Settlement of roughly $3 billion in teen-use lawsuits preceded FDA clearance
WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized Juul Labs to sell an updated version of its e-cigarette, the first new vaping device the company has launched in more than a decade.
The new device, which Juul plans to market under the brand name Juul2, includes an optional age-verification system designed to prevent underage use. The FDA authorization also covers updated versions of the company’s tobacco- and menthol-flavored cartridges.
The clearance follows years of financial and legal pressure on Juul over teen vaping. The company has laid off hundreds of employees in recent years while paying roughly $3 billion to settle government and private lawsuits stemming from the use of its products by teenagers.
In 2019, Juul discontinued several flavors — mango, mint and creme — that had driven most of its sales but were favored by teens. The FDA’s authorization for the updated product covers new versions of the company’s remaining tobacco- and menthol-flavored cartridges.
The optional age-verification system is intended to prevent underage use of the device. The decision allows Juul to sell a new version of its top-selling vaping device for the first time since the original product launched more than a decade ago.