Attorney General Letitia James Secures Funds from JUUL Settlement to Address Underage E-Cigarette Use
New York, NY – New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the allocation of more than $7.4 million to the Finger Lakes region from a historic $462 million multistate settlement with JUUL Labs Inc. This settlement addresses JUUL’s significant role in the youth vaping epidemic that has led to a dramatic increase in underage e-cigarette use across the nation. New York state will receive $112.7 million in total, which will be distributed to counties, educational services, and the state’s largest cities to support programs aimed at reducing and preventing youth vaping.
“JUUL preyed on young people across our state by putting addictive products into their hands and convincing them that they were harmless,” said Attorney General James. “Their actions put a generation of children at risk, fueling physical and mental health problems among young New Yorkers. As a result of my office’s historic settlement with JUUL, leaders in the Finger Lakes region will now have over $7.4 million to invest in anti-vaping efforts to curb the youth vaping epidemic.”
The funds will be distributed among various counties and educational bodies in the Finger Lakes region:
- Counties:
- Genesee County: $366,507.72
- Livingston County: $345,540.78
- Monroe County: $2,293,677.54
- Ontario County: $530,263.71
- Orleans County: $275,118.86
- Seneca County: $236,510.67
- Wayne County: $481,411.55
- Yates County: $225,004.21
- School Districts/BOCES:
- Rochester City School District: $412,822.79
- Genesee Valley BOCES: $330,959.99
- Monroe 1 BOCES: $693,247.82
- Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES: $492,990.85
- Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES: $551,361.10
The settlement funds will support evidence-based measures including public education campaigns, school and community-based anti-vaping programs, vaping cessation services, enforcement of vaping laws, and public health research into the effectiveness of these initiatives.
In November 2019, Attorney General James sued JUUL for deceptive marketing practices that glamorized vaping and targeted youth. The settlement requires JUUL to cease marketing to individuals under 35, limit retail and online purchases, and conduct regular compliance checks in New York. Additionally, JUUL must increase transparency by adding documents to a public depository to inform the public about their role in the public health crisis.
“We’ve all watched as vaping and the use of e-cigarettes have become an epidemic in our community and across the entire country—a crisis that now impacts children as young as 10 or 11 years old,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “I’m grateful to Attorney General James for taking action to address this issue head-on and for her fierce leadership and passionate advocacy on behalf of all New Yorkers. I look forward to our continued work together.”
Local leaders emphasized the critical need for these funds to protect young people from the harmful effects of vaping and to support ongoing public health initiatives.
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello highlighted the county’s dedication to innovative solutions such as a vape and e-cigarette recycling program, enabled by the settlement. Rochester City School District Superintendent Dr. Carmine Peluso and other educational leaders expressed gratitude for the resources to combat vaping among students and promote a culture of health and wellness.
“The rapid rise in vaping among teenagers is a serious public health crisis; we are seeing alarming rates of use and addiction despite warnings about adverse health effects,” said State Senator Samra G. Brouk. “I applaud Attorney General Letitia James for her work to hold companies accountable for deceptive marketing practices and harmful sales tactics, and to expand public health prevention and treatment efforts to curb this epidemic. By taking decisive action now, we can safeguard the health of children.”
Leave a Reply