Dive Brief:
- Glas, a vape company, has received marketing authorization for four flavored pods from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to an announcement from the federal agency on Tuesday.
- The approval included Glas’s Classic Menthol and Fresh Menthol pods, as well as two fruit-flavored products — Gold, which is mango flavored, and Sapphire, which is blueberry flavored. All four have 50 milligrams per milliliter of nicotine.
- This marks the first time the FDA has given marketing approval to fruit-flavored vapes.
Dive Insight:
Flavored vapes have had a difficult time earning regulatory approval, due in part to the fear that sweeter vaping flavors could appeal more to children. In the 2024 version of the Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey, almost 90% of youths who vaped used flavored liquid, with fruit flavors being most popular. The FDA did not approve a menthol pod until 2024.
This new round of approvals seems to signal that no flavors are unilaterally off the table and could open the door for popular brands like Geek Bar and Breeze.
Age restriction technology in the Glas G² device “is expected to effectively mitigate the ability of youth to use the product,” the FDA said. Users must verify their age when initially pairing the device with a phone. The device will not work if it’s too far from the smartphone, and the device also conducts random biometric checks.
“By helping to prevent youth use, device access restrictions are a potential game changer,” said Bret Koplow, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, in the announcement. “This technology is also an indication of the role innovation may serve in the effort to protect young people from threats posed by nicotine use and addiction while helping to enable availability of an expanded array of flavored options for adults.”
In addition to these four pods and the device, Glas has one other pod approved for marketing, Blond Tobacco. The other brands that have received marketing approval for vaping products are Juul, NJoy, Vuse and Logic.
