Netflix just dropped the new documentary, Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul, and it’s raising plenty of eyebrows. After all, the doc tracks the story of Juul, the Silicon Valley startup that became a billion-dollar business before crashing after a series of lawsuits and a crackdown by the Food and Drug Administration over questionable marketing practices.
As you may (or may not) know at this point, Juul was created by Stanford graduate students Adam Bowen and James Monsees and spawned the massive e-cigarette industry.
But, as the documentary explains, Juul faced a lot issues after its initial success, including claims that it deliberately targeted children and failed to warn people that its tobacco products were addictive. With that, it’s only fair to wonder where Juul is now.
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So, is Juul still in business? Here’s what you need to know.
Is Juul still in business?
Yes, Juul is still in business. According to the brand’s official website, the company’s core mission is “to eliminate combustible cigarettes.” They continue: “In our dedicated effort to combat underage use of JUUL products, we implement additional safeguards and advanced security directives. JUUL.com is an age-gated website which requires a verification process to confirm users are 21 years of age or older for full access.”
The FDA denied authorization to market Juul products in the US in 2022.
In June 2022, the FDA delivered a serious blow to Juul, denying the company the authorization to market its products in the US.
“After reviewing the company’s premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs), the FDA determined that the applications lacked sufficient evidence regarding the toxicological profile of the products to demonstrate that marketing of the products would be appropriate for the protection of the public health,” the FDA said in a press announcement.
The FDA also noted that some study findings conducted by the company “raised concerns due to insufficient and conflicting data.”
In July 2022, the FDA stayed this order pending additional review.
What products are still sold?
Juul still sells pods and e-cigarette devices online and in retail outlets. While the company rose to fame with flavored pods, the only flavors it currently sells are tobacco and menthol.
But the Wall Street Journal says that Juul is also working on new technology—that includes a device with age-verification capabilities.
Is there a class action lawsuit against Juul?
There was. Juul has faced more than 5,000 lawsuits, according to Forbes. Many alleged that the company used deceptive marketing techniques or failed to warn consumers about the risks of using its e-cigarettes.
In January, Juul settled a class action lawsuit for $255 million on allegations that the company used deceptive marketing practices, per Forbes. In December 2022, the company agreed to pay between $1.2 and $1.7 billion with 10,000 plaintiffs in 5,000 cases in California; and in September 2022, Juul agreed to pay more than $432 million over investigations in many states over how it may have marketed to teens, Forbes says.
How much did Juul end up paying in the class action lawsuit?
Juul has had to pay a lot of money over a range of claims. Earlier this year, the company agreed to pay a $462 million settlement to end lawsuits related to claims that it targeted young people and didn’t state that nicotine in its products was addictive, per The New York Times.
This story was updated with clarifying details provided by Juul.
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
