Is Juul making a comeback? Embattled vape company readies new device with age-verification tech

After being buried in lawsuits in recent years accusing Juul Labs of contributing to underage vaping and tobacco use, it may have been safe to assume that the e-cig company’s future went up in smoke. Evidently, not so. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered a ban on its products, and the company agreed to a $462 million settlement, Juul’s products remain somewhat in limbo. Juul devices can still be purchased in the U.S. as a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the FDA’s order. And Juul is now asking the federal government to approve a new e-cigarette that can verify a user’s age—and prevent users from refilling it with unauthorized or counterfeit cartridges.

In effect, Juul’s new vaping device can connect to a smartphone or web app and use third-party verification tools to make sure users are of the appropriate age. The company submitted its application to the FDA on Wednesday—and is awaiting government approval to keep its products on the market in the U.S. The new device is already on sale in other countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada.

“Our company DNA is product innovation. With our next-generation platform, we have designed a technological solution for two public-health problems: improving adult-smoker switching from combustible cigarettes and restricting underage access to vapor products,” said Kirk Phelps, Juul Labs’ chief product officer in a statement. “This is only the beginning of new tech being developed and refined for the U.S. market and abroad to eliminate combustible cigarettes and combat underage use.”

The next-gen vape’s flashiest new capability is likely its age-verification abilities, but there are additional upgrades, including the “Pod ID” chip that the company says will prevent users from utilizing “illicit counterfeit and compatible pods with the next-generation device.” Further, it’ll include a new heating element, and a “smart light system” informing users of battery and e-liquid levels.

Juul’s chief regulatory officer, Joe Murillo, suggests in the company’s statement that the new device will be an upgrade over previous designs in an effort to ensure it makes it to the market in the U.S. “Our next-generation vapor platform PMTA is built on new technology that advances public-health objectives and compelling science that demonstrates a clear public-health benefit, as required to secure a marketing authorization,” he said. “We look forward to engaging with FDA throughout the review process while we pursue this important harm-reduction opportunity.”