HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020/02/04 Public Comments - Lippitt •p truth initiative WHO WE ARE WHAT WE DO OUR TOP ISSUES RESEARCH&RESOURCES GET INVOLVED SEARCH Q'
IYOYIOINp TOOA<CO-f A[F LIY[S
NEWS nRTI_'c
I�rittenCQmmunicalions
Where are kids getting JUUL
;m # Name 1
. T/
G
0
The e-cigarette is marketed as a smoking alternative for adults, but has been making headlines and
prompting crackdowns from the Food and Drug Administration for the large number of kids who use the
product.
The popularity of JUUL among youth has helped the product capture more than half of the entire e-cigarette
market share in just two years. Many are attributing the product's rise to its sleek design that could be mistaken
for a flash drive—which makes it easy to disguise—and array of available youth-appealing flavors, such as
fruit medley, mango, cool cucumber and creme brulee.
By law,people under the age of 18 (or 21 in some areas) should not be able to purchase any tobacco products,
including JUUL. So, how are so many young people getting their hands on JUUL?Truth Initiative® surveyed a
national sample of more than 1,000 12- to 17-year-olds in April 2018 to find out.
YOUTH 1 USED JUUL FLAVOR& PODS
THE PAST 30 DAYS SAID THEY OBTAINFn
THE DEVICE IN THE FOLLOWING
PHYSICAL RETAIL SOCIAL SOURCE
LOCATION
masseur
1 •
a•
*Youth • • select multiple
Youth who had used JUUL in the past 30 days reported that they got the product in one or more of these ways:
1. Physical retail locations: The most common way youth got NUL is through physical retail locations.
Nearly three quarters—74 percent—of youth said that they obtained JUUL at a store or retail outlet.
In recent weeks,the FDA issued \yarning letters to retailers, including gas stations, convenience stores
and vape shops, for selling the product to minors. The letters warned establishments that an FDA
inspector observed a clerk selling the device to a minor, and that"failure to correct these violations may
lead to federal enforcement actions, including monetary penalties."
2. Social sources: Just over half—52 percent—reported that they received NUL from a social source,
such as a friend or family member.
3. Online: Although the internet was not the most common way youth obtained JUUL—only 6 percent
reported that they received the product through an online transaction—nearly all youth who tried to
buy the product online were successful. Among those who attempted an online transaction, 89 percent
succeeded. When the FDA issued its first warning letters about JUUL to retailers, it also announced that
it contacted eBay to express concerns about JUUL product listings. "We're thankful for eBay's swift
action to remove the listings and voluntarily implement new measures to prevent new listings from
being posted to the web retailer's site," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement. However,
some JUUL products are still available on eBay.
The FDA crackdown on JUUL also includes asking the maker, NUL Labs,to turn over documents related to
marketing,health effects and use among youth. While recent FDA action is encouraging,problems with tobacco
products like JUUL won't be addressed until the FDA frilly regulates e-cigarettes and establishes a strong pre-
market review process to prevent these kinds of products from being sold in the first place.
Truth Initiative and five other public health and medical groups called on the FDA to take action on NUL in
April. The groups specified five actions, including removing certain JUUL flavors, suspending internet sales
and prohibiting branded merchandise.
A Truth Initiative study published in 1 ,,!, ( t)11 t i(11 underscores the problem with youth use of NUL. It
found that 63 percent of young .1! ! i did not know that the product always contains the addictive
chemical nicotine, and that many reported that use of this product is called "JUULing," indicating that this
product is so distinctive, it is perceived as its own category.
TAGS: e-cigarettes youth /young adults
Ml
G c ;o T C
0
<
°
t=om' n °
N
= ;� •
' =t C • •
t0 •
(D
cmn
cnz r- z m cn m
Jam' N ? to z O
•.
0 co
3 3 (D
Y•
r.
•max* •., VIM
t'v 71
'-�` t � ��" �..� t�z. -`'�� at:' -� �:��• rtK": `.�''. n ,�.t _`at ; ' t�� 5
n,Y'+ `•► - -C !r a k f d, x �N4 ri w L'�' •`� ri� �; 'G:.� ,y 3 -c^ � _�.r�' l�s�F�k. Sr.,,�,".�*..a..�t .1. � _
Y�g�.�C�a.}:SC�7'+'lr�t..y ��� ,.R•�n,s•�''''.�,, �'' r .y,.�-�• c5 ��V'�{�y .a sc-„ tT u,�--�. ?� `