INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Juul Labs is today launching a pilot for its new Track Trace program, which is meant to use data to identify exactly how Juul devices wind
up in the hands of minors.Juul vaporizers all have a serial number down at the bottom, by the Juul logo
manufacture to distribution to retail to sale.
With Track Trace, Juul is calling upon parents, teachers and law enforcement officials to
come to the Juul Report web portal when they confiscate a device from a minor and input the serial number
Each time a device is input in the Track Trace system, Juul will open an investigation to understand how that minor wound up with that
device.In some cases, it may be an issue with a certain retail store knowingly selling to minors
In others, it may be a case of social sourcing, where someone over 21 years of age buys several devices and pods to then sell to minors.Juul
will then take next steps in investigating, such as talking to a store manager about the issue
It may also enhance its secret shopper program around a certain store or distributor where it sees there may be a spike in
sale/distribution, to youth to identify the source of the problem
older individuals (parents, teachers, etc.) pointing them to the portal
Of note: The ad campaign is geofenced to never be shown in or around a school, hopefully keeping the program a secret from young people
illegally using Juul.The company wants to learn more about how people use the portal and test the program in action before widening the
campaign around Track Trace
In other words, Juul vapes that are years old are likely not fully traceable in the program, but those purchased more recently should work
also made its own effort, removing non-tobacco and non-menthol flavored pods from all physical retail stores, enhancing their own purchasing
system online to ensure online buyers are 21+ and not buying in bulk, going after counterfeits and copycats posing as Juul products and
exiting its Facebook and Instagram accounts.But Juul Labs also committed to build technology-based solutions to prevent youth use of the
Co-founder and CPO James Monsees told TechCrunch at Disrupt SF that the company is working on Bluetooth products that would essentially make
the Juul device as smart as an iPhone or Android device, which could certainly help lock out folks under 21.However, the Track Trace
program is the first real technological step taken by the e-cig company
And it has been an expensive one
The company has spent more than $30 million to update its packaging, adjust printing standards, change manufacturing equipment and integrate
It has been edited for accuracy.
