MINNEAPOLIS – The $100 million State of Minnesota suit against E-cigarette marketer Juul opened. Attorney General Keith Ellison accused Juul of targeting vulnerable children with “slick products, clever ads and attractive flavors” with the goal of addicting them to nicotine. “They baited, deceived and addicted a whole new generation of kids,” Ellison said. David Bernick, an attorney for Juul, responded that Juul intended only “to convert adult smokers of combustible cigarettes to a less dangerous product that would still provide a satisfying nicotine experience.” Barnick denied that E-cigarettes were deadly.
Historical note
Minnesota won a landmark $7.1 billion settlement with the tobacco industry in 1998. That money has been arriving incrementally in state coffers over the years.
Big Tobacco role?
Until recently the tobacco giant Altria, formerly Phillip Morris, held a minority Stake in Juul. At the trial an Altria attorney asked that the company be excused as a defendant. He said that Alria has divested its Juul interest after losing $12,8 billion. The State of Minnesota claims the tobacco industry saw fruity-named and colorfully packaged Juul products as a gateway to tobacco addiction for young people. That will be an issue for Hennepin County Judge Laurie Miller to decide.
First Juul trial
Juul has has faced thousands of cases nationwide about whether its advertising targeted children. Most caseshave been settled out of court. These include cases by 39 states. The first state case to go to trial is Minnesota’s. Other states with pending trials: Alaska, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, West Virginia and also the District of Columbia.