Faced with criticism that teens are exposed to Juul health risks, Juul Labs will no longer sell its popular fruit-flavored vaping pods, according to a statement released by the company on Oct. 17.

Juul CEO K.C. Crosthwaite said, “We must reset the vapor category by earning the trust of society and working cooperatively with regulators, policymakers, and stakeholders to combat underage use while providing an alternative to adult smokers.”

Juul has increasingly taken heat for its fruit-flavored vaping products that have become popular with teenagers, who often don’t realize the liquids contain addictive nicotine. The company announced it would halt selling the teen favorites a day after a congressional committee held a hearing to discuss legislation designed to rein in sweet-flavored vaping juices.

President Trump announced in September that the government would work on banning the sales of flavored vaping products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has yet to complete details to announce or enforce a ban, but the discovery over the summer of a new lung illness that appears to be related to vaping has put increased pressure on the government to rein in the sales of vaping merchandise.

Crosthwaite took over the Juul CEO post from Ken Burns in late September. Crosthwaite was previously a senior vice president at Altria, which is the parent company of tobacco giant Phillip Morris. Altria bought a 35 percent stake in Juul in December 2018 for $12.8 million.

Kids and Juul Health Risks

E-cigarettes such as Juul deliver nicotine and other chemicals to the lungs. The flavors help eliminate the nicotine “hit” to the back of the throat that cigarette smokers feel, which slows the cigarette smokers down between drags on the cigarette.

Vaping can be done so continuously that some people have suffered seizures, most likely from an overdose of nicotine. Juul health risks also include the inhalation of diacetyl, which is a flavoring chemical linked to popcorn lung, a serious lung disease.

The U.S. Surgeon General says that nicotine is addictive, no matter what form it takes. Nicotine exposure during the teen and young adult years can cause easier addiction and can adversely affect the developing brain. The human brain usually continues to develop until around age 25.

According to the Surgeon General, 68 percent of high school students use flavored vaping products. A federal survey found that one in five high school students said they had used e-cigarettes within the past month in 2018.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 1,479 vaping-related lung injury cases. Thirty-three of those had resulted in death as of Oct. 15. The youngest person to have died thus far is a 13-year-old from New York.

According to Healthline.com, every state but Alaska has reported cases of the lung illness. Washington, D.C. and one U.S. territory has confirmed cases as well. The CDC is working to find out what is causing the mysterious lung illness. Many of the victims have said they used bootlegged marijuana vaping materials, but not all of them have.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented 
for informational purposes only.