FDA raid targets e-cigarette maker

The Food and Drug Administration seized more than 1,000 pages of documents in a surprise inspection of e-cigarette maker Juul Labs, the latest indication of an intensifying crackdown on underage use of e-cigarettes.

The agency, in a statement Tuesday, said that last week's inspection of Juul's corporate headquarters in San Francisco was part of an effort to seek "further documentation related to Juul's sales and marketing practices."

The Juul product, which is sleek and shaped like a USB drive, has surged in popularity, including among high school students. Critics say some of the e-liquid flavors, including mango, fruit and creme, make the product especially appealing to minors.

Also Tuesday, Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, wrote to the FDA asking it to immediately ban e-cigarette flavorings that appeal to children and to restrict online sales of nicotine products.

In a statement Tuesday, Juul Labs' chief executive Kevin Burns said that the company is "committed to preventing underage use, and we want to engage with FDA, lawmakers, public health advocates and others to keep Juul out of the hands of young people."

Business on 10/03/2018

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