FDA Orders JUUL to Stop Selling All of Its Products

July 25, 2022 by Alec Stone MA, MPA, Former ONS Director of Government Affairs and Advocacy

Under its authority to regulate vaping and e-cigarettes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered (https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-denies-authorization-market-juul-products) JUUL Labs Inc. to stop selling and remove all of its current products from the market after the company’s applications failed to provide sufficient evidence about the products’ toxicologic profiles.

“Today’s action is 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 our public health standards,” Robert M. Califf, MD, FDA commissioner, said (https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-denies-authorization-market-juul-products). “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.”

The action against JUUL Labs Inc. is part of initial efforts to minimize the harm of tobacco and vapes on the public. This order comes after FDA announced (https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-proposes-rules-prohibiting-menthol-cigarettes-and-flavored-cigars-prevent-youth-initiation) two proposals prohibiting menthol in cigarettes (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/05/04/2022-08994/tobacco-product-standard-for-menthol-in-cigarettes?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery) and characterizing flavors in cigars (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/05/04/2022-08993/tobacco-product-standard-for-characterizing-flavors-in-cigars?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery) in April 2022.

Smoking and vaping cessation efforts have long been a priority for ONS. At least a dozen of cancers can be tied back to tobacco use (https://www.ons.org/make-difference/ons-center-advocacy-and-health-policy/position-statements/isncc-tobacco-position), making advocating for regulations and cessation crucial for preventative care.


Copyright © 2022 by the Oncology Nursing Society. User has permission to print one copy for personal or unit-based educational use. Contact pubpermissions@ons.org for quantity reprints.