Attorney General James Distributes $16.4 Million to Long Island to Combat Youth Vaping Epidemic

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today distributed over $8.8 million to Suffolk County and over $7.5 million to Nassau County from a historic $462 million multistate settlement that she secured from JUUL Labs Inc. (JUUL) for its role in the youth vaping epidemic that led to a dangerous rise in underage e-cigarette use nationwide. New York state will receive a total of $112.7 million through this settlement, which Attorney General James will distribute to every county, Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), and the five largest cities in the state to support programs that will help reduce and prevent underage vaping.

The $16.4 million in funds for Long Island will be divided among Long Island counties and BOCES: 

• Eastern Suffolk BOCES will receive $2,485,668.67 
• Western Suffolk BOCES will receive $1,243,194.94 
• Suffolk County will receive $5,156,358.84
• Nassau BOCES will receive $3,220,883.36
• Nassau County will receive $4,318,689.49

“JUUL lit a nationwide public health crisis after it misled children about how dangerous and addictive its products are,” said Attorney General James. “E-cigarettes can cause serious harm, and JUUL invested heavily in marketing them to kids. As a result of my office’s legal action against JUUL, Long Island now has over $16 million to invest in education, prevention, enforcement, and research to curb the youth vaping epidemic. I am thankful to our partners in government for their commitment to protecting the health and safety of young New Yorkers.” 

After JUUL launched in 2015, e-cigarette use among New York high school students skyrocketed. By 2019, the proliferation of vaping led to a national outbreak of severe vaping-related illnesses, with more than 2,500 hospitalizations. In October 2019, a 17-year-old male from the Bronx died due to a vaping-related illness, making him the first reported vaping-related fatality in New York, and the youngest vaping-related fatality in the United States. 

In November 2019, Attorney General James sued JUUL for its deceptive and misleading marketing that glamorized vaping and targeted young people. In April 2023, Attorney General James secured the largest multistate agreement with JUUL and its former directors and executives for their role in fueling the youth vaping epidemic. JUUL misled consumers about the nicotine content of its products, misrepresented the safety and therapeutic value of its products by stating that they were safer than cigarettes, and failed to prevent minors from purchasing its products in stores across the country.

The settlement funds will be used for evidence-based measures to combat underage vaping and e-cigarette addiction. Counties and BOCES must dedicate the settlement funds they receive to programs in five categories: 

• Public education campaigns to prevent e-cigarette use among young people 
• Community, school, and university-based anti-vaping programs 
• Vaping cessation services in communities, schools, and colleges 
• Enforcement of vaping laws and regulations 
• Public health research into e-cigarette use among young people and the effectiveness of anti-vaping programs

In addition to paying New York $112.7 million, the settlement required JUUL to make significant changes to its sales and marketing tactics, including: 

• Refraining from any marketing that targets youth, including using anyone under the age of 35 in promotional material or funding, operating youth education/prevention campaigns, or sponsoring school related activities
• Limiting the amount of retail and online purchases an individual can make
• Performing regular retail compliance checks at five percent of New York’s retail stores that sell JUUL’s products for at least four years
• Treating synthetic nicotine as nicotine
• Refraining from providing free or nominally priced JUUL pods as samples to consumers
• Excluding product placement in virtual reality systems
• Increasing funding to a document depository by up to $5 million and adding millions of relevant documents to the depository to inform the public on how JUUL created a public health crisis. 

"Electronic cigarette companies like JUUL have clouded the minds of New Yorkers about the harmful effects of nicotine use, especially among teens and adolescents," said New York State Senator Monica R. Martinez.  "This settlement's funding will help dissipate the clouds of deception that have encouraged youth e-cigarette use across Suffolk County and throughout our state. As a sponsor of legislation to reduce adolescent vaping, I thank Attorney General James for securing this settlement on behalf of New York’s children and for reinvesting it into their healthier futures.”

