Kevin Burns, CEO of Juul Labs, sent a message to parents of children who vape, "I'm sorry"

• Juul's CEO, Kevin Burns, told CNBC that he was "sorry" if the kids were using the e-cigarette manufacturer's vaping products.
• The executive said that e-cigarettes are not aimed at young people, although critics say the company's ads target teenagers.
• In June, San Francisco became the first US city to ban the manufacture and sale of electronic cigarettes.

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Juul Labs CEO Kevin Burns sent a message to parents of dependent youth about his company's products: "I'm sorry."

Burns issued an unusual apology during a visit to a Juul factory with CNBC, which airs a documentary about vaping Monday night. When asked how he would defend his company's products with a parent of a child addicted to vaping, Mr. Burns replied, "First of all, I would tell them that I am sorry that their child uses the product. "

He added, "This is not meant for them, I hope nothing we have done has made it attractive."

Critics say Juul targeted the miners through advertisements touting sweet and fruity flavors and using younger models. According to a recent government survey, more than one in five high school students admitted to having used an electronic cigarette in the last 30 days, an increase of more than 77% since 2017. This is worrying parents, schools and health experts.

Juul has taken steps to limit his appeal to teenagers. Last year, the company closed its Facebook and Instagram accounts and also cut the supply of some flavored pods to more than 90,000 retailers.

Burns said Juul's electronic products help smokers quit normal cigarettes. "We have a significant impact on reducing cigarette consumption in the United States," he told CNBC.

But others are not so sure. Former Commissioner and Food and Drug Administration physician Scott Gottlieb told the network that many consumers were not completely smoke-free.

"They have a dual purpose, and we are not sure it brings a health benefit," he said.

San Francisco – where the seat of Juul is – takes a stand against vaping. In June, it became the first city in the country to impose a total ban on electronic cigarettes, including the manufacture and sale of vaping products.

Juul, which is owned in part by the Altria tobacco company, was split as a separate company from the evaporator manufacturer Pax Labs in 2017. Juul had a turnover of about $ 2 billion last year and held approximately 72% of the rapidly growing steam market.