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Youth

FDA Authorizes Juul E-Cigarettes Despite Concerns Over Youth Use

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized Juul e-cigarettes for the U.S. market, ending a lengthy standoff with regulators and lawmakers who have accused the company of spurring an epidemic of e-cigarette use among youths. The agency has required Juul to prove that its products are "appropriate for the protection of public health" under agency rules. In a statement, Juul said it met this bar in part by showing that its products had helped about two million adults quit smoking cigarettes. Despite concerns about the health effects of e-cigarettes, experts still view them as safer than cigarettes.

Key Takeaways:

  • The FDA authorized Juul e-cigarettes for the U.S. market, ending a lengthy standoff with regulators.
  • Juul claims its products have helped about two million adults quit smoking cigarettes.
  • The FDA requires Juul to prove its products are "appropriate for the protection of public health" under agency rules.
  • Juul said underage use of its products was "down 98 percent since 2019, to one-half of 1 percent of youth."
  • Senator Dick Durbin called on FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary to reverse the authorization, citing concerns over youth use.
  • The company has settled about 5,000 lawsuits for $1 billion since December 2022.
  • FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary has said the agency will be aggressive in policing unauthorized e-cigarettes from China that target young people.

Statistics:

  • 27 percent of high school students used e-cigarettes in 2019, a high point in usage rates.
  • Vaping rates among teens have declined to fewer than 8 percent in 2024, a 10-year low.
  • 98 percent decline in underage use of Juul products since 2019, to one-half of 1 percent of youth.
  • Two million adults have reportedly quit smoking cigarettes using Juul e-cigarettes.
  • $1 billion: the value of the settlement Juul reached with about 5,000 plaintiffs in December 2022.

Sources:

  • The New York Times: "F.D.A. Approves Juul's E-Cigarette Products" (no date provided, but referenced in the original text)
  • The New York Times: "F.D.A. Allows Juul to Sell Its E-Cigarettes in U.S." (no date provided, but referenced in the original text)
  • FDA (as quoted in The New York Times) (no date provided, but referenced in the original text)

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