Much like the then-celebrated state attorneys general’s “win” against the tobacco industry in the 1990s, more state attorneys are cheering another so-called win against JUUL Labs Inc. (JLI) after 32 states and one territory reached a tentative settlement regarding the company’s marketing of their e-cigarette JUUL.
Since 2018, JLI has come under intense scrutiny from a plethora of policymakers and regulators as its novel tobacco harm reduction product took over the market place.
While todays AGs are quick to declare victory, it is truly a sad day for tobacco harm reduction and public health. And, in a weird twist of fate, it is becoming increasingly apparent that tobacco and vapor companies are more interested, and are spending more, in reducing combustible cigarette use.
For example, JLI will pay the states in the recent settlement $438.5 million. Unlike the 1990s tobacco settlements that require tobacco manufacturers to pay states annual payments in perpetuity, JLI will be dispersing annual payments to each respective state for either six or 10 years.
Some states, such as Connecticut, are planning on using the e-cigarette maker’s money for “cessation, prevention and mitigation.”
Previously, some had been hopeful that the states would use their tobacco moneys from the 1990s settlements to do that. Yet, every year the states receive billions of dollars from the lungs of people who smoke and spend that money on everything but tobacco control programs, including property tax relief, fixing budget shortfalls, and even funding state retirement programs.
Lindsey – Townhall – 2022-09-10.
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