Israel has banned the Juul e-cig device

Having met immense success in the USA, Juul electronic cigarettes are now banned on the Israeli market. The statement was made by Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu. This will most likely represent a huge obstacle to e-cigarette development in the country.

Benyamin Netanyahu has held a dual ministry position since 2024 as both the PM and the acting Minister for Health. Public health was the foundation for the decision taken to ban Juul e-cigs in the country. He stated that the device represented a “grave danger for public health”. In particular, the high nicotine content of the device was at fault, increasing the risk of addiction.

According to certain studies, nicotine strength on average in electronic cigarettes hovers around the range of 20 milligrams per millilitre of liquid. The Juul device goes far beyond this, in the 59 milligram range. This high difference was the basis for the Israeli authorities to enact the ban.

A ban implemented quickly

While most city vape shops in the country have already stocked the product, the ban will come into effect on September 3rd. The Prime Minister’s decision remains in line with the recommendations of the previous Minister for Health, Yaakov Litzman.

Juuls are all the rage in the USA, and the e-cig brand has just made its first appearance in the UK. The pod refills offered there have 1.7% in nicotine strength in order to comply with EU regulations. Given there is no similar regulation in Israel, the product sold in the country reaches 5% in nicotine strength.

The Juul is causing quite the scandal in the USA, considered highly addictive, in particular in younger populations. The company, estimated at 15 billion dollars in weight, has become one of the biggest e-cig companies in the USA. We will have to see if the UK changes its position on the subject. With this ban, the nicotine substitute product market could be seriously compromised in Israel.