For the past couple of months, Juul has been trying to get back on good graces with the FDA. A Juul is an e-cigarette that offers different flavor pods and is the latest trend among middle and high schoolers. One of the main reasons why this item became so trendy is because of the different flavor pods that the company offers. Because of the fun flavors and trendy look, many kids don’t realize that each pod is equivalent to a pack of cigarettes, or that they can develop nicotine addictions.
Because this product has been so highly used by kids and can lead to nicotine addictions, the FDA stepped in. According to CNBC, the FDA is going to restrict the flavors that are sold at gas stations, so that people have to go to a vape shop or order from Juul’s website for the fun flavors. The FDA started talking about doing this in September 2018, but still to this day I haven’t seen a change. In my hometown, the two most popular gas stations that sold Juul pods were Turkey Hill and Sheetz. Since this investigation, Turkey Hill has stopped selling their four flavors that made the Juul so popular– mango, cucumber, creme brulee and fruit medley. Sheetz still continues to sell all the flavors.
However, Juul is trying to get the FDA’s good side by halting its social media use. The company’s accounts still exist, but they removed all posts except one that says the account will not be posting or engaging with anyone. Overall, the FDA may begin cracking down on Juul, and we will see if this trend continues in 2019.