What to Know
- New York City will receive $27.1 million from JUUL as part of a multistate settlement.
- Attorney General Letitia James has alleged that JUUL is responsible for the vaping epidemic among young people in New York and other states.
- The settlement funds are aimed to support anti-vaping educational programs in the state and NYC.
A year after New York Attorney General Letitia James secured the largest million-dollar multistate settlement agreement with JUUL for the company's role in the uptick in youth vaping, it was announced Wednesday that New York City will receive $27.1 million of that settlement to reinvest in the young community and vaping prevention programs.
The State of New York will receive $112.7 million from this settlement which Attorney General James will distribute to every county, Board of Cooperative Educational Services, and the five largest cities in the state -- New York City among the included -- to support programs that will help reduce and prevent underage vaping as well as public education and public health research related to the topic.
Of the $27.1 million that New York City will receive from the settlement, nearly $15 million will go to the school district and $12 million to the city to support anti-vaping programs for the youth.
"JUUL created a nationwide public health crisis by sparking a wave of addiction among children,” James said. “Young people are suffering because JUUL built its business by marketing addictive e-cigarettes to kids. Thanks to our efforts to hold JUUL accountable, New York City will receive over $27 million for valuable programs to fight back against the youth vaping epidemic. Our children’s health is on the line, and these funds will be used for education, prevention, enforcement, and research to keep our kids safe.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams thanked James for her efforts in securing this settlement for the city and pointed JUUL has caused many young people to become addicted.
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"Today, we are taking millions in dollars from JUUL Labs and investing it directly into the community and in our youth through prevention, education, and enforcement efforts." Adams said.
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Another $16.4 million will go to fighting the spread of vaping among youths on Long Island. Suffolk County police recently targeted vape shops that sell flavored vapes to underaged children, resulting in arrests and penalties. On Wednesday, the county got $8.8 million for education, prevention and enforcement.
The settlement also required JUUL to make changes to its marketing including prohibiting targeting those underage, limiting retail and online purchases to prevent minors from gaining access, perform regular checks of retail stores that sell JUUL, among other requirements.
JUUL launched its e-cigarettes in 2015. Since then, according to the attorney general, vaping has caused more than 2,500 hospitalizations. In 2019, a 17-year-old boy from the Bronx died from a vaping-related illness, making him the first reported vaping-related death in the state, and the youngest vaping-related fatality in the country.
In 2019, James sued JUUL for misleading marketing and promoting vaping to minors. In April 2023, James secured the largest multistate settlement with JUUL.
“These funds secured by Attorney General James will go a long way to educate and inform New York children and families about the dangers of vaping and nicotine use, and help the countless New York youth who are addicted to vaping,” said Dorian Fuhrman and Meredith Berkman, Cofounders of Parents Against Vaping.
