Subcommittee Chair Krishnamoorthi Demands JUUL Follow Precedent, Withdraw Pre-Market Submission for Menthol-flavored Products
Washington, D.C. (Nov. 13, 2020)—Today, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, sent a letter to JUUL Labs demanding withdrawal of its Premarket Tobacco Product Application (PMTA) for menthol-flavored products, and provide the Subcommittee with a copy of the PMTA submission.
"In light of alarming government research findings that menthol-flavored vaping products have become dangerously popular with illegal underage users, I believe JUUL should act this year in a manner consistent with last year and withdraw this dangerous product from the market," wrote Chairman Krishnamoorthi.
JUUL previously withdrew its mint-flavored vaping products from the market after federal research showed that a high percentage of young people preferred mint-flavored e-cigarettes. Last year, the Monitoring the Future survey found that 47% of high school seniors preferred JUUL mint. Just two days after the MTF survey results were published showing the spike in youth use of JUUL's mint product, JUUL expressed contrition and announced it would stop selling mint products.
Federal research is now showing a similar spike in youth menthol use. On September 18, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the National Youth Tobacco Survey, which revealed that JUUL's menthol-flavored product induces young people to use this illegal and harmful product.
The findings show an alarming 37% of high school e-cigarette users choose menthol-flavored products. This is a significant spike from 2019, when menthol was one of the least popular flavors, used by less than 6% of 12th graders, less than 3% of 10th graders, and less than 2.3% of eighth graders.
"I am greatly concerned that this year, JUUL has not acted in a manner consistent with last year and withdrawn menthol-flavored products from the market in light of alarming recent data on youth preference for menthol," wrote Chairman Krishnamoorthi. "I call on JUUL to promptly withdraw its PMTA as it relates to JUUL's menthol product to ensure that no FDA marketing order is granted for the menthol JUULpod flavor," added Chairman Krishnamoorthi.
On July 30, 2020, JUUL submitted its PMTA application to FDA, seeking permission to continue selling its Virginia Tobacco and menthol-flavored JUUL pods.
The Subcommittee requests JUUL's PMTA submission by November 16, 2020.
Click here to read today's letter.
###