Agency tells retailers not to sell Juul to kids

WASHINGTON — Federal health officials on Tuesday announced a nationwide crackdown on underage use of a popular e-cigarette brand following months of complaints from parents, politicians and school administrators.

The Food and Drug Administration issued warnings to 40 retail and online stores as part of a monthlong operation against illegal sales of Juul to children. Investigators targeted 7-Eleven locations, Shell gas stations and Cumberland Farms convenience stores as well as vaping shops.

FDA regulators also asked manufacturer Juul Labs to turn over documents about the design, marketing and ingredients of its product. The rare request focuses on whether certain product features are aimed at young people.

Like other e-cigarettes, Juul is an electronic device that turns liquid — usually containing nicotine — into a vapor that can be inhaled.

Thanks in part to its resemblance to a small computer flash drive, Juul has become popular with some teenagers as a discreet way to vape at school and in public. Parents, teachers and principals say they are struggling to control the booming trend.

“The bathroom is the main source of it,” said Maureen Byrne, the principal of Dublin High School near San Francisco. “As students become more comfortable, we have seen it in classrooms and on campus even out in the open.”

Health advocates have worried about the popularity of vaping products among kids and the potential impact on adult smoking rates in the future. A recent government report found “substantial evidence” that young people who use e-cigarettes are more likely to try cigarettes.

The San Francisco-based company said it agrees with the FDA that underage use of its products is “unacceptable.”

RICHARD B. LEVINE/TNS Juul e-cigarettes have become popular among young people, including those too young to buy or use the devices.