The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating Puff Bar, an e-cigarette seller, after it began selling fruit-flavor disposable vaporizers on its website despite an FDA ban.
The agency put a ban on fruity e-cigarettes due to the high popularity of the addictive substance among teenagers. Puff Bar changed their e-cigarettes by using tobacco-free nicotine to get around the ban, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The FDA told The Hill that it is investigating the new move by Puff Bar and did not say if the tobacco-free nicotine was enough to get around the FDA’s ban.
“The FDA is aware that Puff Bar’s web site says that they are offering products for sale with claims they contain ‘tobacco-free nicotine,’” the spokesperson said.
The agency ordered a ban on fruity vaping products last July under the Trump administration, targeting Puff Bar and nine other companies. They said the companies never got permission to sell the product and that it was negatively affecting young people.
Puff Bar resumed sales in February with its new tobacco-free nicotine. Its website says it is selling 10 fruity flavors including watermelon, mango peach and strawberry banana.
The tobacco-free nicotine could help the company’s sales after it saw a drop due to FDA restrictions, though its revenue could be impacted by the results of the FDA’s investigation.
In January, former President Trump’s administration banned fruity pod flavors, but not tobacco and methanal. The move was to allow independent vape shops to reopen while taking away popular flavors for teens.
The Hill has reached out to the FDA and Puff Bar for comment.