FDA DELAYS DECISION ON JUUL E-CIGARETTES

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) missed a court-mandated deadline on whether to allow e-cigarette giant Juul Labs and other companies to sell their vaping products on the U.S. market.

The federal agency is still working “expeditiously on the remaining applications” that are “in the final stages of review,” FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock and Director of the Center for Tobacco Products Mitch Zeller said in a release, but they need more time.

The apparent pushback of the anticipated decision comes a year after e-cigarette manufacturers, including the most popular brand Juul, submitted applications to prove their devices overall served as a benefit for public health.

The FDA had a year to determine whether millions of these products effectively helped people trying to quit smoking, and whether the benefits outweigh the potential harms to youth. On Thursday the agency said it denied applications for almost 950,000 e-cigarette or related products due to concerns they appealed to teenagers.

Mounting pressure: The FDA has faced growing pressure to regulate vaping as e-cigarette use has skyrocketed among youth and teenagers, worrying parents and health experts about their ingestion of the nicotine-based product. More than 80 percent of users are between ages 12-17, and e-cigarette  are the most used tobacco product among youth.  

But as the review process continues past the deadline, Juul and other e-cigarette products are allowed to stay on the market in the meantime. FDA officials have previously said they would prioritize reviews based on the market share of the company—meaning companies like Juul would have been expected to be the first to face a decision.