House Subcommittee Seeks Juul Documents Over Alleged Marketing to Underage Consumers
In the letter sent to Juul's CEO, Kevin Burns, earlier this month, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, said he is concerned about the numbers he's seen linking Juul's high nicotine content to youth addiction.
June 18, 2019 at 03:55 PM
3 minute read
The chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy has requested that Juul turn over several documents to determine if the vaping products company purposefully marketed its products to consumers under 18.
In the letter sent to Juul's CEO, Kevin Burns, earlier this month, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, said he is concerned about the numbers he's seen linking Juul's high nicotine content to youth addiction.
“I am extremely concerned about reports that Juul's high nicotine content is fueling addiction and that frequent Juul use is sending kids across the country into rehab, some as young as 15,” Krishnamoorthi wrote.
It is not clear if the committee will be seeking similar information from other companies that manufacture and sell vaping products. A spokesperson for Krishnamoorthi did not respond to a request for additional comment.
Despite public perception, the industry appears to welcome regulation that would prevent minors from using vaping products. In an open letter to acting U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner Ned Sharpless, Chris Howard, the general counsel and chief compliance officer of Florida-based E-Alternative Solutions, said his company and much of the industry is dedicated to preventing minors using vaping products.
“In 2016, long before the youth vaping or 'Juuling' craze existed, EAS implemented strict, self-imposed marketing standards aimed at preventing youth access and exposure to our products and advertising,” Howard wrote.
He wrote the vaping industry and the FDA have common ground on which to build regulations. Howard could not be reached for additional comment Tuesday.
In an email, a spokesperson for Juul said the company shares the subcommittee's concerns citing it has shut down its Facebook and Instagram accounts as well as increased the number of secret shopper visits per month at retailers that sell JUULpods.
“We look forward to a productive dialogue as we continue to combat youth usage and help adult smokers switch from combustible cigarettes, which remain the leading cause of preventable death around the world,” the spokesperson said.
This will not be the first time Juul has come under fire for allegedly marketing its products to minors. In April, a federal class suit was filed against Juul claiming the company downplayed the dangers of its product in order to appeal to minors. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
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