Minnesota reaches settlement with Juul and Altria

Apr.18.2023
Minnesota reaches settlement with Juul and Altria
Minnesota settles with e-cigarette maker Juul on charges of targeting minors, settlement amount undisclosed.

On April 17th, the state of Minnesota in the United States reached a settlement agreement with e-cigarette manufacturers Juul and Altria, with the settlement amount yet to be disclosed. Previously, the Minnesota Attorney General accused both companies of targeted advertising towards minors, thereby violating state laws.


The details of the terms will be announced soon.


Keith Ellison | Image source: The Hill


Keith Ellison, the Minnesota Attorney General who is representing the state in the lawsuit, announced the settlement agreement prior to giving the closing argument in the case. However, he did not provide specific details about the terms of the agreement. According to a press release from Ellison, these details will be released "soon". However, prior to the trial, Ellison had indicated that he was seeking over $100 million in compensation.


Ellison stated in a declaration, "One of my goals in filing this case is to send a message: we will not tolerate the sale of nicotine products to youth in Minnesota.


Ellison concludes:


We have reached a settlement agreement that is in the best interest of the people of Minnesota.


In 2019, Ellison filed a lawsuit against Juul, and later added their parent company at the time, Altria, as a defendant. He claimed that they disregarded consumer protection laws, violated reasonable duty of care and caused public harm.


The largest settlement has been reached.


Juul has reached the largest multi-state agreement to date in order to settle a series of disputes related to allegations of deceptive advertising targeting children. The settlement covers several regions, including California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, and Washington D.C. All of these areas have accused Juul of violating their respective consumer protection laws.


The aforementioned regions have reached a settlement of $462 million with Juul.


In a statement regarding a settlement reached with seven district attorneys, Juul stated that the agreement is another crucial part of their ongoing commitment to addressing past issues and brings the company closer to fully resolving its legal problems.


According to Juul, the company's multi-state settlement has brought their total settlement amount to $1 billion. In addition, Juul has settled over 5,000 private lawsuits in the United States, involving 10,000 plaintiffs.


In its latest statement, Juul has disclosed that...


As we fully address past issues within our company, we will focus on moving forward and maximizing the value and impact of our product technology and scientific foundation.


According to previous data collected by 2FIRSTS, excluding the settlement in Minnesota, Juul has spent $3.108 billion in litigation settlements across various regions in the United States.


Related Reading:


E-cigarette company Juul has reached a settlement with the state of West Virginia for a sum of $7.9 million. This settlement is part of the company's agreement to pay several billion dollars in total for various legal settlements.


The US brand Juul will pay $440 million to reach a settlement with various states.


JUUL has spent $18.2 billion in an effort to settle lawsuits. Here is a breakdown of the settlement amounts and conditions in each state.


Topic Focus: Summary of Juul's Settlement Agreement Juul has recently made headlines with its settlement agreement in a lawsuit pertaining to its marketing tactics and alleged targeting of minors. The e-cigarette company has agreed to pay $40 million to North Carolina and change its advertising practices, among other things. This marks the first settlement of many similar lawsuits that the company is facing across the country. Juul has also pledged to stop advertising on social media and other platforms that may appeal to young people. Additionally, the company has agreed to comply with a monitoring program that will ensure it does not market to minors in the future. This settlement is being seen as a positive step towards protecting youth from the harms of nicotine addiction.


E-cigarette company, Juul, will pay $462 million in settlement fees to six US states and the District of Columbia.


References:


The state of Minnesota has come to an agreement with the electronic cigarette company Juul regarding a settlement.



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