Seattle School Board Approves SPS Settlement With Vaping Companies

By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium

Seattle Public Schools (SPS) recently received approval from the Seattle School Board to accept approximately $1.75 million in proceeds from a federal lawsuit against Juul Labs, Altria, and other companies and individuals involved in the manufacture, distribution, and marketing of vaping products.

Under the Juul settlement, SPS will receive about $1.3 million over four years. The first installment of $750,000 will be paid in December 2023. Under the Altria settlement, SPS will receive about $400,000 in the first half of 2024.

“The rise in youth vaping led the SPS team to pursue funding for increased education and prevention efforts for students, families, staff, and community,” says Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones. “I am thrilled with the efforts of our teams that brought about this settlement.”

The federal lawsuit brought against Juul Labs was filed in November 2019 after a dramatic increase in youth vaping and youth nicotine addiction. Among other relief, SPS sought funding for programs to address increased support for what the US Surgeon General describes as a “public health epidemic.”

In this particular litigation, SPS was represented by lawyers from Keller Rohrback, a firm that focuses on representing the public sector in cases involving consumer protection, the environment, and public health.

The firm also represented other public entities, including King County, in litigation against Juul. The firm represented SPS in the lawsuit on a contingent fee basis, so that all fees and costs of litigation were paid out of SPS’s monetary recovery in the case. The net recovery is $1.75 million for SPS after the payment of all fees and costs of litigation.

The district plans to utilize the reward to fund programs such as addiction education programs and treatment for students. According to District officials, “substance use often develops as a coping mechanism in response to stress linked to experiences of discrimination.”

The district’s 2018 and 2021 Healthy Youth Survey revealed that a higher percentage of students of color and LGBTQ+ students vape than their non-LGBTQ+ peers and students who are not Black, Indigenous, or people of color.

The district, therefore, plans to implement settlement funds to provide “culturally responsive prevention education,” including a curriculum called “Hip-Hop 2 Prevent Substance Abuse and HIV.” The program incorporates aspects of hip-hop culture, language, art, and history to address issues of substance abuse.

“I look forward to the increased support for SPS students,” says Jones. “The U.S. Surgeon General has characterized e-cigarette use by young people as a public health epidemic. This settlement marks a step in the right direction.”

SPS general counsel Greg Narver is optimistic and gratified about the outcome and support this settlement will provide families and students who suffer from addiction.

“I am pleased to see the positive conclusion of this litigation with this settlement. The district will be able to use these funds to better support our students and their families,” said Narver, SPS general counsel.