“Attorney General James has secured another victory for working families targeted by companies like JUUL,” said New York State Assemblymember and Deputy Speaker Phil Ramos. “This settlement addresses the rise in tobacco use that has severely impacted the health of our youth. I extend my gratitude to the Attorney General and all my partners in government for their efforts in protecting our kids and their health.”

“The proliferation of vaping products has fueled a concerning epidemic among our youth, impacting young people across our state,” said Assemblymember Michaelle C. Solages, Chairwoman of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus. “I am deeply appreciative of Attorney General James for securing this vital settlement, which will furnish Nassau County with essential resources to implement programs dedicated to curbing and preventing youth vaping. Accountability is crucial in tackling this crisis, and I commend the collaborative efforts of our government partners and advocates who tirelessly advocated for this significant achievement.”

“Thank you to Attorney General Letitia James for securing these funds which will be used to provide the resources to educate our young people on the dangers associated with vaping and e-cigarettes,” said Assemblymember Charles D. Lavine. “The money from this settlement not only will help keep our children safe, but send a message to JUUL, holding it accountable for contributing to the youth vaping epidemic.”

“E-cigarettes, spearheaded by industry giants like JUUL, have surged to become the most prevalent tobacco product among New York's youth, underscoring the urgent need for intervention,” said Assemblymember Fred W. Thiele, Jr. “Receipt of these funds, from an entity that specifically targeted our state's students, marks a crucial turning point in our fight against this epidemic. I express profound gratitude to Attorney General Letitia James, our government and law enforcement partners, local school officials, and advocates for their unwavering commitment to this critical cause. With these funds, we are now equipped to cultivate a safer and healthier environment for all our residents.”

“Too many young people across Suffolk County are facing the adverse effects of vaping, negatively impacting their mental and physical well-being,” said Assemblymember Steve Stern.“This settlement will ensure that Suffolk County is equipped with the best resources to address this growing public health crisis. I applaud Attorney General James for her unmatched efforts to keep our children safe and healthy.”

“I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Attorney General Letitia James for securing this crucial settlement,” said Assemblymember Kimberly Jean-Pierre. “The funds allocated to Suffolk County will be instrumental in addressing the vaping epidemic that has severely impacted our youth. With millions of dollars directed to our county and Eastern and Western Suffolk BOCES, we are now better equipped to implement programs aimed at reducing and preventing underage vaping. I am grateful to our partners in government, local school officials, and advocates for their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of our children.”

“Thank you to Attorney General James for securing this historic settlement and for always fighting for New Yorkers,” said Suffolk County Legislature Minority Leader Jason Richberg. “JUUL's blatant advertising towards teens helped spark our current underage vaping epidemic, and now these funds are going to help undo some of that damage.”

“Today marks a significant victory for the health and well-being of our youth in Suffolk County,” said Suffolk County Legislator Rebecca Sanin. “I extend my deepest gratitude to Attorney General Letitia James for her relentless efforts in securing this settlement. The vaping crisis, exacerbated by JUUL's actions, has deeply impacted our young people, making e-cigarettes the most prevalent tobacco product among our youth. With these settlement funds, Suffolk County, along with Eastern and Western Suffolk BOCES, will be able to implement critical programs aimed at reducing and preventing underage vaping. I am also thankful for the steadfast support of our partners in government, local school officials, and dedicated advocates who have been instrumental in this ongoing battle to protect our children's future.”

“These settlement funds will go a long way in helping us reduce and prevent the epidemic of underage vaping,” Suffolk County Legislator Tom Donnelly. “I thank Attorney General James for her commitment to confronting this public health crisis and securing this settlement, as well as all of our advocates and partners in government and in our schools for standing shoulder-to-shoulder today for the good of our youth.”

“Protecting our young people should be a top priority of every elected official. E-cigarettes should never get into the hands of a minor,” said Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright. “With outreach and education we can reduce and prevent underage vaping. I applaud Attorney General James for securing this settlement and fully support the county’s allocation of these funds to implement a diverse range of programs that will tackle this important public health crisis affecting our children.”

