TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody today took legal action against JUUL Labs, Inc. alleging that Juul’s advertising practices willfully targeted children in an attempt to induce them to use the company’s nicotine products. The filed action states that Juul relentlessly marketed to underage users with launch parties, advertisements using trendy and young models, social media posts and free samples.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Exploiting our children and jeopardizing their health for financial gain is illegal and immoral. Juul cannot sweep its role in creating the teen vaping epidemic under the rug. As Florida’s Attorney General, and a mother, I will not allow Juul, or any other vaping business, to violate the law and target our children with products that are addictive and particularly harmful to their still-developing minds and bodies.”
Attorney General Moody’s legal action alleges that Juul created a technology-focused vaping device that could be easily concealed from parents by children and sold its nicotine products in flavors known to be attractive to underage users. According to the filing, Juul also manipulated the chemical composition of its product to make the vapor less harsh on the throats of the young and inexperienced consumers it courted. To preserve the company’s young customer base, Juul relied on age-verification techniques that it knew, or should have known, were ineffective. Juul’s actions allegedly kindled an underaged vaping epidemic reversing decades of progress in combating underage nicotine use and addiction.
Today’s action seeks to permanently enjoin Juul from targeting children through their marketing and product design. The legal action also seeks to ensure Juul does not deceive consumers with respect to the products’ nicotine concentration, as well as to disgorge Juul’s illegal profits and impose civil penalties.
