Juul Lawsuit: Vape Company Allegedly Bought Ads On Teen And Children’s Websites

E-cigarette giant Juul is is facing accusations it targeted teens and children with its advertising. A lawsuit filed on Wednesday in Massachusetts alleges Juul bought ad space on websites like Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and Seventeen. Juul has, in the last year, faced mounting scrutiny and criticism for its perceived part in the growing epidemic of teenage nicotine addiction.

The suit comes as a result of a yearlong investigation into the company’s practices. Its findings contradicted Juul’s claims it does not intentionally target its products at teens or younger children. Vaping products, in general, boast considerable popularity among middle and high school students, regardless of advertising practices.

The suit was filed by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey in Boston’s Suffolk County Superior Court. It alleges the ads were purchased from June 2015 to well into 2016. The company allegedly worked to acquire ad space on sites that were “highly attractive to children, adolescents in middle school and high school and underage college students.”

“While we have not yet reviewed the complaint,” a Juul spokesman said in response to the complaint, “we remain focused on ... earning the trust of society by working cooperatively with attorneys general, regulators [and] public health officials ... to combat underage use.”

The complaint also alleges that the company turned down an ad campaign pitched in 2015 that would have focused more on adults in favor of a more general youth-targeted and sexually provocative campaign that appeared on the sites. The company has insisted the campaign was intended to attract adults in their 20s and 30s, but that it nonetheless regrets choosing it due to the appeal it had for teens.