STATEMENT REGARDING THE PRESS CONFERENCE HELD BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL

Underage Use Prevention

July 24, 2018

We welcome the opportunity to work with the Massachusetts Attorney General because, we too, are committed to preventing underage use of JUUL. We utilize stringent online tools to block attempts by those under the age of 21 from purchasing our products, including unique ID match and age verification technology.

Furthermore, we have never marketed to anyone underage. In fact, we have done very little marketing relative to our growth:

Like many Silicon Valley technology startups, our growth is not the result of marketing but rather a superior product disrupting an archaic industry. When adult smokers find an effective alternative to cigarettes, they tell other adult smokers. That’s how we’ve gained 70% of the market share.

We want to partner and engage with policymakers, lawmakers, educators and parents to combat underage use. We stand committed to working with those who want to keep JUUL out of the hands of young people. Our current efforts include:

  • We have pledged $30 million over the next three years to independent research, youth and parent education and community engagement. We are working closely with Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller and the group he assembled consisting of public health officials and tobacco control experts.
  • Our ecommerce platform utilizes unique ID match and age verification technology to make sure minors are not able to access and purchase our products online.
  • We market our products responsibly, following strict guidelines to have material directed toward adult smokers and not to youth audiences. (Please read our Marketing & Social Media Code)
  • We support effective legislation and regulation to prevent the purchase and use of our products by minors.
  • We have reseller terms that include monitoring and penalties for noncompliance with underage restrictions.
  • Our packaging will include a prominent nicotine label and the additional statement “The alternative for adult smokers.”
  • We collaborate upon request with school districts and law enforcement on local youth prevention initiatives.
  • Because of the regulated nature of our product, we conduct random compliance checks of independent retail stores using our secret shopping program. We evaluate hundreds of locations every month.
  • We actively monitor the internet and process thousands of enforcement actions per month. Our goal is to ensure only authorized retailers who are subject to our youth prevention controls are selling JUUL products.

About JUUL Labs

JUUL Labs is a technology company dedicated to eliminating cigarettes by offering existing adult smokers a true alternative to combustible cigarettes. The company’s research shows that more than one million smokers have already switched to JUUL, and we are working to enable millions more to switch in the coming years through technological innovations.

Media Contact: press@juul.com

Furthermore, we have never marketed to anyone underage. In fact, we have done very little marketing relative to our growth: