Juul Marketing Targets Kids, Downplays Risks, Colorado AG Alleges

Colorado Attorney General Philip Weiser has filed a suit against Juul Labs regarding allegations that Juul marketing strategies targeted children and downplayed health risks. This is the most recent in a long series of challenges to Juul marketing and sales. According to the Colorado Sun, Weiser took legal action after a 2018 study found that Colo. had the nation’s highest rate of youth vaping.

Does Juul Marketing Target Kids?

The Colorado AG lawsuit lays out several ways in which marketing by Juul Labs allegedly targets children.

First, Weiser alleges Juul emphasized their products as used by “cool kids.” According to the suit, this phrase has been “the most pervasive theme” of Juul marketing to date. At launch parties held in 2015, Juul described guests as “models and cool kids” and said they hoped the events would be “amplified across the nation.” Early Juul advertising videos allegedly call for “images of cool kids having fun or goofing around.” Reportedly, brand ambassadors were also specifically told to target “smokers, cool kids, fun people, etc.”

Second, Weiser claims Juul mocked work by youth prevention “crusaders” while using a hashtag campaign to target youth. According to Weiser, the term “youth prevention crusaders” was used mockingly throughout Juul’s internal communications. At the same time, Juul marketing analyzed and amplified the “social media buzz” generated by influencers with young audiences.

Furthermore, Weiser argues that Juul “recklessly” failed to properly verify the ages of consumers buying its product allowing children access. However, the system allegedly did alert Juul to the fact that “large numbers of underaged youth” were trying to purchase or successfully purchasing their products.

Weiser includes allegations regarding Juul flavors. It’s worth noting that the majority of those flavors are currently off the market.

This Juul Marketing suit is case no. 2020CV32283 filed in the District Court for the City and County of Denver.

Does Juul Marketing Conceal Health Risks?

Broadly, Weiser alleges that Juul marketing intentionally concealed the dangers of being exposed to the chemicals present in Juul pods. According to Weiser, the company maintains a spreadsheet of articles in which medical professionals voice their concerns about chemicals present in Juul products. Despite knowing these concerns, Juul marketing continued to advertise the dangerous chemicals in their products as innocuous.

For example, the suit claims Juul downplayed the risks of glycerol and propylene glycol by describing them as chemicals present in “a variety of common products like toothpaste”. At the time, Juul had saved an article in which a doctor describes these chemicals as an “oily syrup that kids are vacuuming into their fragile” lungs and the health “impact [of which] is just not known”.

He further alleges that Juul marketing misrepresented the rigor of its internal health and safety testing, falsely leading consumers to think the product is safer than it is. The suit cites an interview on CBS in which Juul CEO claims the company’s products are “tested for toxicity” and do “not present a risk” to consumers. Weiser contrasts this statement with frustration expressed by a Juul chemist regarding the fact the company hadn’t fully analyzed the ingredient present in vape-liquids.

Weiser also claims that Juul marketing falsely led consumers to believe the product is “harmless” by advertising Juul as a way to quit smoking. According to the suit, “no tobacco product can be marketed as a smoking cessation product without approval by the FDA.” In order to receive this approval, the company would first need to prove that vaping is an effective way to quit smoking. However, studies have shown that dual use of these products is actually incredibly common.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented 
for informational purposes only.