South Carolina announces bipartisan, multistate investigation of JUUL

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Feb. 25, 2020 - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson today announced South Carolina has joined a bipartisan, multistate investigation of JUUL Labs. The 39-state multistate coalition is investigating JUUL’s marketing and sales practices, including targeting of youth, claims regarding nicotine content, and statements regarding risks, safety and effectiveness as a smoking cessation device.

“Our goal is always to uphold the rule of law and protect our citizens. We’re looking into whether JUUL is following the law and not misleading people with false or misleading claims, including trying to convince teenagers that vaping is safe,” Attorney General Wilson said. “I want to stress, though, that this is just an investigation at this point and no lawsuit or charges have been filed.”

While traditional cigarette use has plummeted among youth, vaping is skyrocketing, undermining national progress towards reducing tobacco use. The National Youth Tobacco Survey conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control in 2019 found more than 5 million youth reported having used e-cigarettes within the past 30 days, up from 3.6 million just one year prior. That survey also found that 20.8 percent of high school students were vaping in 2018.

According to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s 2017 South Carolina Youth Tobacco Survey, for the first time e-cigarette use (13%) surpassed conventional cigarette smoking (12%) among high school students. Almost 1 out of 4 students was receptive to tobacco advertising while nearly 1 out of 3 students was susceptible to start using e-cigarettes.