The Juul CEO is being replaced by a tobacco executive


A tobacco executive is about to be in charge of Juul.
The e-cigarette company announced Wednesday CEO Kevin Burns is stepping down, amid growing concerns about deaths links to vaping and reports of a criminal investigation into the company, CNN reports.
Replacing Burns is K.C. Crosthwaite, chief growth officer for Altria, the tobacco company that bought a 35 percent stake in Juul last year, The New York Times reports. Juul is also yanking its broadcast, print, and digital advertising in the U.S., Politico reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This comes as the ninth vaping-related death nationwide was reported, and the Centers for Disease Control has confirmed 530 probable cases of lung injuries linked to e-cigarette use. Juul has been facing numerous investigations targeting its marketing practices allegedly aimed at teenagers, who reports have shown are using vape products in huge numbers, and California prosecutors are reportedly now conducting a criminal probe.
Juul has said its products are only intended for adults, specifically those trying to kick their addiction to cigarettes. For that reason, a tobacco company purchasing a stake in Juul last year certainly raised some eyebrows, Vox notes. On Wednesday, Crosthwaite said, "I have long believed in a future where adult smokers overwhelmingly choose alternative products like Juul."
President Trump announced earlier this month his administration intends to ban most flavored vaping products. Juul, which previously pulled mango and fruit flavored vape products, said Wednesday it won't lobby against this proposed ban, The Washington Post reports. Tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes would remain on the market.

Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.