|
 Josh Stein, the first state attorney general to sue Juul, said the
company's targeted marketing toward youth, while downplaying the
potential harm its products can cause, resulted in an "epidemic" of
vaping among minors.
Stein announced an investigation into Juul last October looking into
its marketing practices and retail partners.
Juul's e-cigarettes resemble USB flash drives and work by vaporizing
a nicotine-laced liquid.
Stein said he shared information from his investigation with other
states and would not be surprised if they followed North Carolina's
lead.
A Juul spokesman said the company had not yet reviewed the lawsuit,
but has been cooperating with Stein's office.
E-cigarette makers are already under pressure from the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), which laid out plans in March to clamp
down on the use of the popular nicotine devices among teens.
[to top of second column] |
Juul, in which Marlboro maker Altria Group has a 35 percent stake,
has already pulled popular flavors such as mango and cucumber from
retail store shelves and shut down its social media channels on
Instagram and Facebook.
Stein said he is requesting the North Carolina State Court to
require Juul to limit the flavors sold in the state and delete
customer data for those below 18. He also requested Juul pay civil
penalties.
(Reporting by Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
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