Juul Labs Under Investigation by Congress, Federal Health Regulators, and Faces Lawsuits From Teen and Adult Juul Users

FILE – In this July 25, 2019, file photo, JUUL Labs co-founder and Chief Product Officer James Monsees testifies before a House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee on Capitol Hill in Washington. Juul Labs is facing mounting scrutiny from state law enforcement officials, with the attorneys general in Illinois and the District of Columbia investigating how the company’s blockbuster vaping device became so popular with underage teens. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Parents, politicians, and public health advocates are wondering how the e-cigarette has become so popular among underage teens and are seeking answers. Juul has denied and has stated that it has taken unprecedented steps to combat underage use of its e-cigarettes. Juul’s spokesman Ted Kwong has refused to answer specific questions but reaffirmed its company’s past efforts to prevent youth use.

According to The Associated Press, the company has shut down its Facebook and Instagram pages and pulled several of its flavored products out of retail stores. Juul also backs federal legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to 21 nationwide. The company announced that 50 retail chains have pledged to adopt the company’s age-verification system, which requires sellers to scan a customer’s ID before selling Juul products.

For those who do not know how the e-cigarette works, they are battery-powered devices that typically heat a flavored nicotine solution into an inhalable aerosol.

— Eve Hemingway