Juul Reaches $462M Settlement With State AGs
NEW YORK — Juul Labs Inc. has agreed to pay $462 million to six states and the District of Columbia to end litigation over claims it deliberately marketed its e-cigarette products to adolescents, fueling the nation’s vaping crisis.
The settlement, which was announced during a lunch hour press conference by New York Attorney General Letitia James, is the largest in a series of deals the company has struck with prosecutors in cities and states across the country.
In addition to New York, the other states party to the settlement agreement are California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico and the District of Columbia.
“Juul lit a nationwide public health crisis by putting addictive products in the hands of minors and convincing them that it’s harmless — today they are paying the price for the harm they caused,” James said as she announced the settlement.
“Too many young New Yorkers are struggling to quit vaping and there is no doubt that Juul played a central role in the nationwide vaping epidemic,” she continued.
“Today’s agreement will help young New Yorkers put their vapes down for good and ensure that future generations understand the harms of vaping. I thank my fellow attorneys general for their collaboration on this effort to protect the health and well-being of our communities,” she said.
With Wednesday’s announcement, Juul has reached settlements with 47 states and territories and 5,000 individuals and local governments.
The company is currently in court in Minnesota, one of the few states it hasn’t been able to reach a settlement with.
A spokesman for Juul said the settlement announced Wednesday represents a near “total resolution of the company’s historical legal challenges and securing certainty for our future.”
Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue
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