Framingham Schools To Get $120K In Juul Lawsuit Settlement

News release from Framingham Public Schools.

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The Framingham Public Schools (FPS) has reached a settlement in San Francisco’s federal district court in a lawsuit against Juul Labs, Inc. This settlement is part of a global settlement with Juul Labs, Inc. resolving numerous cases brought by approximately 1600 government entity plaintiffs, including school districts, cities, and counties.

This deal follows litigation that spanned over three years. The total amount of the settlements negotiated to date is in excess of $723 Million (M), consisting of a $555 M settlement with JUUL Labs, Inc. and a $168.25 M settlement with Altria Group and Philip Morris USA, investors in JUUL vaping products. The settlement agreements broadly provide that the settlement funds may be used for “compensatory, restitution or remediation purposes” to address youth vaping and nicotine uses, and thus provides needed resources and flexibility to FPS to address and abate youth nicotine addiction. Based on its size, number of schools, school population and other factors, FPS will receive approximately $120,000 in net settlement proceeds from the settlements, to be paid out in phases over the next three years.

"The negative impact JUUL has had on our youth is deeply concerning,” said Jessica Barnhill, Chair of the Framingham School Committee. “It's imperative that they are held accountable."

FPS’s lawsuit was filed by Frantz Law Group, who will be compensated from proceeds from the settlement, and will not receive any out of pocket payment from FPS separate from the settlement proceeds. This settlement will provide FPS with resources to address youth vaping and nicotine addiction impacts and advance the school district’s public health mission of educating about the dangers of, and to reduce, youth nicotine use.

“This settlement will support our continued efforts toward K-5 health expansion,” said Dr. Robert A. Tremblay, Framingham Superintendent of Schools, “which will include the purchase of updated K-8 health curriculum targeted at substance use prevention and vaping prevention, as well as utilize funds to support our service partnership with Advocates Community Counseling to provide additional individual and group counseling services to students by referral, especially those identified following vaping and substance related conduct referrals.”

JUUL Labs, Inc. is an American electronic nicotine delivery system company. JUUL Labs makes the Juul electronic cigarette, which uses a heating element to convert a nicotine solution into an aerosol, which can then be inhaled by the user. Lawsuits were filed against JUUL Labs by persons allegedly injured by use of JUUL products, consumers who purchased JUUL products, and school districts and other government entities.

“On behalf of the Framingham Public Schools, I would like to thank the Framingham School Committee for its support in joining the lawsuit against JUUL, Inc., and for its support of the settlements negotiated to date, Attorney William Shinoff and the Frantz Law Group for prosecuting the lawsuits and negotiating the settlement, and former City Solicitor and FPS Special Counsel Christopher J. Petrini of Petrini & Associates, P.C., for his guidance in helping FPS in its decision of whether to join the class action litigation, and in helping to decide whether to accept the settlements proposed by class action counsel” said Dr. Tremblay.