Politics & Government
King County Sues Juul Over Vape Marketing
A lawsuit filed Wednesday seeks to hold Juul financially accountable for a teen vaping epidemic.
SEATTLE, WA — King County has filed a lawsuit against Juul Labs, accusing the vape-maker of targeting teens in their marketing. One in four high-schoolers admitted to vaping in the last month, according to a recent survey. Juul is one of the largest e-cigarette companies in the country, capturing almost 70 percent of the market.
After a grilling from Congress over the summer, Juul stopped all advertising and replaced its CEO. In a statement released after the lawsuit was filed, the company denied its marketing was designed to appeal to underage users or any non-nicotine users.
The lawsuit follows several recent developments related to vaping in Washington State. In early October, the state Board of Health enacted an emergency ban on all flavored vape products. Earlier this week, King County confirmed three additional lung injuries linked to vaping, bringing the total to five. Statewide there have been at least 12 confirmed and probable cases, with more than 1,300 tracked nationwide.
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