Juul Pulls Its Mint-Flavored Pods From the Market

SAN FRANCISCO — In light of studies released this week relating to the 2019 National Youth Tobacco Survey and Monitoring the Future survey, Juul Labs is pulling its Mint-flavored pods from the market.

Effective immediately, the company will stop accepting orders from its retail partners for its Mint Juul pods in the United States and cease the sale of the flavored product from its e-commerce site.

"These results are unacceptable and that is why we must reset the vapor category in the U.S. and earn the trust of society by working cooperatively with regulators, Attorneys General, public health officials, and other stakeholders to combat underage use. We will support the upcoming FDA flavor policy and will follow the PMTA process," said Juul Labs CEO K.C. Crosthwaite.

As part of Crosthwaite's review of Juul Labs' policies and practices, the company has already:

• Refrained from lobbying the administration on its draft flavor guidance. 
• Suspended all broadcast, print and digital product advertising in the U.S.
• Stopped the sale of Mango, Creme, Fruit, and Cucumber Juul pods online in the U.S., pending the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review. In November 2018, Juul Labs stopped the distribution of these pods to all of its traditional retail store partners. 
• Announced a restructuring plan aimed at aligning the company's organization and resources behind key priorities: earning trust by reducing and preventing underage use, investing in scientific research to ensure the quality of its PMTA [Premarket Tobacco Application] application in the U.S., and expanding its commitment to develop new technology.
• Ceased active support of Proposition C in San Francisco, which addresses the sale of e-cigarettes.

Juul Labs sells only Virginia Tobacco, Classic Tobacco and Menthol flavored pods in the U.S. and it will not sell any others under any name unless they are first authorized by the FDA as part of the PMTA process, according to the company.

On Sept. 11, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced the FDA would make removing unauthorized non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes from the market a priority, as Convenience Store News previously reported.

Following the 2016 deeming rule, which set regulations for e-cigarettes and vapor products among other tobacco products, all electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) must file a PMTA for FDA approval to remain on the market. To date, the agency has not approved any PMTAs for ENDS.