Health officials in the United States are taking action against a popular brand of fruity disposable electronic cigarettes, claiming that the company has never been permitted to sell the products.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent the company a letter on Monday, telling them to remove Puff Bar electronic cigarettes from the market in 15 days. This includes flavors such as strawberry, pink lemonade, and mango. The FDA sent letters of warning to nine companies that were selling nicotine solutions or unauthorized e-cigarettes. Some of these mimic packaging for sweets and cereals such as Twinkies or Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
This regulatory action follows months of warnings from anti-vaping activists that disposable vapes, such as Puff Bars, were a major loophole in the FDA’s ban on flavored electronic cigarettes. This policy, which was implemented in February, targeted only reusable vaping products like Juul. Juul is the blockbuster brand responsible for the vaping craze among teens in the U.S. The policy allowed only tobacco and menthol flavors for these devices. The flavor restrictions do not apply to disposable products such as Puff Bar.
Cool Clouds Distribution, a Glendale, California-based distributor of Puff Bars, did not respond immediately to Monday’s emailed requests for comment.
Anti-vaping groups petitioned the company to remove disposable vaping products from the market. They warned that teenagers, who had previously used flavors such as mint and mango from discontinued Juul, have become addicted.
