The Science of E-Vapor
The majority of adults who smoke who are open to innovative tobacco products are looking for an inhalable option, including e-vapor products. E-vapor products remain the most successful category in transitioning adults who smoke away from cigarettes.
E-Vapor or Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) products are a diverse and innovative tobacco product category which holds promise for harm reduction. Unlike cigarettes which contain tobacco and produce smoke, e-vapor products heat a nicotine-containing liquid to produce an aerosol that is inhaled by the adult tobacco consumer. The nicotine-containing liquid contains tobacco-derived nicotine, as well as varying compositions of flavorings, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin and other ingredients.
We participate in the e-vapor category through our wholly-owned subsidiary NJOY, LLC. NJOY® ACE and NJOY® Daily were the first e-vapor products to receive marketing granted orders from the FDA for both tobacco and menthol variants.
Since nicotine is delivered without combustion, e-vapor products have the potential to significantly reduce exposure to the toxic constituents in cigarette smoke. FDA has acknowledged the existence of a continuum of risk among nicotine and nicotine-related products, and that e-vapor products may have a positive impact on public health. In fact, the Center for Tobacco Products has acknowledged that "if an adult smoker were to transition completely from a cigarette to an e-cigarette that would be a benefit to their health."1
A growing body of evidence shows that e-vapor products are an effective way to help adults who smoke transition away from cigarettes and can be more effective than commonly used cessation products like nicotine replacement therapy (NRTs). For example:
- A January 2024 Cochrane review, co-led by researchers from the University of Oxford concluded, "There is high‐certainty evidence that ECs with nicotine increase quit rates compared to NRT."2
- A February 2024 publication in New England Journal of Medicine concluded from a randomized controlled trial, "The addition of e-cigarettes to standard smoking-cessation counseling resulted in greater abstinence from tobacco use among smokers than smoking-cessation counseling alone."3
- A February 2023 paper published in Nature Medicine by tobacco cessation researchers noted, "There is abundant evidence that e-cigarettes can help some individuals to quit smoking, so they should be more widely recommended as smoking cessation aids."4
- In the United Kingdom, the National Health Service shares information about, and recommends, e-cigarettes to adults who smoke to support transitioning away from cigarettes, "Nicotine vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking. It's also one of the most effective tools for quitting smoking."5
NJOY ACE and NJOY DAILY
In 2022, NJOY received marketing granted orders (MGOs) for the following six products:
- NJOY ACE e-vapor device
- NJOY ACE Pod classic tobacco, 2.4% and 5.0% nicotine by weight
- NJOY ACE Pod rich tobacco, 5.0% nicotine by weight
- NJOY DAILY rich tobacco, 4.5% nicotine by weight
- NJOY DAILY Extra rich tobacco, 6.0% nicotine by weight
In June 2024, FDA authorized the first and only menthol e-vapor products to date. NJOY received MGOS for the following four products:
- NJOY ACE Pod menthol, 2.4% and 5.0% nicotine by weight
- NJOY DAILY menthol, 4.5% nicotine by weight
- NJOY DAILY Extra menthol, 6.0% nicotine by weight
NJOY ACE 2.0 Featuring Bluetooth®-enabled Access Restriction Technology
While the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey data shows limited youth usage of NJOY products6, we continue to invest in innovation to help ensure NJOY products are used only by adults. In May 2024, NJOY filed a supplemental Premarket Tobacco Product Application to commercialize and market the NJOY ACE 2.0 device. This new device incorporates access restriction technology designed to prevent underage use via Bluetooth® connectivity to authenticate the user before unlocking the device. The company also re-submitted PMTAs for Blueberry and Watermelon pod products that work exclusively with the NJOY ACE 2.0 device.
Our science about e-vapor tobacco products is guided by Altria’s Framework for Reduced Harm Products. You can learn more about each of the six sections of the framework and the scientific evidence that supports this product category below:
Population Harm Reduction
Impact on the Population