New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that Western New York will receive over $8.8 million from a historic $462 million multistate settlement with JUUL Labs Inc. (JUUL). This settlement addresses JUUL's role in the youth vaping epidemic, which has significantly increased underage e-cigarette use nationwide. The state of New York will receive a total of $112.7 million from this settlement, which Attorney General James plans to distribute across every county, Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), and the five largest cities in the state to support programs aimed at reducing and preventing underage vaping.
“JUUL knowingly ignited a nationwide public health crisis, luring young people in with flashy colors and flavors,” said Attorney General James. “E-cigarettes are deeply addictive and have severe health impacts on our youth. My office’s historic settlement holds JUUL accountable for the harm they’ve caused our kids and the $8.8 million that Western New York leaders will receive will help fight the youth vaping epidemic.”
The funds allocated to Western New York will be distributed as follows:
Counties:
- Allegany County: $322,931.56
- Cattaraugus County: $467,578.61
- Chautauqua County: $804,688.01
- Erie County: $3,311,394.60
- Niagara County: $1,062,901.15
School Districts / BOCES:
- Buffalo City School District: $504,879.27
- Cattaraugus-Allegany-Erie-Wyoming BOCES: $269,781.45
- Erie 1 BOCES: $1,068,780.83
- Erie 2-Cattaraugus-Chautauqua BOCES: $563,121.77
- Orleans-Niagara BOCES: $507,353.46
Following JUUL's launch in 2015, e-cigarette use among New York high school students surged dramatically by 2019 leading to more than 2,500 hospitalizations due to severe vaping-related illnesses nationally.
In November 2019 Attorney General James sued JUUL for its deceptive marketing practices targeting young people and glamorizing vaping while misrepresenting its products' safety and nicotine content.
The settlement funds must be used for evidence-based measures including public education campaigns against e-cigarette use among young people; community-based anti-vaping programs; vaping cessation services; enforcement of vaping laws; and public health research into e-cigarette use among youths.
In addition to financial penalties totaling over half a billion dollars nationwide including significant changes required of JUUL’s sales tactics such as limiting retail purchases performing regular compliance checks treating synthetic nicotine like traditional nicotine refraining from free samples or nominally priced products excluding product placement in virtual reality systems increasing funding for document depositories by up-to-five-million-dollars informing how-JUUL-created-public-health-crisis documents added millions relevant-depository
Congressman Tim Kennedy stated “Throughout my career I’ve fought against underage tobacco use which we know is carcinogenic no amount even-e-cigarettes safe need all can keep these-products out hands kids Thank you Attorney-General prioritizing-health both here-across-nation”
Erie County Executive Mark C Poloncarz remarked “Dramatic-increased-use alarming well-documented-addictive especially children This-funding-support education efforts dangers addictive-products Make-no-mistake threat-public-health Youth-vaping growing-concern throughout-state including here-thank securing-locally further-protect-youth health-harming-products”
Chautauqua County Executive Paul M Wendel Jr added "Vaping epidemic plunged-young-severe-health-crisis E-cigarette-companies targeting-deceptive-unethical-practices must-held-accountable grateful secured enable-invest-protecting-stopping-underage"
Dr Michael Capuana Erie-One-Boces-District-Superintendent/CEO expressed gratitude stating “Deeply thankful commitment safeguarding-health academic-success-longstanding-history shared dedication supporting-student-wellbeing comprehensive-set supports address-whole-child creating-resources-awareness-addiction implications Western-New-York-students committed-cultivating-supportive healthier-environment thrive”
Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Dr Tonja M Williams commended AG-James holding-JUUL-accountable harmful-marketing underage children using-more-than-$500-thousand decrease-vaping educate-dangers-effects-on-their-health
Settlement led-by Senior Advisor Special Counsel M Umair Khan Assistant Attorneys-General Hailey DeKraker Noah Popp Healthcare Deputy Bureau Chief Leslieann Cachola Assistant Attorneys-General Sarah Millings Michael Reisman Abigail Kasowitz Consumer Frauds Bureau Chief Jane Azia Senior Assistant Solicitor-General Dennis Fan Deputy Solicitor-General Judith Vale Special Assistant-Attorney-General Emily Auletta former-Deputy Director Research Analytics Megan Thorsfeldt Data Scientist Jasmine McAllister Chief Scientist Jodi Feld Information Technology Manager Corey Nugent Information Technology Specialists Hewson Chen Paige Podolny E-discovery Document Review Manager Carol Cheng Civil Recoveries Section-Chief Martin Mooney former-Special Counsel Morenike Fajana former Healthcare Bureau-Chief Lisa Landau former Section-Chief Amy Schallop Division Social Justice led-by Chief-Deputy-Attorney General Meghan Faux Division Economic Justice led-by Chief-Deputy-Attorney General Chris D’Angelo overseen First Deputy-Attorney Jennifer Levy