the role flavors play in helping adult smokers transition away from
combustible cigarettes.
It worth noting that, alongside flavors such as Mint, Cucumber, and Mango, Juul also markets a Virginia
Tobacco-flavored pod.
This statement follows a proposed ruling by the FDA in March requesting data on the effectiveness of tobacco flavors
to help adult smokers smoke less as well as the role they play in initiating non-smoking youth to use tobacco products
In April the FDA requested information from JUUL in particular.
And in May, the FDA and FTC issued 13 letters of warning for e-liquid
products that &resemble kid-friendly food products, such as juice boxes, candy or cookies, some of them with cartoon-like imagery,&
including e-liquids that resembled Sour Patch Kids, Pocky and Reddi-wip.
A concern to the FDA, as well as parents, is that even if children
don''t use these products to start smoking, they can be easily confused with the products they imitate and be harmful if consumed
That not to mention the numerous reports saying use of Juul vaporizers by teens is on the rise.
To answer this point, Burns also noted that
&[Juul] also remain[s] steadfast in our commitment to preventing underage use of vapor products.& The company switched its age limit to 21+
following state and federal legislation to make 21 the minimum purchasing age
It also changed its social media presence to better reflect former cigarette smokers, instead of using models to market the device.
But,
despite these attempts to reorient its image as a tool to help smokers quit, between April and July of this year Juul has been on the
receiving end oftwo lawsuits filed by users in California that claim the e-cigarette actually increased their nicotine addiction.
Here the
statement in full:
Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death worldwide, with more than 480,000 deaths in the United States
Our mission is to eliminate cigarette smoking in the world by providing adult smokers with a true alternative to cigarettes
We believe flavors play an important role in helping adult smokers switch to vapor technology, which offers great potential.
We fully
support FDA efforts to curb underage use of tobacco products, and we believe restricting access to flavors will negatively impact current
adult smokers in their journey to switch from combustible cigarettes
Appropriate flavors help adult smokers who do not want to be reminded of the tobacco-taste of a cigarette
We encourage FDA to allow for further scientific exploration on the role flavors play in helping adult smokers transition away from
combustible cigarettes.
As JUUL Labs works to support adult smokers in their efforts to switch, we also remain steadfast in our commitment
to preventing underage use of vapor products
Both goals can be achieved through reasonable regulation to restrict advertising and naming of flavors such as cotton candy and gummy bear
that are directed at children
We look forward to continuing to engage with FDA, policymakers, and community leaders on helping to reduce cigarette use while protecting
