Juul to Pay Nearly $440 Million to Settle States ’ Teen Vaping Probe

HARTFORD, Conn. — Electronic cigarette maker Juul Labs will pay nearly $440 million to settle a two-year investigation by 33 states into the marketing of its high-nicotine vaping products, which have long been blamed for sparking a national surge in teen vaping. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced the deal Tuesday on behalf of the states plus Puerto Rico, which joined together in 2020 to probe Juul’s early promotions and claims about the safety and benefits of its technology as a smoking alternative. The settlement resolves one of the biggest legal threats facing the beleaguered company, which still faces nine separate lawsuits from other states. Additionally, Juul faces hundreds of personal suits brought on behalf of teenagers and others who say they became addicted to the company’s vaping products. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] The state investigation found that Juul marketed its e-cigarettes to underage teens with launch parties, product giveaways and ads and social media posts using youthful models, according to a statement. “Through this settlement, we have secured hundreds of millions of dollars to help reduce nicotine use and forced Juul to accept a series of strict injunctive terms to end youth marketing and crack down on underage sales,” Tong said in a press release. Read More: ‘It’s Insidious’: How Juul Pitched E-Cigs to Native American Tribes The $438.5 million will be paid out over a pe...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Vaping wire Source Type: news