Juul seeks US authorisation for its new menthol pods with device-level locking
December 21, 2023
Juul Labs said on Tuesday it was seeking US authorization for its new menthol-flavored pods, which require user age verification, to be used with its next-generation platform device that is under review by regulators.
The platform device, launched initially in the UK in 2021 as JUUL2, utilises unique Pod ID authentication to address illicit products, and incorporates age verification technology capabilities.
Juul submitted the premarket tobacco product application to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the device and tobacco-flavored pods in July this year.
The new menthol-flavored pods, with a nicotine concentration of 18 mg/mL, contain a secure microchip that communicates to the device a requirement for age verification prior to use. The device itself can further be locked by the user at any time to prevent unauthorised use.
Juul said it will limit the number of devices that can be purchased and the number of new devices that each unique age-verified user can activate and use with menthol-flavored pods to further mitigate the risks of social sourcing.
“Juul Labs looks forward to bringing its next-generation technology to the over 28 million adults in the country who continue to smoke combustible cigarettes – the leading cause of preventable death,” the company said in a statement.
“Initial behavioral research of real-world purchasers of our next-generation platform products in the UK demonstrates compelling adoption and switching among adult smokers, with over 25.3 per cent of users in a study reporting switching completely away from combustible cigarettes six months after purchasing the product. This study is ongoing and will continue to be updated over the months ahead.”
Juul’s e-cigarettes were briefly banned in the US in June 2022 after the FDA concluded the company had failed to show that the sale of its products would be appropriate for public health. Following an appeal, the health regulator put the ban on hold and agreed to an additional review of Juul’s marketing application.
