112.7-million dollars will come to the Empire State to help young New Yorkers quit vaping.
The money comes from vape manufacturer JUUL, who has reached a 462-million dollar legal agreement with six states and Washington DC over its alleged role in contributing to the rise in underage e-cigarette use.
Led by Attorneys General Letitia James of New York and Rob Bonta of California, the company will also be required to treat synthetic nicotine as actual nicotine, limit the amount of purchases an individual can make, and not use anyone under the age of 35 in advertising.
A lawsuit was initiated in November of 2019 against the company by James for allegedly misleading consumers about its product and glamorizing vaping to youth.
According to the New York Department of Health 1 in 5 high school students in the state reported vaping in 2020.
The five states joining New York in this agreement are California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New Mexico.
“JUUL lit a nationwide public health crisis by putting addictive products in the hands of minors and convincing them that it’s harmless — today they are paying the price for the harm they caused,” said Attorney General James. “Too many young New Yorkers are struggling to quit vaping and there is no doubt that JUUL played a central role in the nationwide vaping epidemic. Today’s agreement will help young New Yorkers put their vapes down for good and ensure that future generations understand the harms of vaping. I thank my fellow attorneys general for their collaboration on this effort to protect the health and well-being of our communities.”
