39 states investigate Juul’s marketing of vaping products

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Investigators from 39 states announced on Tuesday that they were investigating Juul Labs, a San Francisco-based vaping product manufacturer. The investigation will focus on whether the company targeted youths with its marketing efforts and made misleading claims about the nicotine content in its vaping devices. Connecticut, Florida, Nevada, Oregon, and Texas attorneys general will lead this multistate investigation.

The scrutiny of Juul comes amid lawsuits filed by teenagers and others who claim they became addicted to the company's vaping products. Moreover, the investigation will examine Juul's claims regarding the safety, effectiveness, and risk of vaping products for smoking cessation.

Juul's claims regarding the safety

According to government officials and other stakeholders, Juul Labs has halted television, print, and digital advertising as a result of government concerns and removed the majority of flavours from its products. Attorneys general, regulators, public health officials, and other stakeholders will be part of the company's efforts to address concerns about underage vaping.

The investigation is part of a broader effort to protect public health and address the increasing prevalence of underage vaping, which some state officials consider a public health epidemic. In order to safeguard public health, the attorneys general involved in the investigation have stated that they will follow the facts and take appropriate action.

As a result of company records that allegedly showed Juul Labs purchased advertisements on websites targeted at teenagers and children, such as Seventeen.com, Nickjr.com, and Cartoonnetwork.com, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey filed a lawsuit against Juul Labs. A lawsuit filed this month accuses Juul of targeting minors.

California, for example, sued Juul Labs in November, alleging the company deliberately marketed and sold its flavoured nicotine products to teenagers. This lawsuit isn't an isolated case; other states have taken legal action against Juul as well. In addition to using bright colors and young models in its advertisements to attract underage users, Juul did not adequately verify the ages and identities of its customers online.

These legal actions reflect growing concerns over the impact of vaping on youth and the potential role of aggressive marketing by companies such as Juul in fueling the youth vaping epidemic. Aiming to address the issue of underage vaping, state authorities seek accountability from the company to protect public health.