FDA signals crackdown on flavored cigars to reduce youth tobacco use

Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, signaled Tuesday that the agency plans action against flavored cigars - products that are especially popular among African American teens - as part of an aggressive effort to reduce underage vaping and smoking expected to be announced this week.

His comments came on the same day that Juul Labs announced it would stop selling most of its flavored e-cigarette pods - specifically, mango, fruit, creme, and cucumber - in 90,000 retail outlets, including convenience stores and vape shops. The company also said it would halt its social media promotions of the products.

The announcement by Juul, which is hugely popular among young people and controls more than 70 percent of the e-gigarette market, occurred as that FDA prepared a major anti-tobacco initiative involving flavored e-cigarettes, traditional menthol cigarettes, and flavored cigars.