FDA Delays Decision on E-Cigarettes From Vaping Giant Juul

WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal health officials have delayed a high-stakes decision on whether to permit bestselling vaping brand Juul to stay on the market.

At the same time, the agency banned thousands of lesser-known electronic cigarettes and related products from store shelves.

Parents, politicians, and anti-tobacco advocates have pressured the Food and Drug Administration for years to ban Juul’s high-nicotine devices, which many blame for the recent spike in underage vaping.

Thursday’s action is part of a sweeping FDA review designed to bring scientific scrutiny to the multibillion-dollar vaping industry after years of delays.

The FDA faced a court deadline Thursday to issue decisions on applications from Juul and hundreds of other companies.