In its first authorization of an e-cigarette product, the Food and Drug Administration announced that Vuse Solo, made by R.J. Reynolds, can continue to be sold in tobacco flavor, but it denied 10 unspecified Vuse Solo flavors and made no decision on its menthol e-cigarette.
While this action marks a step forward in the long-delayed review of e-cigarettes, it’s important to note that Vuse Solo has no significant market share, according to Nielsen sales data as of June 2021.
Vuse Alto, the brand most competitive to market leader JUUL, accounts for nearly 95% of Vuse sales and remains on the market without FDA authorization. The decision raises important concerns about continued youth use (Vuse, presumably the popular Alto version, is the no. 2 e-cigarette brand used by high school students), high nicotine levels, and whether these products will help smokers quit combustible cigarettes. The authorization of Vuse Solo also permits it to be marketed fairly broadly, including via online sales, TV, digital and social paid advertising, the use of influencers and at youth-centric live events – tactics that are restricted for cigarette and smokeless tobacco brands.
Truth Initiative – 2021-10-18.
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