US drug agency bans Juul e-cigarette products from US markets

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a ban Thursday on Juul e-cigarette products, including selling and distributing, and ordered the removal of products from the market.

"The products include the JUUL device and four types of JUULpods: Virginia tobacco flavored pods at nicotine concentrations of 5.0% and 3.0% and menthol flavored pods at nicotine concentrations of 5.0% and 3.0%," it said in a statement.

Commissioner Robert Califf hailed the announcement as further progress on the FDA’s commitment to ensuring that all e-cigarette and electronic nicotine delivery system products currently being marketed to consumers meet public health standards.

"The agency has dedicated significant resources to review products from the companies that account for most of the U.S. market. We recognize these make up a significant part of the available products and many have played a disproportionate role in the rise in youth vaping," said Califf.

The agency determined that there is insufficient evidence to assess the potential toxicological risks of using JUUL products.

Retailers should contact JUUL with any questions about products in their inventory, said the statement.