Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a $79 million litigation settlement with JUUL Labs, Inc., on Monday, after the e-cigarette company's past tactics targeted children in Florida.
“As a father, the safety and wellbeing of children is top of mind, all the time. Florida has been a leader in the fight to end teen vaping, and I’m proud to announce this monumental settlement with JUUL," Uthmeier said in a news release. “However, our work continues—which is why I am establishing the Vape Free Florida Fund, which allocates $30 million of the settlement funds toward enforcement of Florida’s laws protecting children from harmful marketing and products.”
According to the settlement, JUUL Labs, Inc. will not "take any action to reach youth in Florida in the advertising, promotion, or marketing of JUUL products."
The Attorney General's Office previously filed a lawsuit saying the company's marketing of its nicotine products was aimed at children. The litigation alleged that JUUL created vapes easily hidden from parents by children and sold nicotine flavors susceptible to young users.
As part of the settlement, JUUL agreed not to take any further action to target children in its advertising and promotion in the state.
The agreement includes the following promises from JUUL:
- Using models under the age of 35 in its advertising
- Using cartoons or brand names in its advertising
- Having a product placed on TV or movies
- Use of billboards in Florida
State lawmakers have sought to crack down on illegal vape products, including specifically against children. Florida's congressional leaders have been equally as critical.
"The goal is to keep our children safe. Florida has the distinction of being the number one state in the country for illegal and illicit vapes," Sen. Keith Perry said last year. "More than 363 million dollars in illegal vapes were sold in Florida last year, and most of those were marketed to and designed to hook kids with bright colors and candy or fruit flavors."
