Maker of Vuse and Camel Cigarettes, R.J. Reynolds, Gets New FDA Ruling
In 2015, the FDA ordered R.J. Reynolds, the company behind Camel cigarettes and Vuse e-cigarettes, to stop selling four of its cigarette products. The agency found that the products violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Which products were pulled
The four were Camel Crush Bold, Vantage Tech 13 and two Pall Mall recessed-filter cigarettes, one of them menthol. Regulators concluded that each had different characteristics from the older product it was compared with, meaning its composition had changed.
The ruling meant the four products could no longer be sold, distributed, marketed or imported in the US.
Why the FDA acted
Under a 2009 federal tobacco law, companies with tobacco products introduced after February 15, 2007, had to show the FDA that those products were substantially equivalent to products already on the market in 2007, with applications due by March 2011.
For Camel Crush Bold, the FDA found that the product R.J. Reynolds had compared it with, Kool Filter Kings, did not have the same menthol capsule. Mitch Zeller, then director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, said the new ingredients and higher menthol levels raised questions for the agency.
What it meant for smokers
We asked readers who smoked those brands whether it was time for a change. Health agencies were weighing in on e-cigarettes at the time, and they did not always agree. That’s still true, so the careful version applies: nicotine is addictive, no vaping product is FDA-approved as a quit-smoking aid, and adults who smoke and are considering switching should talk to a doctor.
Where things stand now
Since the FDA’s deeming rule took effect in 2016, the agency’s tobacco authority covers e-cigarettes too. Vaping products need FDA marketing authorization through the PMTA process, and many are still under review. Federal law has set the minimum age for all tobacco and vaping products at 21 since December 2019. For current requirements, visit fda.gov or read our history of the deeming rule.
WARNING: This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. For adults 21+ only.