Juul Labs Response To Florida Attorney General Suit Against The Company

Company News

October 4, 2023

At a time when underage use of JUUL products has been cut by 95%, while usage of illicit disposable vapes from China is skyrocketing, it is disappointing to see the Florida Attorney General direct her state’s resources to suing Juul Labs. Here are a few facts that should be understood.

First, Florida’s Attorney General initially led the negotiations between the state Attorneys General and Juul Labs. For reasons that have not been explained to the public, she ultimately decided not to participate in a settlement to which 48 states and territories are now party to. Had she done so, like all those other jurisdictions, Florida would have its share of millions of dollars to help combat underage use and develop cessation programs. Instead, the Florida Attorney General has now embarked on a drawn-out, expensive and uncertain legal process.

Second, Florida today suffers from the highest sales in the nation of illicit and potentially harmful disposable products emanating from China. These products are not in compliance with the FDA’s regulatory regime and, in many cases, are flagrantly targeting the state’s children. By contrast, over the past four years Juul Labs has taken meaningful steps, including ceasing distribution of non-tobacco, non-menthol products in advance of FDA guidance on flavors, halting mass market product advertising, and restructuring our entire company with an emphasis on combating underage use. In part, due to these efforts, we have seen underage use of JUUL products cut by 95%.

Florida has the highest sales of these mostly-foreign-made products in the United States with over 60% of vapor sales dominated by disposables whose companies often disregard responsible practices with inappropriate flavor names and questionable marketing. Over the past months, we have been engaged with the Attorney General’s office to help create a best-in-class program to combat illicit products. Even though Juul Labs plans to fight this case vigorously, the company remains ready to help Florida stem the tide of the proliferation of Chinese-made disposable products that have found what amounts to be a safe haven for foreign-made illegal vapor products.