WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (July 1, 2024) — R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company (RJRVC), a subsidiary of British American Tobacco (BAT), has announced the launch of SENSA, a new line of nicotine-free disposable Vapes. These innovative products are available in six non-tobacco flavors and aim to cater to adult tobacco and vapor consumers.
Sensa Disposable Vape Features:
- 10ml Capacity
- Puff Count: ~5000 Puffs
- Boost Mode Button
- 0mg Nicotine
- On-Off Button
- 3-Click “Child Proof” Lock
- Removable Battery
- USB-C Charging
- LED Battery Life Indicator
Unlike its nicotine-containing counterparts, SENSA will not be sold under the Vuse brand. Instead, it will introduce its own identity within the marketplace. Despite the absence of nicotine, SENSA will be marketed with the same restrictions as Vuse products, ensuring that sales are limited to customers aged 21 and older. Additionally, SENSA products will be displayed alongside other age-restricted items in stores.
SENSA Vapes are designed to provide “5,000 seconds of puffs” and come with a removable battery to facilitate recycling. Retailing at $19.99, they are positioned at a higher price point compared to most popular disposable vapes.
Regulatory Position
Reynolds is not seeking FDA authorization for SENSA, asserting that the product falls outside the FDA’s jurisdiction. The 2016 Deeming Rule defines zero-nicotine e-liquid as a tobacco product due to its potential for nicotine modification. However, the FDA has previously acknowledged that sealed, nicotine-free devices like disposables or pods might not fall under its authority.
Market and Flavors
There has been a small but growing market for nicotine-free vapes, which Reynolds claims now constitutes 1-2 percent of the convenience store/gas station segment. SENSA flavors include watermelon frost, passionfruit frost, and berry fusion. While these flavors resemble those found in nicotine-containing vapes, often criticized by the FDA for their youth appeal, Reynolds maintains that SENSA is intended solely for adult consumers and does not include flavors aimed at underage users.
Industry Impact
Reynolds has previously criticized other companies’ flavored disposable vapes, labeling their “dessert and candy flavors” as a risk to youth and a public health danger. The company has even suggested that some products could be “laced with fentanyl,” underscoring the potential hazards.
Despite this, Reynolds’ parent company, BAT, continues to sell flavored nicotine-containing disposable vapes under the Vuse brand in other countries.
