FDA Approval of Five Juul Products Sparks Controversy: Industry Calls It “Support for Quitting,” Critics Say It “Endangers Youth”

Jul.23.2025
FDA Approval of Five Juul Products Sparks Controversy: Industry Calls It “Support for Quitting,” Critics Say It “Endangers Youth”
The U.S. FDA approved five Juul e-cigarette products, triggering controversy. Industry groups welcomed the move as a long-overdue step to support adult smokers switching from cigarettes, while tobacco control advocates condemned it as a setback for youth protection. Juul remains one of the most popular brands among teens.

Key points:

 

·FDA approves Juul products: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved market authorization orders (MGOs) for five Juul e-cigarette products. 

 

·Juul stated that over 2 million Americans have completely quit combustible tobacco products by using their products, with the company aiming to make cigarettes a thing of the past. 

 

·Support and criticism: 

 

1.The Vapor Technology Association's executive director, Tony Abboud, believes that FDA's approval is a step in the right direction to help adults quit smoking, but that a single authorization is not enough to reduce the harm caused by cigarettes. 

 

2.Yolanda Richardson, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, criticized the FDA's decision as a "major setback" in preventing youth from using e-cigarettes, pointing out that Juul products remain popular among teenagers. 

 

·Industry impacts: 

 

1.Risk for the independent e-cigarette industry: Abboud stated that FDA authorization has allowed Customs and Border Protection to seize products under illegal regulations, threatening thousands of small American businesses and limiting adult Americans' access to their favorite products. 

 

2.Convenience store industry calls for action: The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) and other related associations are urging the federal government to crack down on illegal e-cigarette products from China being sold in the market, as the convenience store industry is losing sales share "systematically." 

 

·FDA authorization status: To date, FDA has authorized 39 e-cigarette products, which are currently the only e-cigarette products legally allowed to be sold in the U.S.

 


【2Firsts News Flash】According to a report from CSP on July 22, the US FDA has approved market authorization orders (MGO) for five Juul products. The e-cigarette manufacturer has stated that over 2 million Americans have completely quit combustible tobacco products by using Juul. The Washington-based company has expressed its goal of making cigarettes obsolete.

 

“For us, this mission is non-negotiable: we are the only company in the US market with a product market authorization and do not sell cigarettes.”

 

Juul stated in a press release.

 

Supporters of the organization's latest decision include Tony Abboud, the executive director of the Vapor Technology Association in the United States, who believes that more authorization is still needed.

 

“The American E-Cigarette Technology Association acknowledges that the FDA approval of Juul Labs' e-cigarette products for sale in the United States is a long-awaited step that reaffirms the role of e-cigarettes in helping adults quit smoking. However, this one-time authorization is far from sufficient to reduce the harm caused by traditional cigarettes.”

 

Abdul expressed in a statement.

 

He also stated that the independent e-cigarette industry in the United States faces the risk of being shut down.

 

“The FDA has authorized Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to seize products at the border in accordance with an illegal regulation. These seizures threaten tens of thousands of American small businesses and restrict access for adult Americans to their favorite products, which hold more than 70% of the market share.”

 

He said.

 

The authorization was made after years of FDA review, but has been questioned by some, including Yolanda Richardson, President and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. She believes the decision is a "significant setback" in preventing youth from using e-cigarettes.

 

“This is why Juul had to pay over $11 billion to settle lawsuits brought by states and other parties. Despite a recent decrease in the proportion of teenagers using e-cigarettes, Juul products remain popular among youth. According to the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey, Juul is still one of the top five most popular e-cigarette brands among American teenagers, including 12.6% of current middle and high school e-cigarette users. Juul is the third most popular e-cigarette brand among middle school e-cigarette users.”

 

Richard said in a statement.

 

On July 18, the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) along with four associations related to the convenience store and travel center industry urged the federal government to crack down on the sale of illegal e-cigarette products from China in the market.

 

In a letter dated July 18, these organizations stated that the convenience store industry is "systematically" losing market share due to some companies selling illegal products.

 

Up to now, the FDA has authorized 39 e-cigarette products. These are currently the only e-cigarette products that can be legally sold in the US market.

 

We welcome news tips, article submissions, interview requests, or comments on this piece.

Please contact us at info@2firsts.com, or reach out to Alan Zhao, CEO of 2Firsts, on LinkedIn


Notice

1.  This article is intended solely for professional research purposes related to industry, technology, and policy. Any references to brands or products are made purely for objective description and do not constitute any form of endorsement, recommendation, or promotion by 2Firsts.

2.  The use of nicotine-containing products — including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouchand heated tobacco products — carries significant health risks. Users are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

3.  This article is not intended to serve as the basis for any investment decisions or financial advice. 2Firsts assumes no direct or indirect liability for any inaccuracies or errors in the content.

4.  Access to this article is strictly prohibited for individuals below the legal age in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright

 

This article is either an original work created by 2Firsts or a reproduction from third-party sources with proper attribution. All copyrights and usage rights belong to 2Firsts or the original content provider. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or any other form of unauthorized use by any individual or organization is strictly prohibited. Violators will be held legally accountable.

