The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Thursday that it has revoked its ban on Juul e-cigarettes while it reviews new court decisions and considers updated information provided by the vaporizer manufacturer.
The FDA first ordered the company to stop selling its products in 2022, although they remained on shelves pending an appeal. At the time, the agency cited concerns about “potentially harmful chemicals” and a lack of data on the product's health effects. Juul has maintained its status as the second largest manufacturer of electronic cigarettes in the United States throughout this time.
Now, the FDA says Juul products are again under agency review, although it stressed that this new status was not an indication that they would be fully authorized.
The agency says federal statutes prohibit it from disclosing additional information.
Juul said in a statement that it appreciated the FDA's decision, adding that it now hopes to “reengage with the agency in a process based on science and evidence to seek marketing authorization” for its products.
“We remain confident in the quality and content of our applications and believe that a full review of the science and evidence will demonstrate that our products meet the legal standard of being appropriate for the protection of public health,” the company added.
Although Juul has moved forward with its appeal of the 2022 ban, the FDA's initial decision significantly disrupted the company's finances, prompting the bailout of two of its largest investors, The Wall Street Journal has reported.
To date, the FDA has only officially authorized the marketing of 23 e-cigarettes manufactured by three companies.
