Kansas to receive $10 million over several years under deal with vaping company Juul
Kansas will receive nearly $10 million under a multi-state settlement agreement with the electronic cigarette maker Juul Labs after the company was accused of using advertising that appealed to youth.
Juul agreed to pay $438.5 million following a two-year investigation by 33 states into the marketing of its vaping products. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who announced the state’s share of the settlement, said the money will be paid over six to 10 years.
“The multistate investigation revealed that JUUL became a dominant player in the vaping marking by willfully engaging in an advertising campaign that appealed to youth, even though its e-cigarettes are both illegal for them to purchase and are unhealthy for youth to use. The investigation found that JUUL relentlessly marketed to underage users with launch parties, advertisements using young and trendy-looking models, social media posts and free samples,” Schmidt’s office said in a statement.
Schmidt, the Republican candidate for governor, didn’t directly comment in the statement.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, a Democrat, announced the settlement earlier on Tuesday. Connecticut led the investigation.
Missouri was not listed among the 34 states that had signed onto the agreement.
The settlement, which includes numerous restrictions on how Juul can market its products, resolves one of the biggest legal threats facing the beleaguered company, which still faces nine separate lawsuits from other states. Additionally, Juul faces hundreds of personal lawsuits brought on behalf of teenagers and others who say they became addicted to the company’s vaping products.
While Juul’s early marketing focused on young, urban professionals, the company has since shifted to pitching its product as an alternative nicotine source for older smokers.
“We remain focused on our future as we fulfill our mission to transition adult smokers away from cigarettes — the number one cause of preventable death — while combating underage use,” the company said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed reporting
This story was originally published September 6, 2022 at 5:09 PM.
