US e-cigarette maker Juul has agreed to pay $462 million to several US states to end allegations that it broke numerous laws by marketing tobacco products to young people, it announced New York prosecutors on Wednesday.

A total of six states and the metropolitan district, Washington DC, will host This fee will primarily be used for programs to reduce underage vaping drafted following this agreement by New York Attorney General Letitia James and her California counterpart, Rob Bonta.

The agreement requires retailers to verify the age of consumers and imposes restrictions on Juul’s marketing, sales and distribution practices. to prevent minors from using electronic cigarettes, according to a statement from James’ office.

“Juul caused a public health crisis across the country by putting addictive products in the hands of minors and convincing them they are harmless; today they are paying the price for the damage they have caused,” said James, for whom there is “no doubt” that the company “played a key role in the vaping epidemic across the country.”

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The New York prosecutor’s office assured that “Juul has misled consumers about the nicotine content of its products, misrepresented the safety and therapeutic value of its products by claiming they were safer than cigarettes and failed to prevent minors from purchasing its products in stores across the country.

In November 2019, the New York Attorney General sued Juul for misleading vaping advertising targeting teens across the country. In New York alone, consumption went from 8.1% in 2014 to 23.5% in 2018.

Serious illness

2019, The proliferation of e-cigarettes led to a national outbreak of serious vaping-related illnesses, with more than 2,500 hospitalizationssaid the public prosecutor.

In addition to New York, California and the District of Columbia, the agreement covers the states of Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Mexico.

On his website, Juul described the deal as “another critical part” of his “ongoing commitment to addressing the company’s past issues.”