California sues Juul for allegedly marketing to young people

California is suing e-cigarette manufacturing giant Juul, alleging the company deliberately targeted young people through its advertising campaigns.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) announced the lawsuit Monday, alleging that the company’s early viral marketing campaigns led millions of American youth to start vaping without knowing the potential harms.

Becerra also said that Juul unlawfully failed to verify the age of California consumers and then sent marketing materials to minors who failed the company’s verification.

“Juul adopted the tobacco industry’s infamous playbook, employing advertisements that had no regard for public health and searching out vulnerable targets,” Becerra said in a statement. “We will hold JUUL and any other company that fuels a public health crisis accountable.”

North Carolina was the first state to sue Juul earlier this year, and the company is also facing numerous state and federal investigations about the role it played in what public health officials have called an “epidemic” of youth vaping. 

Separately, Juul is also facing a lawsuit accusing the company of knowingly putting 1 million tainted vaping pods on the market.

Juul has disputed allegations that it marketed to teens and in a statement noted that it has halted its advertising and removed most of its flavors from the market.

“We remain focused on resetting the vapor category in the U.S. and earning the trust of society by working cooperatively with attorneys general, regulators, public health officials, and other stakeholders to combat underage use and convert adult smokers from combustible cigarettes,” the company said.