The FDA authorizes the marketing of three new Juul vaping products, a decision that has been criticized.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it has authorized the marketing of three new e-cigarette products from Juul Labs Inc. under its Premarket Tobacco Product Approval (PMTA) process.[1]. These products belong to the Juul 2 system, which includes an optional age verification system designed to prevent use by minors. The products include the Juul 2 device and two flavored cartridges, one tobacco flavored and the other menthol flavored.

Data highlighting an advantage for adult smokers in switching completely from traditional tobacco to vaping

Based on its evaluation of the data submitted in the application for approval, the FDA found that a significant proportion of adults using Juul 2 products had completely replaced combustible cigarettes with these products. The complete smoking cessation rate after six weeks ranged from 19.9% to 34.6% among users of the tobacco-flavored cartridge, and from 28.4% to 49.3% among users of the menthol cartridge.

The FDA also indicates that people who completely replaced combustible cigarettes with approved products were exposed to lower levels of certain harmful substances than if they had continued to smoke. However, the agency emphasizes that the potential benefit depends on a complete replacement of combustible cigarettes: dual use, combining cigarettes and e-cigarettes, would not offer any risk reduction, and may even increase the risks.

However, this announcement does not constitute an endorsement or support, and minors and non-smokers should not use Juul or any other e-cigarette, according to regulatory authorities. The new device notably offers users the option to require age verification via an online application before the e-cigarette can be unlocked.

The FDA justifies this authorization with a benefit/risk analysis.

To authorize the marketing of a new tobacco or nicotine product, the FDA must determine that the expected health benefits outweigh the risks associated with its marketing. In the case of the menthol-flavored product, the agency considers that the potential benefits for adult smokers are sufficient to offset the identified risks, including its potential appeal to young people.

The FDA clarifies that these authorizations do not mean the products are risk-free, as nicotine remains highly addictive. They are based on the specific evaluation of the products in question and the data available as part of the regulatory process. With this latest decision, the agency indicates that it has authorized 48 e-cigarette products for sale in the United States to date.

A decision that has been strongly criticized in the context of a nicotine epidemic and conflicts of government interest.

Juul, once a dominant player in the US vaping market, saw its profits decline when its flavored, fruity, and sweet products came under scrutiny due to their popularity among teenagers. These investigations led to a federal sales ban in 2022, largely due to the company's aggressive marketing practices. In recent years, the company has laid off hundreds of employees and paid approximately $3 billion to settle lawsuits filed by public and private courts regarding the use of its products by teenagers. However, this ban was suspended and then lifted in 2024. Then, in July 2025, the FDA cleared several Juul products, including tobacco and menthol-flavored devices and cartridges with nicotine concentrations of 3 % and 5 %. In May 2026, The public agency has approved the first fruit-flavored e-cigarettes intended for adult smokers.. This approval marked a major turning point and is This came after months of pressure from the vaping industry on President Donald Trump.[2].

This reversal is therefore likely fueling the vaping epidemic, especially among young people, Meanwhile, according to federal statistics, teenage vapers are increasingly attracted to unauthorized disposable e-cigarettes imported from China and available in several fruity and sweet flavors.

In response, Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Group to End Youth Vaping, said:« The FDA should be targeting products that make young people addicted to nicotine, instead of allowing the JUUL2, whose appeal to youth the agency itself acknowledges. The JUUL has helped fuel the youth vaping epidemic, and that record is undeniable. While the Trump administration is weakening efforts to combat youth vaping, we should be strengthening protections for young people, not giving the tobacco industry new opportunities to make them addicted. I will continue to fight to hold tobacco giants accountable and to protect the next generation from nicotine addiction. »[3]

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[1]FDA allows marketing of Juul's new e-cigarettes and flavored pods, Reuters, published on August 28, 2026, updated on August 31, 2026, accessed on September 1, 2026

[2]Matthew Perrone, Juul gets OK to sell updated vaping device with age-gating technology, ABC News, published August 28, 2026, accessed September 1, 2026

[3]Krishnamoorthi Blasts FDA Decision to Authorize New JUUL2 Vaping Products, krishnamoorthi.house.gov, published on August 31, 2026, accessed on September 1, 2026

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