The firm has also announced it will withdraw all US advertising. Burns will be replaced immediately by KC Crosthwaite, former chief growth officer at tobacco giant Altria, Juul said.
Altria invested $12.8billion for a 35 per cent stake in Juul late last year and Crosthwaite will continue 'a broad review of the company's practices and policies to ensure alignment with its aim of responsible leadership within the industry', Juul said in a statement.
At the same time, Altria said its merger talks with fellow cigarette-maker Phillip Morris would not move forward.
Mr Burns said: "Since joining Juul Labs, I have worked non-stop, helping turn a small firm into a worldwide business, so a few weeks ago I decided that now was the right time for me to step down."
The growing backlash against Juul and other companies that produce vaping products has reached a global scale with China being the latest country to announce plans to join governments that are imposing controls on tobacco liquid and additives for e-cigarettes amid rising concerns about deaths and illnesses blamed on vaping.
So far, in a month, nine people have died by a mysterious illnesses caused by vaping in the US.
Injuries :
The crackdown on Juul, which dominates the US e-cigarette market, follows a spate of serious lung injuries in the US linked to vaping.Health authorities have not blamed the outbreak, in which nine people have died and more than 530 people been taken ill, on any one product.
Most of the patients had a history of using vaping products that contain THC, the chemical in marijuana, they said.However, the injuries have raised alarm, especially in conjunction with surging rates of teen vaping.
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