Vaping debate ‘heating up’ once again
It was a pivotal public health crisis in America before the Covid-19 pandemic — and then we stopped talking about it.
E-cigarettes became ubiquitous in high schools across the country, resulting in scores of teens addicted to nicotine. And though industry leader Juul Labs denied that was ever its intent, the company landed front-and-center in a heated debate.
In recent years, Juul, which once held the majority of the US e-cigarette market, has been embattled in a deluge of lawsuits and investigations into its products’ appeal to kids. The company says it’s engaged in an “ongoing effort to reset our company … as we continue to combat underage usage and advance the opportunity for harm reduction for adult smokers.”
But Juul’s products are just a few among millions that are now in regulatory limbo with the US Food and Drug Administration. And this fall could bring decisions that some experts say are long overdue.
