Kansas finalizes nearly $10 million in multistate settlement with JUUL Labs

TOPEKA, Kan. (KCTV) - A multistate settlement with JUUL Labs has resulted in nearly $10 million for the state, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Wednesday.

The settlement resolves a two-year investigation into the e-cigarette manufacturer’s marketing and sales practices.

Schmidt said the settlement will force JUUL to comply with terms limiting their marketing and sales practices. Kansas’ more than $9.9 million portion is part of a $438.5 million settlement between the company and 32 states and Puerto Rico. The money will be paid over six-to-10 years and was first announced in principle in September.

The investigation into JUUL found the company became a dominant figure in the vaping market by willfully engaging in an advertising campaign that appealed to youth, even though its e-cigarettes are both illegal for them to purchase and unhealthy to use. It found that JUUL relentlessly marketed to underage users with launch parties, advertisements featuring young models, social media posts and free samples.

As part of the settlement, JUUL agreed to refrain from specific marketing strategies that target youth, as well as establishing stricter age verification controls on websites. The agreement also has sales and distribution restrictions, limiting where the product may be displayed and accessed in stores.

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