On December 18th, the prominent e-cigarette company JUUL Labs reached a unanimous decision to settle a lawsuit by paying a settlement amount of $130,000 to Osceola County, Florida. This resolution effectively resolves the lawsuit filed by Osceola County in December 2022, as well as collective legal actions initiated by various governments and school districts across the United States. The lawsuits primarily revolve around allegations stating that JUUL engaged in deceptive marketing practices targeting minors and downplaying the addictive nature of smoking.
Since April, JUUL has reached settlements with 47 states and territories, over 5,000 individuals, and local governments nationwide. Oswego County intends to allocate the $138,000 settlement amount towards addressing youth smoking and nicotine addiction.
Mark Pino, spokesperson for Osceola County, stated that while it is still too early to determine the specific use, Blake Warren, the executive director of the Central Florida Health Education Center, expressed support for it. Last year, the center’s smoking cessation program saw an increase in adult participants, with 3000 individuals taking part, compared to previous years.
Warren believes that smoking e-cigarettes is as harmful as smoking traditional cigarettes, and he hopes that settlement funds will be used for prevention programs targeting young people. He emphasizes that implementing more prevention programs in elementary and middle schools can persuade children at an early age not to start smoking, which is crucial in preventing them from struggling to quit smoking later on.
JUUL has reached settlements with 47 states and territories, as well as 5,000 individual and local governments nationwide, with more settlements still pending.
