Juul Seeks U.S. Authorization for Its Newly Launched Menthol Vape Pods

JUUL Labs announced on Tuesday that it is seeking U.S. authorization for its new menthol-flavored vape pods, which require age verification for users to use with its e-cigarette devices currently under review by regulatory agencies.

In June 2022, Juul's e-cigarettes were briefly banned in the U.S. after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that the company failed to demonstrate that the sale of its products was appropriate for public health. After appealing, the health regulator suspended the ban and agreed to conduct additional reviews of Juul's marketing applications.

The company's new menthol pods contain a nicotine concentration of 18 mg/mL and are the latest tobacco product premarket application submitted to the FDA by Juul.

This move follows a July application for a unique Pod ID chip vaporizer designed to prevent the use of counterfeit pods and limit access for minors. The July application included a proposal for a tobacco-flavored pod.
This vaporizer was launched in the UK in 2021 as part of the JUUL2 system.

The menthol pods contain a safety microchip that communicates age verification requirements to the device before use. Users can lock the device at any time to prevent unauthorized use.

To reduce the risk of social procurement, Juul stated it will limit not only the number of devices that can be purchased but also the number of new devices that each unique age-verified user can activate and use with menthol pods.

So far, the FDA has only authorized 23 e-cigarette products for sale in the U.S., all of which are tobacco-flavored. The agency has denied menthol e-cigarette applications from several well-known manufacturers, including British American Tobacco, which is appealing those decisions.

Juul stated in a statement that it has submitted evidence showing that its new menthol pods can help more cigarette smokers switch their habits compared to tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes.