Latest news with #KCCrosthwaite
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.
Daily Mail
18-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
FDA reverses crucial ban on cancer-causing product as agency caves to protect profits over public safety
The FDA has authorized the sale of Juul vapes in the US, despite the company being accused of selling the cancer-linked products to young people. 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.'
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.
CNN
17-07-2025
- Business
- CNN
Juul gets FDA's OK to keep selling tobacco and menthol e-cigarettes
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.
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.
