E-cigarette Player Juul's Latest Move: Submits FDA Application for Menthol Pods with Stringent Age Checks

E-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc. announced its latest move to secure approval from the FDA for its newly developed menthol-flavored pods. 

These pods, designed with stringent age verification measures, are intended for use with Juul's e-cigarette device, which is currently undergoing regulatory review.

The company underwent an appeal process after a temporary ban on Juul's e-cigarettes in June 2022 due to the FDA's concerns over public health implications. 

Subsequently, the FDA agreed to a comprehensive reevaluation of Juul's marketing application, suspending the initial ban.

The newly proposed menthol pods contain a nicotine concentration of 18 mg/mL and constitute Juul's latest premarket tobacco product application submitted to the FDA. 

This application joins a previous one from July, wherein Juul sought approval for a vaporizer integrated with a unique Pod ID chip. 

This chip aims to prevent the use of counterfeit cartridges and limit underage access, encompassing a proposal for tobacco-flavored pods.

Initially launched in the U.K. as the JUUL2 System in 2021, the vaporizer, paired with the menthol pods, incorporates a secure microchip that mandates age verification before usage, Reuters noted. 

Additionally, users can lock the device, preventing unauthorized access.

Juul plans to enforce restrictions on the number of purchasable devices and the activation and use of new devices per verified user with menthol-flavored pods to address concerns about potential underage usage.

Despite the FDA's authorization of only 23 e-cigarette products for sale in the U.S., exclusively tobacco-flavored, Juul remains optimistic about its application. 

In August, Altria Group Inc (NYSE: MO) said its subsidiary, NJOY, filed a complaint against JUUL Labs with the U.S. International Trade Commission.

The complaint asks for a ban on importing and selling certain JUUL e-vapor products, including its currently marketed JUUL device and JUULpods.

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