Sep 25, 2019

Juul suspends U.S. advertising as it names new CEO

Axios

Photo: Eva Hambach/AFP/Getty Images

Vaping startup Juul announced Wednesday that it would suspend all broadcast, print and digital advertising of its products in the U.S.

The big picture: The move comes alongside the ouster of CEO Kevin Burns. He will step aside immediately for K.C. Crosthwaite, who previously served as tobacco giant Altria's chief growth officer.

  • The company said that Crosthwaite and Juul's leadership team will "continue a broad review of the company's practices and policies to ensure alignment with its aim of responsible leadership within the industry."
  • It also said that it would cease its lobbying efforts against the Trump administration's plan to ban flavored e-cigarettes.
  • The company has faced criticism for its campaigns that characterize vaping as a safer alternative to traditional smoking.

The state of play: The move comes after a 9th person died in the U.S. from a vaping-related illness earlier this week.

  • The CDC reported there are 530 possible cases of severe respiratory illnesses among people who vaped nicotine or cannabis products in 38 states and 1 territory as of earlier this month.
  • But, according to CDC Principal Deputy Director Anne Schuchat's testimony on Tuesday, "hundreds" of new cases have been reported over the past week.

Go deeper: U.S. investigates fatality from vaping as lung-related illnesses rise

Go deeper

Marisa Fernandez, Rashaan Ayesh, Orion Rummler

68 reported dead from vaping-related lung illness

Photo: Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images

68 people have died from a lung injury associated with e-cigarette use in 29 states and the District of Columbia, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports as of Feb. 18.

What's new: Because of the consistent declines in new EVALI cases since Sept. 2019, as well as the identification of vitamin E acetate as a primary cause of EVALI, Tuesday's report will be the final CDC update on the number of hospitalized EVALI cases and deaths nationally.

Go deeperArrowUpdated Feb 25, 2020 - Health
Marisa Fernandez

CDC confirms 2,807 hospital cases of lung injury linked to vaping

Photo: Eva Hambach/AFP/Getty Images

There are 2,807 confirmed hospital cases of lung injury associated with vaping in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and two U.S. territories, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports as of Feb 18.

What's new: Because of the consistent declines in new EVALI cases since Sept. 2019, as well as the identification of vitamin E acetate as a primary cause of EVALI, Tuesday's report will be the final CDC update on the number of hospitalized EVALI cases and deaths nationally.

Go deeperArrowUpdated Feb 25, 2020 - Health
Orion Rummler

Court temporarily stalls New York ban on flavored e-cigarettes

A man smokes an e-cigarette in New York in 2017.  Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

A state appellate court blocked New York's ban on all flavored electronic cigarettes the first week of October, preventing New York from becoming the second state to put such a ban in place, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The big picture: The Food and Drug Administration announced last month that it was finalizing plans to pull all flavored e-cigarette cartridges from the market. Massachusetts currently has the harshest vaping ban in U.S.

Go deeperArrowUpdated Oct 4, 2019