The American federal drug regulator asked the American subsidiary to British American Tobacco PLC to stop sales of its vape “ Vuse Alto » menthol flavored, the most popular e-cigarette in the United States, following an increase in the product's popularity among underage users.
AFTER JUUL, VUSE ALTO IS IN THE VIEWFINDER!
The Food & Drug Administration said Thursday it has issued refusal-to-market orders for six vaping products sold by RJ Reynolds Vapor Co, a company owned by BAT, under its brand Vuse Alto. Three of these products were flavored with menthol and three with “mixed berry,” the FDA added.
The company must not market or distribute these products in the United States or risk enforcement action from the FDA. It may, however, submit new applications for products subject to these MDOs.
The FDA said the company's tobacco product marketing applications did not contain sufficient evidence to demonstrate that allowing the products to be marketed would be appropriate for the protection of public health, which is the standard legally required by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act 2009.
« Specifically, the evidence submitted by the applicant did not demonstrate that menthol and mixed berry flavored products provided any additional benefit to adults who smoke cigarettes – in terms of complete cessation or significant reduction in smoking.“, says a press release from the FDA.
The FDA says Vuse is the top-selling e-cigarette brand in the United States, with Vuse Alto being its most popular sub-brand. Additionally, results from the National Youth Tobacco Survey show that Vuse e-cigarettes, which are cartridge-based products, were the second most used e-cigarette brand among youth in the United States. United States since 2021.
To date, the FDA has authorized 23 tobacco-flavored e-cigarette products and devices, which are the only e-cigarettes that can currently be legally sold or distributed in the United States.
