FDA reportedly plans to pull flavored e-cigarettes from stores
Sales of flavored e-cigarettes to teens are about to go up in smoke.
The Food and Drug Administration is planning to pull flavored e-cigs from shelves of convenience stores and gas stations in order to crack down on what it has called the “epidemic” of teen e-cig use, according to reports.
Details of the FDA’s plans are expected to be announced next week and will reportedly take effect immediately, according to the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post reports.
The FDA is also mulling a ban on menthol cigarettes due to their greater addictive qualities, the Journal said in a separate report.
In an effort to get ahead of the regulators, popular e-cig brand Juul plans to stop selling its fruity flavors — such as creme and mango — at retail locations, according to a CNBC report Friday.
Sales of the flavored pods will still be available to buy online, where Juul relies on age-verification technology, according to CNBC sources.
It was not clear if Juul’s plan to pull its products would come before the FDA’s announcement.
Juul has attracted heightened scrutiny from the FDA, as its sleek design, flavored pods and high-nicotine content are said to appeal to teens.