Florida wins $79M settlement from JUUL: 'It's hurting our kids'

JUUL settles FL lawsuit for marketing to minors

FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer reports on Florida securing a $79M settlement from the e-cigarette company JUUL after a multi-year investigation and the lawsuit about the company’s past marketing practices.

TAMPA, Fla. - Florida has secured a $79M settlement from the e-cigarette company JUUL. It comes as a result of a multi-year investigation and the lawsuit Florida brought to halt the company’s past marketing practices.

JUUL Lawsuit

The backstory:

During a press conference on Monday, Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier said the state has been working over the last few years to investigate and enter into litigation with vaping or e-cigarette companies that engage in marketing to attract children to these products.

JUUL lawsuit settlement press conference

Attorney General James Uthmeier gives an update on Florida winning a $79M settlement from JUUL.

"While there is evidence that vaping can be a potentially healthier alternative to cigarettes, the reality is that it is very different," Uthmeier explained. "These vape sticks are very accessible. Kids can use them indoors and outdoors. They can easily store them in their pockets and possibly even have them in schools. It can be dangerous, and we’re still learning with every day that goes by about the negative health consequences on teens who engage in vaping."

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According to Uthmeier, studies show e-cigarettes can have negative consequences on teenage cardio-respiratory function, learning and memory and executive function.

He pointed out that a few years ago, a study showed that more than 35% of high school students and more than 16% of middle school students were using vape products.

File: Man vaping.

The state worked on a marketing campaign to better educate teens and families about the dangers of vaping. The attorney general’s office also began investigating companies engaged in these harmful marketing practices, engaged in advertising that can draw kids into using these devices.

Since those investigations were launched, he said JUUL began to reshape their business practices.

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Uthmeier said JUUL changed its practices, and this settlement will lock in the practices that they already put in place.

He added that JUUL has agreed not to take any action, directly or indirectly, to target youth in its advertising.

"They’ve agreed not to use models in advertising under 35 years old, will no longer have products or logos placed in TV or movies and they won’t apply their logo on apparel that’s used in marketing," Uthmeier said. "In short, JUUL has agreed to similar marketing prohibitions to those used in tobacco marketing generally."

Juul packages are seen on a shelf at Empire Smoke Shop on December 07, 2022 in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn borough in New York City. Juul Labs announced that it has agreed to settle about 5,000 lawsuits in a Northern California court case f

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Vape Free Florida Fund

What's next:

With the $79M settlement, Florida is starting the Vape Free Florida Fund.

"This fund will go to continued enforcement to protect our kids and hold companies accountable that want to market to our children in a way that could be harmful," Uthmeier shared.

Since the investigations began, Uthmeier said the number of teens using vape products has decreased.

As of 2024, Uthmeier said just over 20% of high school students and just over 11% of middle school students reported vaping.

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"We’re going to continue to fight back against this harmful advertising to attract our kids," Uthmeier stated. "It’s hurting our kids. We need to make sure we’re protecting them."

He said the state will be levying fines in short order against companies breaking the law by bringing these harmful products into our environment.

The other side:

In a statement to FOX 13, JUUL Lab's Chief Legal Officer Tyler Mace shared, "Our resolution with the State of Florida will fund efforts to urgently address the flood of illegal and untested e-vapor products into the U.S. market. Federal government data indicate that these illegal Chinese products continue to drive youth vaping use. Conversely, in 2024, underage use of JUUL products nationally was reported at one-half of one percent – a 98% reduction since 2019 – and we remain committed to combating underage use. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue our cooperation with Florida’s leaders to rid the market of these illegal Chinese vapes, and pave the way for a marketplace of high-quality, scientifically-validated American smoke-free alternatives for the nearly two million Floridian adults who continue to smoke."

The Source: This story was written with information presented by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier during a press conference in Tampa on Monday.

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