Juul Labs CEO K.C. Crosthwaite announces new e-cigarette version with optional age-verification system.
Juul Labs CEO K.C. Crosthwaite announced that the company received federal permission to sell an updated version of its top-selling e-cigarette. The Food and Drug Administration authorized the new device, branded as Juul2, which includes an optional age-verification system designed to prevent underage use. This marks the first time the company has received such an approval since its launch over a decade ago. This decision follows a period of which Juul Labs has faced significant legal and financial challenges, including laying off hundreds of employees and paying approximately $3 billion in settlements regarding teen use. To mitigate these risks, the company discontinued several popular teen-favored flavors in 2019. The new Juul2 device can be unlocked via an online app that provides adult consumers with real-time data and the ability to lock the device to prevent use by others. The Food and Drug Administration noted that the authorization is not an endorsement for non-smokers, but rather a tool for adult smokers to reduce their exposure to carcinogens. Studies show that between 20% and 50% of smokers who used Juul products were able to quit smoking within six weeks.
Sources
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Juul gets OK to sell updated vaping device with age-gating technology
AP News
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FDA Authorizes Juul to Sell New E-Cigarette
WSJ
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FDA allows marketing of Juul's new e-cigarettes and flavored pods
Reuters
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Juul can sell updated e-cigarette with age-verification system, FDA says
CBS News
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FDA authorizes e-cigarette device and 2 pods
CSP Daily News