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Counterfeit Juul pods are lining the shelves of retail stores following the company's decision last fall to stop selling fruity flavors in stores, CNBC reports.
Why it matters: These fake Juul pods — which look real — may present health concerns. They are also a public relations problem for Juul, which is trying to appear cooperative with the effort to crack down on teen vaping.
- The pods are in addition to rival pods being sold by Juul's competitors.
- The counterfeit pods are often the fruity flavors that Juul has pulled.
What they're saying: Former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb told CNBC that the recent cases of lung illnesses associated with vaping are probably linked to counterfeit products.
- "Counterfeit products are a direct threat to public health and our plan to combat youth usage," Juul CEO Kevin Burns said in a statement to CNBC.
Go deeper: U.S. investigates fatality from vaping as lung-related illnesses rise