The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on 17 July granted marketing authorization to Juul Labs’ original e-cigarette device and its tobacco and menthol refill cartridges, allowing the products to stay on the domestic market. The decision concludes a five-year scientific review and marks a sharp reversal of the agency’s 2022 order that sought to remove Juul from store shelves. In issuing the Marketing Granted Orders, the FDA said the company’s application met the statutory bar of being “appropriate for the protection of public health,” indicating that evidence showed a net benefit to adult smokers who switch completely from combustible cigarettes. The authorization does not cover fruit or candy flavors that have been linked to youth vaping, and the agency said it could withdraw the clearance if under-age use rises. The ruling provides badly needed stability for Juul, once valued at more than $13 billion but battered by regulatory scrutiny and litigation. The company paid about $300 million to resolve a federal class-action case and agreed to a $438.5 million settlement with 33 states and Puerto Rico in 2022 over allegations it marketed to teenagers. Juul said the authorization validates the “rigorous” data it submitted and positions the firm to focus on “responsible growth.” Altria Group, which holds a 35% stake in Juul, fell 1.6% in New York trading after the news, while Philip Morris International slipped 2.4%. The authorization makes Juul one of only a handful of vape brands permitted to sell menthol products in the United States, potentially reshaping competition in the $6 billion U.S. e-cigarette market.