Product | BAT Rolls Out Vuse Pro in U.S. With App-Based Age Verification and Four 5% Flavored Pods

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Key Points

• Reynolds American is rolling out the Vuse Pro closed-pod vaping system in the U.S.
• First-time activation requires age verification through the Vuse Pro App and Bluetooth pairing with the device.
• App functions include manual locking, Auto-Lock when the device leaves Bluetooth range, Find My Vape and battery reminders.
• Vuse's U.S. website currently lists Peach, Berry, Watermelon and Fresh Mint Vuse Pro Pods.
• All four pods are listed at 5.0% NBW, use nicotine salts and come in two- and four-pod packs.
• A retail image shows Vuse Pro Pods at about US$17.78 for two pods and US$23.08 for four pods, before tax.
• BAT previously told investors that it would begin a phased rollout of new Vuse flavored pods from the third quarter of 2026.
• Vuse Pro and the new flavored pods have not received FDA marketing authorization.

2Firsts

September 9, 2026

According to STAT and other reports published on September 8, 2026, Reynolds American, a subsidiary of British American Tobacco (BAT), is rolling out the Vuse Pro vaping system and accompanying flavored pods in the U.S. Unlike age checks conducted only at the point of purchase, Vuse Pro incorporates age verification into initial device activation: users must verify their age through the Vuse Pro App and pair the device via Bluetooth before it can be activated.

Vuse's U.S. website currently lists Peach, Berry, Watermelon and Fresh Mint Vuse Pro Pods. All four are labeled 5.0% NBW, or nicotine by weight, use nicotine salts, and are available in two- and four-pod packs. Vuse Pro and the new flavored pods have not received FDA marketing authorization.

App-Based Age Verification Required Before First Activation

Vuse Pro combines a rechargeable device, closed prefilled pods and the Vuse Pro App, with the app directly involved in initial device activation.

According to the Vuse Pro user manual, an adult user setting up the device must download the Vuse Pro App, complete age verification, enable Bluetooth and pair the device with the app before activation.

The manual states that the Vuse Pro App is required to start the device.

Beyond initial age verification, the app provides several device-access and management functions, including:

● Manual device locking and unlocking;

● Auto-Lock;

● Find My Vape;

● Battery recharge reminders;

● Bluetooth device management; and

● Factory reset.

Auto-Lock can be configured to lock the device after it moves outside the Bluetooth range of the paired smartphone. The device must subsequently be unlocked through the paired app before use.

The system therefore extends age-related access controls beyond retail purchase and into device activation and ongoing access management.

Publicly available U.S.-specific materials reviewed by 2Firsts do not specify battery capacity, pod e-liquid capacity, coil specifications or a manufacturer-rated puff count.

Four 5% Pods Span Fruit and Mint Flavors

Vuse's U.S. website currently lists four Vuse Pro Pod flavors:

Peach, Berry, Watermelon and Fresh Mint.

All four are labeled 5.0% NBW. Vuse defines NBW as nicotine by weight, referring to the approximate percentage by weight of tobacco-derived nicotine when the product is manufactured.

Vuse also states that Vuse Pro Pods use nicotine salts.

Each flavor is listed in two-pod and four-pod packs. Public U.S. product information reviewed by 2Firsts does not specify the e-liquid volume of each pod or a manufacturer-rated puff count.

STAT reported seeing Peach, Berry, Watermelon and Fresh Mint Vuse Pro products displayed for sale at a GetGo gas station in Ohio. Reynolds American said the products are being sold in accordance with applicable state regulations, alongside age and purchase-quantity restrictions.

A retail image published with the report shows Vuse Pro Pods priced at about US$17.78 for a two-pod pack and US$23.08 for a four-pod pack, before tax. The shelf also displays promotional messaging, and actual pricing may vary by retailer, state taxes and promotions.

Rechargeable Device and Prefilled Pods Form a Closed System

Vuse Pro follows Vuse's closed-pod architecture.

Users insert a prefilled pod into the rechargeable device without manually refilling e-liquid. The device is draw-activated and uses LED indicators to communicate operating status.

The U.S. user manual states that Vuse Pro contains a non-user-replaceable rechargeable lithium-ion battery, takes approximately 50 minutes for a full charge, and carries an IPX4 water-resistance rating.

Bluetooth connectivity creates an ongoing link between the smartphone app and the device. In Vuse Pro, Bluetooth is tied not only to connected-device features but also to initial activation, locking and device-location functions.

The Vuse Pro App requires Android 8.0 or later or iOS 15.0 or later.

BAT Begins Phased Expansion of Vuse Flavored Pods

The U.S. rollout of Vuse Pro flavored pods is consistent with BAT's previously disclosed product strategy.

In its 2026 first-half results presentation, BAT said it was “expanding Vuse flavours with a responsible and phased approach” and planned a “phased roll out of new flavoured pods from Q3.”

BAT also included changes in U.S. regulation and enforcement among the factors supporting its New Categories business, describing the evolving regulatory environment as providing a pathway to market for vapor flavors and modern oral innovation.

According to BAT's first-half presentation, Vuse held a 55.9% value share of tracked rechargeable closed-system vapor channels in the U.S., up 4.1 percentage points from the full-year 2025 level. BAT said its share was more than twice that of its nearest competitor.

Vuse Pro therefore adds flavored pods and digital access-control functions to BAT's established U.S. Vuse business.

Products Have Not Received FDA Marketing Authorization

The new Vuse Pro flavored products have not received FDA marketing authorization.

In 2026, the FDA revised its enforcement priorities for certain vaping products. Under specified circumstances, some products with premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) under review may not fall within the agency's highest enforcement priorities.

Enforcement prioritization does not constitute FDA marketing authorization.

The retail availability of Vuse Pro and its flavored pods in parts of the U.S. is therefore distinct from receiving formal FDA authorization.

2Firsts has separately covered the regulatory debate surrounding the FDA policy change and the sale of unauthorized Vuse Pro products.

Industry Perspective

Vuse Pro's primary product distinction lies in its integration of digital age verification and device-level access controls.

Age verification has traditionally focused on the retail transaction. Vuse Pro adds another layer by requiring users to complete age verification, Bluetooth pairing and device activation through an app before initial use.

Auto-Lock extends that architecture into subsequent use by allowing the device to lock after leaving the Bluetooth range of the paired smartphone. Users can also manually control locking and locate the device through the app.

At the same time, BAT is expanding the Vuse flavor portfolio in the U.S. Peach, Berry, Watermelon and Fresh Mint 5% NBW nicotine-salt pods combine that flavor expansion with the new device-level age-control system.

Vuse Pro consequently moves app and Bluetooth functionality beyond optional connected features and into device activation and access management.

Follow 2Firsts for the latest developments in global vaping and next-generation nicotine products, product launches, innovation, technology and market trends.

Cover image source: BAT

2FIRSTS | BAT Launches Flavored Vuse Pro With Age-Verification Technology in U.S. Without FDA Authorization

British American Tobacco’s Reynolds American has begun selling Vuse Pro in parts of the United States. The product comes in Peach, Berry, Watermelon and Fresh Mint and requires consumers to complete age verification through a smartphone application before the device can be activated. Vuse Pro has not received marketing authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Its launch was included in BAT’s 2026 plan, which calls for distribution through about 25,000 retail outlets in the third quarter and another 25,000 in the fourth. The rollout follows changes to FDA enforcement priorities and the agency’s first authorization of flavored vaping products equipped with mandatory age-verification technology.

www.2firsts.com

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