Juul asks FDA to approve its new high-tech vape that has a PARENTAL LOCK – after company was accused of starting a childhood ‘vapedemic’

Juul, the e-cigarette company drowning in bad press and lawsuits over claims it has addicted children to vapes, is proposing a high-tech new device that can electronically verify a user’s age.

In an effort to rebrand itself, the company filed with the US Food and Drug Administration seeking approval of its new next-generation vapor platform.

Juul Chief Product Officer Kirk Phelps said the innovative technology will curb underage use and help adult smokers transition from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes.

“With our next-generation platform, we’ve designed a technology solution to two public health problems: improving adult smokers’ transition from combustible cigarettes and limiting minors’ access to vapor products,” said Phelps.

Juul said its new device will connect to a web or smartphone application that uses third-party authentication to confirm that users of its products are adults. It will also include a feature that can lock its devices, preventing anyone from using it.

The company uses a third-party verification system that processes biometric information to verify an individual’s age and requires a government-issued photo ID that confirms age when users log into the website or app.

Juul has been embroiled in lawsuits and controversy for years as people accuse the company of marketing their products to children and more claim their products cause serious health problems.

To date, the company has settled with 47 states and territories and has paid out more than $1 billion.

The company filed the application while awaiting a decision from the FDA on whether current vape devices will be allowed to remain on the shelves.

Last year, the FDA rejected an application from Juul that sought to circumvent the ban on flavored nicotine products. However, the FDA’s ban on Juul products, which put the products at risk of being pulled from shelves and nearly bankrupted the company, was temporarily halted by a federal appeals court.

The company said the filing with the FDA includes “extensive science and evidence” for the device and new tobacco-flavored pods, as well as information about new, data-driven technologies to restrict access by minors.

The proposed technology was initially launched in the UK in 2021 as the Juul2 system. Marketed as a new vaping platform, Juul says it improves the vaping experience for adult smokers and uses a unique Pod ID chip to authenticate its products in an effort to prevent people from using illegal products in its devices.

While Juul does not manufacture or sell pods that contain illegal substances, such as THC, the psychoactive element in marijuana that causes a high, other entities have capitalized on the Juul craze by producing off-brand Juul-compatible pods that allow the use of illegal substances.

The company filed the application for the new technology as it awaits a decision from the FDA on whether current vape devices will be allowed to remain on the shelves

Additional features of the next-generation product proposed in the US include a Bluetooth device with a larger battery that lasts longer and a “smart light system” that communicates battery life and vaping liquid to a user.

An updated and tamper-resistant pod that allows for improved aerosol delivery and an innovative heating element will improve product performance and temperature control.

Joe Murillo, Juul’s chief regulatory officer, said the technology “advances public health goals.”

“Our next-generation PMTA vapor platform is built on novel technology that advances public health goals and compelling science that demonstrates a clear public health benefit, as required to obtain marketing authorization,” said Murillo.

“We look forward to engaging with the FDA during the review process as we pursue this important harm reduction opportunity.”