Juul gets OK to sell updated vaping device with age‑gating technology, the Food and Drug Administration announced Friday, granting the firm permission to market a new version of its flagship e‑cigarette.
Regulators approve a device with optional online age check
The agency’s decision clears the way for an updated model that can require users to verify their age through a smartphone app before the unit unlocks. The feature is optional, meaning retailers may choose whether to enable it for customers.
According to the filing, the system is designed to curb under‑age use, a persistent concern after years of lawsuits alleging teen vaping. The firm says the age‑gate will be “easy to use” but adds a step that could slow a purchase.
In a statement, CEO K.C. Croswaite said the company plans to market its new system with “a portfolio of flavors — beyond tobacco and menthol — that are targeted to adult nicotine consumers.”
Market context and product lineup
The updated device will be sold under the brand name Juul2, alongside refreshed tobacco‑ and menthol‑flavored cartridges. In 2019 the firm discontinued several fruit and candy flavors, such as mango and mint, after they were linked to teen use.
While the brand no longer leads U.S. sales, it still competes with products from Reynolds American’s Vuse line. The agency has previously authorized a limited set of e‑cigarettes aimed at adult smokers, including the first fruit‑flavored units approved in May.
Related: Medicare Care Code Fails to Boost Relationships
Company data reviewed by the agency show that between 20 % and 50 % of adult smokers who used the product stopped smoking after six weeks, with outcomes varying by flavor and nicotine strength.
For adult smokers, the optional age gate could make the product more acceptable, yet it also adds a barrier that may deter casual use. If the verification step works as intended, it could reduce the appeal of the device to younger buyers while keeping it accessible to those trying to quit cigarettes.
Legal and financial backdrop
The firm has paid roughly $3 billion to settle government and private claims tied to teen vaping, and it has cut its workforce by hundreds of jobs in recent years. The new approval does not constitute an endorsement; regulators stress that non‑smokers should avoid e‑cigarettes altogether.
Federal figures indicate a broader decline in teen vaping, with many youths turning to unregulated disposable devices imported from abroad. Those products often feature fruit or candy flavors that were previously removed from the firm’s catalog.
Analysts note that the optional verification could set a precedent for future products, potentially influencing how other manufacturers design age‑restriction mechanisms.