Investigators from 39 states will look into the marketing and sales of vaping products by JUUL Labs, including whether the company targeted youths and made misleading claims about nicotine content in its devices, officials announced Tuesday.
Attorneys general from Nevada, Connecticut, Florida, Oregon and Texas said they will be leading the multi-state investigation into San Francisco-based JUUL, which also is facing numerous lawsuits by teenagers and others who say they became addicted to the company's vaping products.
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, along with the attorneys general of Connecticut, Florida, Oregon and Texas, announced the multi-state investigation on Tuesday.
“Preying on children and those looking for help to quit smoking is the one of the most despicable examples of risking people's lives for corporate profit," said AG Ford. "I'm proud my office is taking a leadership role in this multi-state investigation to get to the bottom of JUUL’s marketing and sales practices. Anyone found risking the health and safety of Nevadans, especially our children, will answer for their deception."
As of February 4, 2020, the AG's Office says there are 2,758 hospitalized cases of e-cigarette or vaping associated lung injury from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including seven cases in Nevada. There have been 64 confirmed deaths in 28 states and the District of Columbia.
JUUL released a statement saying it has halted television, print and digital advertising and eliminated most flavors in response to concerns by government officials and others.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
