Breaking News: FDA Orders Removal of All Juul Products from U.S. Market

On June 23, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) issued a stunning market denial order mandating that Juul Labs Inc. cease the sale and distribution of all of their currently marketed products in the United States. The extraordinary Order also directs that all Juul products currently on the U.S. market must be removed or risk immediate enforcement action. The products include the JUUL device and four types of JUUL pods: Virginia tobacco flavored pods at nicotine concentrations of 5.0% and 3.0% and menthol flavored pods at nicotine concentrations of 5.0% and 3.0%. Retailers should contact JUUL with any questions about products in their inventory.

“This action by the FDA in pulling Juul’s toxic, dangerous and deceptively marketed products out of circulation vindicates the claims we’ve brought on behalf of the victims,” notes Lieff Cabraser partner and Co-Lead Counsel for the Juul plaintiffs Sarah R. London, “which include addicted youth, misled consumers, and counties, tribes and school districts that have been left to address the public health crisis caused by Juul products. We will continue to zealously advocate for all victims who have suffered at the hands of those who sought to profit from JUUL’s highly addictive and dangerous products at the expense of young people and public health, including Altria, as well as JUUL’s founders and directors, Adam Bowen, James Monsees, Riaz Valani, Nicholas Pritzker, and Hoyoung Huh.” London co-leads the MDL along with Weitz and Luxenberg partner Ellen Relkin, Keller Rohrback partner Dean Kawamoto, and Girard Sharp partner Dena C. Sharp.

These MDOs only pertain to the commercial distribution, importation and retail sales of these products, and do not restrict individual consumer possession or use—the FDA cannot and will not enforce against individual consumer possession or use of JUUL products or any other tobacco products.

“Today’s action is further progress on the FDA’s commitment to ensuring that all e-cigarette and electronic nicotine delivery system products currently being marketed to consumers meet our public health standards,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. “The agency has dedicated significant resources to review products from the companies that account for most of the U.S. market. We recognize these make up a significant part of the available products and many have played a disproportionate role in the rise in youth vaping.”

After reviewing the company’s premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs), the FDA determined that the applications lacked sufficient evidence regarding the toxicological profile of the products to demonstrate that marketing of the products would be appropriate for the protection of the public health. In particular, some of the company’s study findings raised concerns due to insufficient and conflicting data – including regarding genotoxicity and potentially harmful chemicals leaching from the company’s proprietary e-liquid pods – that have not been adequately addressed and precluded the FDA from completing a full toxicological risk assessment of the products named in the company’s applications.

Further, the MDOs issued today reflect FDA’s determination that there is insufficient evidence to assess the potential toxicological risks of using the JUUL products. There is also no way to know the potential harms from using other authorized or unauthorized third-party e-liquid pods with the JUUL device or using JUUL pods with a non-JUUL device. The FDA recommends against modifying or adding substances to tobacco products. JUUL users are encouraged to report any unexpected health problems or product problems to the FDA through the Safety Reporting Portal and to seek medical attention as necessary.

“The FDA is tasked with ensuring that tobacco products sold in this country meet the standard set by the law, but the responsibility to demonstrate that a product meets those standards ultimately falls on the shoulders of the company,” said Michele Mital, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “As with all manufacturers, JUUL had the opportunity to provide evidence demonstrating that the marketing of their products meets these standards. However, the company did not provide that evidence and instead left us with significant questions. Without the data needed to determine relevant health risks, the FDA is issuing these marketing denial orders.”

Any products subject to an MDO may not be offered for sale or distributed in the United States, or the FDA may take enforcement action.

In addition to ensuring that JUUL complies with this order, as with unauthorized products generally, the FDA intends to ensure compliance by distributors and retailers. Specifically, the FDA notes that all new tobacco products on the market without the statutorily required premarket authorization are marketed unlawfully and are subject to enforcement action.

Lieff Cabraser’s Leadership Role in Juul Fraud and Injury Lawsuits Nationwide

Lieff Cabraser represents multiple plaintiffs who suffered devastating lung, stroke, and other cardiovascular injuries from their use of Juul e-cigarettes. The lawsuits allege Juul Labs, Inc. manufactures and markets unsafe and inherently defective products in marked contrast to Juul’s vast, pervasive, and deceptive marketing as well as failure to warn users about Juul dangers, negligence in the manufacture, labeling, and promotion of its highly addictive products, and improperly enticing youths to consume e-cigarettes so as to build a new market of nicotine-addicted consumers. In December 2019, Lieff Cabraser partner Sarah R. London was named Co-Lead Counsel for Plaintiffs in the nationwide multidistrict Juul e-cigarette fraud and injury litigation.