Teens have found a loophole in the Food and Drug Administration's ban on most flavored e-cigarettes, The New York Times reported on Friday.
The Trump administration outlawed the sale of flavors like fruit and mint for e-cigarettes that use refillable cartridges earlier this month. While the policy targets teen-friendly flavors, it does not include tobacco and menthol varieties.
The regulation has other exemptions allowed by President Donald Trump, who received political pushback after suggesting a federal ban on all flavored e-cigarettes in September. The policy does not apply to non-refillable devices designed to be discarded, which teens have quickly taken advantage of, according to the Times.
Teens are now switching from cartridge-based brands like Juul to disposable e-cigarettes such as those made by Puff Bar, the report said. Puff Bar sells flavors like banana ice and watermelon, while Juul pulled all of its mint and fruit varieties in 2019.
Juul currently faces litigation concerning the company's role in the rise of teen vaping and is undergoing a $1 billion restructuring. Tobacco giant Altria, which partially owns Juul, announced yesterday that it took a $4.1 billion hit from its investment in the e-cigarette company.
