Vaping in Question

Special to the Chronicle

E-cigarette maker Juul is conducting clinical product trials for federal officials.

It hopes the results will convince the Food & Drug Administration to let it continue to sell its mango, mint and menthol flavors.

Juul voluntarily halted selling its sweet and fruity flavors under pressure from regulators who blame it for a rise in underage vaping.

Juul has said little about plans to open a $125 million Lexington County plant.

Lexington County officials have been silent, too.

Tobacco giant Reynolds American submitted an application for its Vuse e-cigarettes to the FDA, This gave it a head start on other major e-cigarette makers in seeking permission to continue selling its products.

NJOY, the No. 2 maker, aims to submit its application in January.

The Reynolds filing of more than 150,000 pages, gives it a jump on Juul.

The FDA has given e-cigarette makers until May 2020 to submit products they want to keep selling.

The FDA plans to pull all e-cigarettes other than those that taste like tobacco to curb a rise in teen vaping.

Vaping-related illness is on the rise partly due to a black market of THC and other ingredients that are used to get high with vaping. Many get sick and some have died.

THC is a marijuana ingredient that produces highs.