Goodbye, Cucumber Vapes: Juul To Curb Flavored Products As Ban Looms

Sergei Klebnikov Forbes Staff Oct 17, 2019, 03:22pm

Topline: Under-fire e-cigarette giant Juul Labs announced Thursday that it would stop sales of its flavored products in the U.S.—which critics have long claimed are targeted to teens—as federal regulators prepare to ban most nicotine vaping products. 

·         Juul will halt online sales of all such flavored e-cigarette products—like creme, mango, fruit and cucumber—after having already pulled them from retail stores last year.

·         Teen vaping rates recently reached an all-time high.

·         The company will continue to sell its mint and menthol pods—its two most popular flavors, according to analysts—in the meantime, although those two flavors could also be removed under the Trump administration’s proposed ban, which would prohibit all flavors except tobacco.

·         The latest announcement follows recently appointed CEO K.C. Crosthwaite’s broad review of the company’s practices and policies, which he started in September.

·         Juul declined Forbes’ request for comment.

Crucial quote: “We must reset the vapor category by earning the trust of society and working cooperatively with regulators, policymakers, and stakeholders to combat underage use while providing an alternative to adult smokers,” Crosthwaite said in the press release.

Chief critic: “Juul’s announcement today that it is leaving mint and menthol flavors on the market shows that it hasn’t changed one bit under its new leadership and isn’t serious about preventing youth use,” says Matthew Myers, president at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

What to watch for: The Trump administration said last month it would ban all e-cigarette flavors until the FDA finishes its comprehensive review and authorizes them to return to shelves. The FDA is expected to finalize its guidance on flavored products.

Key background: An outbreak of mysterious vaping-related illnesses has swept across the country, sickening over 1,000 people and killing nearly 30.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2019/10/17/goodbye-cucumber-vapes-juul-to-curb-flavored-products-as-ban-looms/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-dozen&cdlcid=5d1670731802c8c524c78889#3f895c951abc