Utah to receive millions in Juul settlement

Juul Labs pays the state of Utah practically $9 million over the subsequent six years to settle a two-year investigation into the e-cigarette firm’s advertising and marketing and gross sales practices towards youth, Utah officers introduced this week.

The large image: Juul has agreed to pay $439 million to 33 states and Puerto Rico, Axios’ Jacob Knutson reviews.

Driving the information: The multistate probe — led by Connecticut, Oregon and Texas — discovered Juul willfully engaged “in an promoting marketing campaign that appealed to youth, despite the fact that its e-cigarettes are each unlawful for them to buy and unhealthy for youth to make use of,” in line with the Utah Division of Commerce.

• The inquiry additionally discovered that Juul marketed to minors by means of launch events, social media posts and free samples.

Between the strains: As a part of the settlement, Juul agreed to restrict their gross sales practices to youth and cease depicting folks beneath the age of 35 in any advertising and marketing.

What they’re saying: “Misleading advertising and marketing techniques are by no means tolerated, however JUUL’s had been particularly despicable,” Margaret Busse, government director of the Utah Division of Commerce, stated in a press release.

• “This settlement represents an enormous win for Utah within the struggle in opposition to those that purposely market harmful merchandise to youth.”