E-cigarette maker Juul said Wednesday that CEO Kevin Burns is leaving the company and that it is suspending all U.S. advertising for its products following a spate of deaths and illnesses linked to vaping as well as pressure from President Donald Trump.
Juul said in an announcement that Burns will be replaced by K.C. Crosthwaite, who was an executive at tobacco giant Altria, which holds a minority stake in Juul.
Crosthwaite said in a statement that there’s an “unacceptable levels of youth usage and eroding public confidence in our industry. Against that backdrop, we must strive to work with regulators, policymakers and other stakeholders, and earn the trust of the societies in which we operate. That includes inviting an open dialogue, listening to others and being responsive to their concerns.”
The San Francisco-based Juul said Wednesday that it is “suspending all broadcast, print and digital product advertising in the U.S.”
The company also said that it is “refraining from lobbying the Administration on its draft guidance and committing to fully support and comply with the final policy when effective.”
The Trump administration is preparing a ban on flavored e-cigarettes, which have become popular among young vapers. Juul’s statement on Wednesday suggests that it won’t try to fight the proposed ban.
Vaping has come under fire after a string of deaths linked to e-cigarettes. So far, at least nine deaths have been tied to vaping and e-cigarette use in the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control recently reported that there have been 530 cases of lung injury in the U.S. from individuals with a history of e-cigarette product use or vaping.
Trump has publicly criticized the youth craze for vaping, saying on Twitter: “While I like the Vaping alternative to Cigarettes, we need to make sure this alternative is SAFE for ALL! Let’s get counterfeits off the market, and keep young children from Vaping!”
While I like the Vaping alternative to Cigarettes, we need to make sure this alternative is SAFE for ALL! Let’s get counterfeits off the market, and keep young children from Vaping!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 13, 2019
The president recently said that he has discouraged his 13-year-old son, Barron, from vaping. “We haven’t told him anything but ‘don’t vape, don’t vape,'” he told reporters earlier this month. He credited First Lady Melania Trump for her interest in the issue.
Follow David Ng on Twitter @HeyItsDavidNg. Have a tip? Contact me at dng@breitbart.com
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.