Patrick Beltran and Nick Minas, co-CEOs of Puff Bar, defend efforts to keep fruity flavors on U.S. market and outside of FDA’s purview
Two 27-year-old vaping entrepreneurs are the mystery men behind Puff Bar, the most popular e-cigarette brand among teens, which regulators have tried and failed to force off the U.S. market.
In interviews with The Wall Street Journal, the business partners discussed the brand’s popularity among young people and Puff Bar’s decision to reformulate its products with synthetic nicotine so they don’t fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“We’re doing everything we can to prevent underage usage,” said Patrick Beltran, who identified himself as co-owner and co-CEO of Puff Bar with his business partner Nick Minas. Mr. Beltran and Mr. Minas said the rise of youth vaping is the result of lax enforcement of smoke shops that they said are selling e-cigarettes to minors. They added that counterfeiters have contributed to the problem by flooding the market with Puff Bar fakes.
Mr. Minas said he and Mr. Beltran are co-CEOs and sole owners of the Puff Bar brand. Their ownership couldn’t be independently confirmed.
Jennifer Maloney – Wall Street Journal – 2021-10-11.
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