The company’s advertising campaign allegedly contributed to a surge in youth e-cigarette use by using catchy phrases such as “Vaporized” and social-media hashtags, New York Attorney General Letitia James said Tuesday.
“There can be no doubt that Juul’s aggressive advertising has significantly contributed to the public health crisis that has left youth in New York and across the country addicted to its products,” Ms. James said in prepared remarks. “By glamorizing vaping, while at the same time downplaying the nicotine found in vaping products, Juul is putting countless New Yorkers at risk.”
Juul has also marketed its products through direct outreach to high-school students, including an instance in at least one school in New York where a Juul representative allegedly said to high school freshmen that its products were safer than cigarettes, Ms. James said.
Juul didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Juul is the subject of several federal investigations, including a criminal probe by prosecutors in California. By May, the company must submit for Food and Drug Administration review any products it wants to remain on the U.S. market beyond that point.
Juul last year voluntarily stopped selling its sweet and fruity flavors in U.S. retail stores but continued to sell those flavors on its website until last month. The startup recently stopped selling its mint refill pods, which represent 70% of its U.S. sales.