The FDA is reportedly set to ban Juul e-cigarettes

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US health officials are planning to ban Juul Labs e-cigarettes, according to a recent report from The Wall Street Journal.

The Food and Drug Administration could announce the order for Juul Labs to take its e-cigarettes off the market as soon as Wednesday, sources familiar with the issue told The Journal.

Spokespeople for the FDA and Juul Labs did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

The e-cigarette brand gained popularity in 2017, following a large social campaign. The brand became known for its fruity flavors and faced FDA scrutiny over concerns its marketing campaign was targeting minors.

Surveys from Truth Initiative found the brand was most popular with individuals under the age of 18. Last year, an FDA study estimated that over 2 million US middle school and high school student used e-cigarettes in 2021.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that nicotine exposure from e-cigarettes can harm brain development in young adults. The products can also contain chemicals, including heavy metals and cancer-causing elements, that are harmful to the lungs, the CDC said on its website.

In 2019, Juul Labs stopped selling fruity flavored e-cigarettes and cut back on its ad campaign. Sales of the brand have fallen in recent years. Between 2018 and 2021, the company’s value plunged from $38 billion to less than $5 billion. The company’s market share dropped from 75% in 2018 to about 42% last year as other brands nosed into the $18 billion market.

Shares of Marlboro-maker Altra, which owns a 35% stake in Juul, fell more than 8% in trading Wednesday morning following the report.