The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the marketing of three new e-cigarette products from Juul.

The details:

The authorized products are the Juul2 device and tobacco- and menthol-flavored pods.
FDA’s review of data in Juul’s application found that 20-50% of adults who smoke completely switched away from combustible cigarettes to the authorized Juul2 products at 6 weeks. The menthol-flavored pod had a higher rate of complete switching compared to the tobacco-flavored pod.
The updated device includes an optional age-verification system, giving users the option to require age verification via an online app before the e-cigarette can be unlocked.

The context: In 2019, the company discontinued several flavors that drove most of its sales but were favored by teens.

But: The company now says it plans to seek authorization for flavors beyond tobacco and menthol that are targeted at adult consumers.
Why it’s important: Juul is no longer the most popular vape brand among teens, but the move still makes more e-cigarettes available and accessible. While switching completely from cigarettes to e-cigarettes may help reduce exposure to some dangerous chemicals, as FDA suggests, e-cigarettes and nicotine also pose their own risks.
To date, FDA has authorized 48 e-cigarette products.