JUUL restricts flavors and asks social media companies to crack down on vape posts

Is this the end of JUUL memes?

JUUL announced a number of new measures to try to prevent teens from using its products on Tuesday.

Notably, it will stop allowing retailers to sell flavored pods until they install advanced age verification software from JUUL. The company is also discontinuing its own Facebook and Instagram accounts, and has asked social media companies to help remove youth-oriented JUUL content from its platforms — including the prohibition of posts depicting JUULing and vaping by underage users. 

The new initiatives come days after it was reported that the FDA would prohibit convenience stores and gas stations from selling flavored pods. Rather than wait for FDA enforcement, JUUL has apparently taken proactive measures that go further than the FDA's new policy. The FDA would have allowed tobacco and specialty vape shops to continue selling flavored pods, while JUUL's new retailer policy will only allow this if the shops use JUUL's Social Security number-matching age verification software. Read more...