Statewide, Iowa — The president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids applauds the recent FDA ruling that banned Juul vaping products from the US, but he says the damage is already done in states like Iowa. Matt Myers says in almost every category, Iowa’s youth smoking rates are well above the national average and it’s going to take serious work to reduce what he’s calling an epidemic.
Juul’s role in driving the youth e-cigarette craze is clear, according to Myers. He says the company introduced a sleek, easy-to-hide product that was sold in appealing flavors which delivered massive doses of nicotine that can quickly addict kids.
With slick marketing campaigns that focused on teens, Myers says Juul is largely to blame for e-cigarette use among high school students rocketing between 2017 to 2019.
While the FDA order specifically named Juul, Myers remains hopeful it will serve as a warning to other vaping product makers.
The youth e-cigarette epidemic is a public health crisis which Myers says Juul, more than any other product or company, is responsible for creating. He says removing these products from the market is “absolutely critical” to reversing the trend.