For copyright-related inquiries, please contact: info@2firsts.com

 

AI Assistance Disclaimer

 

This article may have been enhanced using AI tools to improve translation and editorial efficiency. However, due to technical limitations, inaccuracies may occur. Readers are encouraged to refer to the cited sources for the most accurate information.

We welcome any corrections or feedback. Please contact us at: info@2firsts.com

Philippines Weighs Unified Vape Tax as Lawmakers Back Risk-Based Rates and Government Seeks to Fill ₱66 Billion Revenue Gap
Philippines Weighs Unified Vape Tax as Lawmakers Back Risk-Based Rates and Government Seeks to Fill ₱66 Billion Revenue Gap
Philippine lawmakers are considering an overhaul of the country's vape excise-tax regime to eliminate the wide gap between taxes on nicotine salt and freebase nicotine liquids and reduce incentives for misdeclaration. House Bill 5364, filed by Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr., would impose a unified ₱10-per-milliliter tax on vapor products, with 5% annual increases beginning in 2027. Rodriguez says the proposal could generate an average ₱6 billion in annual collections from 2027 through 2030. The debate comes as the Philippine government considers tobacco, vape and other health-tax reforms to help offset around ₱66 billion in revenue expected to be forgone under a proposed tax-relief package.
Aug.18
How Large Is France’s Off-Channel Tobacco Market? Logista Says It Has Become Structural, While the Official Estimate Is 17.7% and Some Industry Studies Put It Above 50%
How Large Is France’s Off-Channel Tobacco Market? Logista Says It Has Become Structural, While the Official Estimate Is 17.7% and Some Industry Studies Put It Above 50%
Logista France says tobacco consumption outside France’s official tobacconist network has become a large and structural market phenomenon, but official and industry estimates differ sharply. France’s TAFE study estimates that 17.7% of tobacco consumption escaped domestic taxation in 2023, with most of that volume attributed to cross-border purchasing rather than street sales. Some industry studies use broader off-channel definitions and put the figure above 50%. Meanwhile, French Customs seized 547.94 tonnes of tobacco in 2025, up 12%, showing continued pressure from illicit trade.
Sep.04
Snowplus Enters Japan’s FamilyMart Network With Zero-Nicotine NEO Line and Kishidan Campaign
Snowplus Enters Japan’s FamilyMart Network With Zero-Nicotine NEO Line and Kishidan Campaign
Snowplus distributor H&S said the zero-nicotine, zero-tar NEO vaping line will begin rolling out across FamilyMart stores in Japan from September 14, 2026, excluding some locations. The DASH line will also be sold at selected FamilyMart stores in southern Kyushu and Okinawa. Snowplus simultaneously named Japanese rock band Kishidan as a brand ambassador, combining convenience-store distribution with a broader consumer marketing push in Japan.
Sep.15
Charlie’s Bets on Age-Gating and 678 PMTA Assets as U.S. Vape Enforcement Landscape Shifts
Charlie’s Bets on Age-Gating and 678 PMTA Assets as U.S. Vape Enforcement Landscape Shifts
Charlie’s Holdings said in its latest shareholder letter that it is moving to commercialize PACHA products and monetize its PMTA assets as the FDA changes enforcement priorities for unauthorized ENDS products. Thirty PACHA SKUs were previously tentatively identified for a proposed public list of products that the FDA generally does not intend to prioritize for enforcement. Charlie’s is also preparing test-market sales of age-gated flavored disposables and says it currently holds 678 PMTA-related product assets while seeking additional strategic transactions and partnerships.
Sep.11
South Korea Imports 12,126 Kg of Nicotine Analogues From April to August After Bringing Synthetic Nicotine Under Tobacco Law
South Korea Imports 12,126 Kg of Nicotine Analogues From April to August After Bringing Synthetic Nicotine Under Tobacco Law
South Korea's liquid-vape market is showing changes across raw-material imports, product types and sales channels after synthetic nicotine came under the Tobacco Business Act on April 24. Customs data show nicotine-analogue imports totaled 12,126 kilograms from April through August, while synthetic-nicotine imports over the same five months totaled 231,663 kilograms, just 39.3% of the amount imported in March alone. Physical liquid-vape stores tracked in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province fell 9.9%, unmanned outlets edged higher and online sales listings increased from 27,774 to 42,437. Government testing of 105 liquid inhalation products promoted as nicotine-free separately found nicotine in 13 and 6-methylnicotine in 12.
Sep.22
FDA Revises Import Alert 98-07 Rules, Bringing May Enforcement Priorities Into Unauthorized ENDS Detentions
FDA Revises Import Alert 98-07 Rules, Bringing May Enforcement Priorities Into Unauthorized ENDS Detentions
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has revised the rules under Import Alert 98-07 to incorporate its May 2026 enforcement-priority policy for certain electronic nicotine delivery systems marketed without premarket authorization. The alert continues to allow detention without physical examination, or DWPE, for ENDS lacking required marketing authorization, while directing field divisions to apply the May risk-based framework. When necessary, detention or refusal decisions must also undergo review by the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products. Products including PACHA and Vuse Pro have already emerged as industry examples of the May policy, although enforcement discretion does not constitute FDA marketing authorization.
News
Sep.28 by 2Firsts Perspectives