FDA orders thousands of electronic cigarettes off the market, but delays a decision on Juul, the most popular brand

The Food and Drug Administration “delayed a high-stakes decision on whether to permit bestselling vaping brand Juul to stay on the market, while ordering thousands of other electronic cigarettes off store shelves,” The Associated Press reports.

The agency said it rejected applications for nearly 950,000 flavored e-cigarettes and related products, mainly due to their potential appeal to underage teens,” AP reports. “Some of the products are currently being sold while many others were only proposed by manufacturers.”

It didn’t rule on Juul, “the most popular brand with adult smokers and many teens,” saying it needed more time despite a court-ordered deadline and previous statements that it would “prioritize evaluating products from Juul and a handful of other key players,” AP reports.

“Parents, politicians and anti-tobacco advocates have pressured the FDA for years to ban Juul’s high-nicotine devices, which many blame for the recent spike in underage vaping,” AP notes. “Thursday’s action is part of a sweeping review by the FDA to bring scientific scrutiny to the multibillion-dollar vaping industry after years of regulatory delays. The agency has yet to authorize any vaping product as a less harmful option for smokers.”

That’s what electronic cigarette companies need to stay on the market, AP points out: “Companies must show that their e-cigarettes benefit public health. In practice, that means proving that adult smokers who use the products are likely to quit or reduce their smoking, while teens are unlikely to get hooked on them.”