“I want to thank Attorney General James for securing this settlement, which will ensure Suffolk County has the resources to tackle this important public health crisis affecting our kids,” said Suffolk County Legislator Ann E. Welker. 

“The Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (LICADD) commends NYS Attorney General James for securing funding that marks a critical step in safeguarding our youth from the predatory practices of companies like JUUL who have irresponsibly targeted our children with their addictive and dangerous products,” said Steve Chassman, LCSW, CASAC. “By holding these corporations accountable, we are not only sending a clear message that profit cannot come before public health, but we are also securing vital funds to support addiction prevention and treatment services. LICADD looks forward to continuing our work in Long Island communities to protect children from the abuses and harms nicotine causes to the physical and mental health of our youth.”

“We applaud Attorney General James for her leadership in holding JUUL accountable for causing the youth vaping epidemic and her commitment to using JUUL settlement funds to reduce youth e-cigarette use,” said Yolonda C. Richardson, President and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “Over 18% of New York high school students use e-cigarettes. Effective use of the JUUL settlement funds can help to end this youth addiction crisis and protect the health of New York kids.”

“We are forever grateful to Attorney General James for her partnership and her tireless pursuit to hold JUUL accountable for their predatory behavior,” said Dorian Fuhrman and Meredith Berkman, Cofounders of Parents Against Vaping. “These funds secured by Attorney General James will go a long way to educate and inform New York children and families about the dangers of vaping and nicotine use, and help the countless New York youth who are addicted to vaping.”

“I and many of my colleagues have learned that intervention, prevention, and therapeutic measures are much more effective in addressing student addiction and mental health issues than punitive actions,” said Brian Zahn, Ed.D. Principal, Southampton High School. “I have seen directly that nicotine addiction caused by vape devices takes no prisoners and impacts everyone across all demographic groups. The number of student risk assessments conducted in our schools, and, unfortunately, the suicide rate among young people, is proof that unless something's done, we're going to lose even more of our young people who are self-medicating to address underlying mental health issues, and becoming heavily addicted to nicotine. I thank Attorney General Letitia James for standing with our students.” 

“The youth vaping epidemic is a public health crisis manufactured to harm young people,” said Erin Kennedy, former East Hampton High School student and founding member of Breathe In Change. “This settlement is a great achievement, and will help provide Long Island youth with access to resources to better their physical and mental health. Attorney General James and her team have accomplished a great feat, and I appreciate their fierce dedication to young New Yorkers.”

“An appalling number of our students are suffering both mental and physical consequences as a result of the vaping epidemic,” said Samantha Prince, former East Hampton High School Student and founder of Breathe In Change. “This settlement will help Suffolk County’s schools provide the necessary educational and therapeutic programs to students across all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds to combat the pervasive effects of vaping. I cannot thank Attorney General James enough for her continued efforts to protect the lungs and the minds of my classmates and friends.” 

The settlement was led by Senior Advisor and Special Counsel M. Umair Khan, Assistant Attorneys General Hailey DeKraker and Noah Popp, and Healthcare Deputy Bureau Chief Leslieann Cachola. The settlement was also brought about by the work of Assistant Attorneys General Sarah Millings, Michael Reisman, and Abigail Kasowitz; Consumer Frauds Bureau Chief Jane Azia; Senior Assistant Solicitor General Dennis Fan, Deputy Solicitor General Judith Vale; Special Assistant Attorney General Emily Auletta; former Deputy Director of Research and Analytics Megan Thorsfeldt and Data Scientist Jasmine McAllister; Chief Scientist Jodi Feld, Information Technology Manager Corey Nugent, Information Technology Specialists Hewson Chen and Paige Podolny; E-Discovery Document Review Manager Carol Cheng; Civil Recoveries Section Chief Martin Mooney; and former Special Counsel Morenike Fajana, former Healthcare Bureau Chief Lisa Landau, and former Section Chief Amy Schallop. The Division for Social Justice is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and the Division for Economic Justice is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris D’Angelo. Both the Division for Economic Justice and the Division for Social Justice are overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.