Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Juul To Suspend Flavored E-Cigarette Sales And Shut Down Social Media As Industry Faces Mounting FDA Scrutiny
The New York Times: Juul Will Suspend Selling Most E-Cigarette Flavors In Stores And Halt Social Media Promotions
Facing mounting government pressure and a public backlash over an epidemic of teenage vaping, Juul Labs announced on Tuesday that it would suspend sales of most of its flavored e-cigarette pods in retail stores and would discontinue its social media promotions. The decision by the San Francisco-based company, which has more than 70 percent of the e-cigarette market share in the United States, is the most significant sign of retrenchment by an industry that set out to offer devices to help smokers quit but now shoulders blame for a new public health problem: nicotine addiction among nonsmoking teens. (Kaplan and Hoffman, 11/13)
The Associated Press: Juul Halts Store Sales Of Some Flavored E-Cigarettes
Juul said it stopped filling store orders Tuesday for mango, fruit, creme and cucumber pods and will resume sales only to retailers that scan IDs and take other steps to verify a buyer is at least 21. It said it will continue to sell menthol and mint at stores, and sell all flavors through its website. The company also said it would close its Facebook and Instagram social media accounts, and pledged other steps to make it clear that it doesn’t want kids using its e-cigarettes. (Stobbe, 11/13)
The Wall Street Journal: Juul Says It Will Quit Social Media
Sales of Juul’s vaporizers and flavored nicotine liquids have surged over the past year, fueled in part by the product’s popularity among teenagers and children. Its rapid growth was helped by the San Francisco company’s use of social media to advertise its products as well as by user-generated posts that glamorized Juul. “There is no question that this user-generated social media content is linked to the appeal of vaping to underage users,” Juul Labs CEO Kevin Burns wrote in a blog post Tuesday. (Maloney, 11/13)
The Hill: Juul Halts Retail Sales For Most Flavored E-Cigarettes Amid Federal Pressure
To prevent bulk shipments to people attempting to distribute to minors, online customers are strictly limited to two devices and 15 JUUL pod packages per month, and no more than 10 devices per year, the company announced. JUUL’s announcement comes amid increased scrutiny from federal regulators. (Weixel, 11/13)
The Washington Post: FDA Signals Crackdown On Flavored Cigars To Reduce Youth Tobacco Use
Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, signaled Tuesday that the agency plans action against flavored cigars — products that are especially popular among African American teens — as part of an aggressive effort to reduce underage vaping and smoking expected to be announced this week. (McGinley, 11/13)
