SAFE GC Coalition: JUUL Settlement Money Distributed to LI

SAFE and Coalition Partner TAC in our effort to keep parents informed of the new body of science surfacing regarding the harms of vaping.

New York Attorney General Letitia James distributed over $8.8 million to Suffolk County and over $7.5 million to Nassau County from a historic $462 million multistate settlement that she secured from JUUL Labs Inc. (JUUL) for its role in the youth vaping epidemic that led to a dangerous rise in underage e-cigarette use nationwide. James made the announcement during a press conference earlier this month.

New York State will receive a total of $112.7 million through this settlement, which will distributed to every county, Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), and the five largest cities in the state to support programs that will help reduce and prevent underage vaping.

The $16.4 million in funds for Long Island will be divided among Long Island counties and BOCES. Nassau County will receive $4,318,689.49.

According to the Attorney General James, JUUL lit a nationwide public health crisis after it misled children about how dangerous and addictive its products are. E-cigarettes can cause serious harm, and JUUL invested heavily in marketing them to kids. As a result of my office’s legal action against JUUL, there is over $16 million to invest in education, prevention, enforcement, and research to curb the youth vaping epidemic.

After JUUL launched in 2015, e-cigarette use among New York high school students skyrocketed. By 2019, the proliferation of vaping led to a national outbreak of severe vaping-related illnesses, with more than 2,500 hospitalizations. In October 2019, a 17-year-old male from the Bronx died due to a vaping-related illness, making him the first reported vaping-related fatality in New York, and the youngest vaping-related fatality in the United States.

In November 2019, Attorney General James sued JUUL for its deceptive and misleading marketing that glamorized vaping and targeted young people. In April 2023, the Attorney General secured the largest multistate agreement with JUUL and its former directors and executives for their role in fueling the youth vaping epidemic. JUUL misled consumers about the nicotine content of its products, misrepresented the safety and therapeutic value of its products by stating that they were safer than cigarettes, and failed to prevent minors from purchasing its products in stores across the country.

The settlement funds will be used for evidence-based measures to combat underage vaping and e-cigarette addiction. Counties and BOCES must dedicate the settlement funds they receive to programs in five categories: Public education campaigns to prevent e-cigarette use among young people; Community, school, and university-based anti-vaping programs; Vaping cessation services in communities, schools, and colleges; Enforcement of vaping laws and regulations; Public health research into e-cigarette use among young people and the effectiveness of anti-vaping programs

In addition to paying New York $112.7 million, the settlement required JUUL to make significant changes to its sales and marketing tactics, including: Refraining from any marketing that targets youth, including using anyone under the age of 35 in promotional material or funding, operating youth education/prevention campaigns, or sponsoring school related activities.

Steve Chassman, LCSW, CASAC, of the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and SAFE Glen Cove Coalition partner added, “By holding these corporations accountable, we are not only sending a clear message that profit cannot come before public health, but we are also securing vital funds to support addiction prevention and treatment services. LICADD looks forward to continuing our work in Long Island communities to protect children from the abuses and harms nicotine causes to the physical and mental health of our youth.”

Keep aware, stay informed and avoid unhealthy behaviors. “Live SAFE “. The SAFE Glen Cove Coalition works diligently to protect youth and inform parents through prevention education to avoid the negative consequence of nicotine addiction.

SAFE, Inc. is the only alcohol and substance abuse prevention, intervention, and education agency in the City of Glen Cove. The Coalition is concerned about all combustible and electronic products with marijuana and tobacco and youth consumption. The Agency is employing environmental strategies to educate and update the community regarding the negative consequences in collaboration with Carol Meschkow, Manager- Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow www.facebook.com/safeglencovec... or to learn more about electronic products visit the Vaping Facts and Myths Page of SAFE’s website to learn more about how vaping is detrimental to your health www.safeglencove.org.