A $1.5 million anti-vaping initiative has been launched in California amid nationwide e-cig health concerns following hundreds of lung illnesses and 13 deaths.

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced the initiative on Sept. 26, 2019, both expressing concern that vaping illnesses have been damaging or taking the lives of too many children and teenagers.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported on Thursday that it has confirmed 16 reports of serious vaping-associated pulmonary injuries and one death associated with e-cig use in Los Angeles County. Nearly two out of every three cases occurs in a person age 25 or younger.

During a news conference, local affiliate KTLA 5 reported that Feuer said he understands kids don’t want to be “scared straight” from vaping, but they need to know the facts about the dangers. That’s what the new campaign is designed to deliver.

Marketing Tactics and E-cig Health Concerns Prompt Lawsuit Settlement

In a related story, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office settled a lawsuit with two e-cig companies regarding their marketing strategies.

The Santa Maria Times reported that NEwhere Inc. and its subsidiary, VapeCo Distribution LLC, will pay fines of $350,000 and will be restricted from using any actors or social media influencers who are under the age of 30 in advertising and promotional materials.

The settlement bans the companies for four years from participating in any activity directly or indirectly aimed at marketing to minors, and the companies are ordered to take precautionary measures that keep children from accessing its social media websites. To further prevent marketing to minors, the companies are banned from sponsoring events that involve sports, music or cultural activities.

In addition to limiting the marketing activities, the lawsuit settlement requires the e-cig companies to institute measures to prevent children from purchasing its vaping products over the internet.

Feuer’s office also has a separate lawsuit pending against Kandypens Inc.

All three vaping companies allegedly sold vaping devices and nicotine vaping liquids online to Los Angeles investigators disguised as 15-year-old customers in a sting operation.

Amid e-cig health concerns, Feuer has asked the City of Los Angeles to ban flavored vaping products, such as those advertised to taste like cereal, candy or fruit. These flavors are particularly attractive to young people who might shun the taste of regular cigarettes.

Citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CNBC reports that the vaping lung illness has been found in 46 states and one territory since the first illnesses were seen in April of this year. The CDC says men are more apt to be victims, and that 61.9 percent of those who have become ill have been between the ages of 18 and 34. At least 16.2 percent have been under the age of 18.

The E-cig Health Concerns Lawsuits are California vs. Kandypens Inc. et al., Case No. 18STCV03053, in Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles, and California vs. NEwhere Inc. et al., Case No. 18STCV03046, in Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles.

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