Juul will pay $438.5 million to states over youth vaping investigation

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

The marketing practices that led to the teen and youth vaping crisis will be paid for by Juul.

The Connecticut Attorney General said in a statement that theJUUL advertising campaigns created a new generation of nicotine addiction. The two-year investigation found that the company hid the amount of nicotine in its devices and marketed to people under the age of 18.

The company won't fund education programs, include people under 35 in marketing, or give out free samples as a result of the settlement. The settlement is a significant part of our ongoing commitment to resolve issues from the past, and the restrictions are in line with its current practices.

Juul said in its statement that it is focused on transitioning adult smokers to e-liquid and away from cigarettes. In June, the FDA rejected the company's application to sell e-cigarettes in the US and ordered it to stop selling them. A federal judge said the products could stay on the market while additional evaluation is done.

Users who say they were harmed by the company's products are among the many lawsuits the company is facing.

Regulators blamed Juul's marketing practices for hooking a new generation of nicotine users. All flavors other than tobacco and menthol were taken off the market in 2019. Teens are more interested in disposable e-cigarettes now that its popularity has declined.

During a press briefing, Tong said that today's statement wouldn't stop youth from using e-cigs. It will distribute 25% of the company's US sales to 34 states and territories after it's finalized. A large chunk of what was once a market leader has been taken out by us.