‘It’s Insidious’: How Juul Pitched E-Cigs to Native American Tribes

New Congressional documents reveal that e-cigarette maker Juul Labs pitched its products to at least eight Native American tribes, in a move tribal health advocates say is as disturbing as it is expected. “I always suspected that the targeting of tribes was more pervasive than we knew,” says Rae O’Leary, a public health analyst who founded the anti-tobacco Canli Coalition of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) and in July testified before Congress about Juul’s outreach to the CRST. “It’s saddening. The tobacco industry and the e-cigarette industry see us as a vulnerable population, one they can take advantage of.” The new documents, released Feb. 5 by the Congressional Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, build on O’Leary’s testimony, illustrating the extent to which Juul sought to implement “switching programs” and sales partnerships with numerous tribes—an approach that advocates and lawmakers find eerily reminiscent of Big Tobacco strategies. “Big Tobacco targeted Native Americans and caused them to have the highest rate of tobacco use in America,” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, chairman of the Subcommittee, said in a statement provided to TIME. “It is disturbing to see JUUL following in Big Tobacco’s footsteps by preying on Native American communities.” Juul did not respond to TIME’s request for comment. Smoking rates in the U.S. have declined dramatically in...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized E-Cigarettes public health Source Type: news