Juul to Pay $38 Million in Settlement with Pennsylvania

Juul has agreed to pay $38 million to settle with the state of Pennsylvania, after the attorney general's office accused Juul of deceiving consumers about the safety of its electronic cigarettes for teenagers.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro filed a lawsuit against Juul in 2020, accusing the e-cigarette manufacturer of targeting young people using marketing strategies similar to tobacco companies and violating the state's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Laws.

The announced settlement terms on Monday limit Juul's marketing and advertising practices in Pennsylvania.

Juul is prohibited from selling to minors, posting advertisements within 1,000 feet of schools, and claiming that its products are safer than combustible tobacco products in Pennsylvania. Furthermore, Juul is restricted from selling its products online.

The $38.8 million paid in the settlement agreement will be used by the Pennsylvania Department of Health to fund a project aimed at reducing the harm of litigated charges.

When filing the lawsuit, the Department of Health stated that there have been 61 confirmed cases and 59 suspected cases of e-cigarette product-related lung injuries in Pennsylvania. Over the past 30 days, roughly 13% of students in Pennsylvania have used e-cigarettes, and the settlement is seen as just the beginning of efforts to keep kids safe from the dangers of vaping.

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