Philadelphia threw its name into the hat and joined a list of dozens of states, cities, and municipalities that have sued vape maker Juul Labs over what they claim is its role in an “epidemic” of teen and youth vaping. The suit comes on the heels of news indicating that some 39 states have banded together to investigate Juul’s practices; both in the marketing of their device and the formulation of their nicotine pods.
For those that have followed the onslaught of lawsuits filed against Juul, it is hard to reach any conclusion other than the fact that the vape maker routinely and methodically targeted young people while publicly claiming they were simply offering a non-combustible alternative to regular cigarettes for adults over the legal smoking age. Two incredibly damning investigative reports, one by The New York Times and the other by Reuters, put the proverbial nails in the coffins when they released the results of their investigations under the headlines of “How Juul Hooked a Generation on Nicotine” and “Juul disregarded early evidence it was hooking teens,” respectively.
The city of Philadelphia’s lawsuit reads exactly like the other lawsuits filed against Juul. The city alleges that Juul intentionally and willfully targeted young people with its advertising and cites studies claiming that e-cigarette use has risen significantly among school-aged children.
Details of the Philadelphia lawsuit were not discussed in the story filed by the Associated Press. The city filed suit in California which is Juul Labs’ home state.
