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| Juul Targeted Schools, Camps and Youth Programs, House Panel Claims | Juul Targeted Schools, Camps and Youth Programs, House Panel Claims |
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| WASHINGTON — Juul Labs “deployed a sophisticated program to enter schools and convey its messaging directly to teenage children,” recruited thousands of online influencers to market its vaping devices to youths and targeted children as young as 8 in summer camp, according to an investigation by a panel of House Democrats. | WASHINGTON — Juul Labs “deployed a sophisticated program to enter schools and convey its messaging directly to teenage children,” recruited thousands of online influencers to market its vaping devices to youths and targeted children as young as 8 in summer camp, according to an investigation by a panel of House Democrats. |
| The e-cigarette company’s $134,000 sponsorship of a 5-week wellness summer camp in Baltimore, and an $89,000 program for students caught vaping in Richmond, Calif., are among the previously undisclosed actions that staff members for a panel of the House Oversight Committee compiled in an effort to prove the e-cigarette company deliberately aimed its products at children. | |
| A report of the panel’s findings was to be presented at a congressional hearing Thursday afternoon, during which Juul executives will testify. | A report of the panel’s findings was to be presented at a congressional hearing Thursday afternoon, during which Juul executives will testify. |
| Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democrat of Illinois and chairman of the panel overseeing the hearing, said Juul was “woefully misleading teens about the dangers of Juuling and nicotine addiction.” | Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democrat of Illinois and chairman of the panel overseeing the hearing, said Juul was “woefully misleading teens about the dangers of Juuling and nicotine addiction.” |
| Contacted by The New York Times before the hearing, Juul said it had given out six grants of unspecified amounts to schools and youth programs for health and vaping prevention activities — but added that it had stopped doing so. | Contacted by The New York Times before the hearing, Juul said it had given out six grants of unspecified amounts to schools and youth programs for health and vaping prevention activities — but added that it had stopped doing so. |
| Juul’s sleek vaping devices and flavored pods with high nicotine levels have become hugely popular with teenagers over the past two years. The company has denied targeting teenagers and says its products are designed for adult smokers who want an alternative to combustible cigarettes. | Juul’s sleek vaping devices and flavored pods with high nicotine levels have become hugely popular with teenagers over the past two years. The company has denied targeting teenagers and says its products are designed for adult smokers who want an alternative to combustible cigarettes. |
| The Democratic lawmakers said they based their findings on thousands of documents obtained from Juul and from the Massachusetts attorney general’s office, which is investigating the San Francisco-based company, as are the Food and Drug Administration and the attorney general of North Carolina. | The Democratic lawmakers said they based their findings on thousands of documents obtained from Juul and from the Massachusetts attorney general’s office, which is investigating the San Francisco-based company, as are the Food and Drug Administration and the attorney general of North Carolina. |
| Included in the documents compiled by the House investigators are emails that show Juul executives struggling to deal with worsening public opinion, and comparisons to Big Tobacco — even before Altria, the maker of Marlboros, bought a 35 percent stake of the company last December. | Included in the documents compiled by the House investigators are emails that show Juul executives struggling to deal with worsening public opinion, and comparisons to Big Tobacco — even before Altria, the maker of Marlboros, bought a 35 percent stake of the company last December. |
| One email, dated April 17, 2018, was from Julie Henderson, director of Juul’s youth prevention and education program, to two consultants. It refers to a discussion she had with Ashley Gould, a company official, about whether the company should attend a health fair at Hinsdale Central High School, in Illinois. | One email, dated April 17, 2018, was from Julie Henderson, director of Juul’s youth prevention and education program, to two consultants. It refers to a discussion she had with Ashley Gould, a company official, about whether the company should attend a health fair at Hinsdale Central High School, in Illinois. |
| “Just spoke with Ashley and she shares my concern about the optics of us attending a student health fair given our new understanding of how much our efforts seem to duplicate Big Tobacco,” Ms. Henderson wrote. “(Philip Morris attended fairs and carnivals where they distributed various branded items under the guise of ‘youth prevention.’)” | “Just spoke with Ashley and she shares my concern about the optics of us attending a student health fair given our new understanding of how much our efforts seem to duplicate Big Tobacco,” Ms. Henderson wrote. “(Philip Morris attended fairs and carnivals where they distributed various branded items under the guise of ‘youth prevention.’)” |
| On Wednesday, Caleb Mintz, a student, told the House panel that a Juul representative met with students at his New York City high school, with no teachers present, showed the students how a Juul device operated and promised that it was “totally safe.” Juul declined to comment. | On Wednesday, Caleb Mintz, a student, told the House panel that a Juul representative met with students at his New York City high school, with no teachers present, showed the students how a Juul device operated and promised that it was “totally safe.” Juul declined to comment. |
| Other people testifying before the House panel on Wednesday said Juul’s efforts to curb youth access to its products were too little, too late. Its school vaping education programs were of particular concern. | |
| “No tobacco company should be involved in doing youth prevention work,” said Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a Stanford professor and director of the Tobacco Prevention Tool Kit. “When the tobacco industries do youth prevention, they are not honest and rather than actually doing best practices in tobacco prevention they tend to promote their own product, as our study showed last year.” | “No tobacco company should be involved in doing youth prevention work,” said Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a Stanford professor and director of the Tobacco Prevention Tool Kit. “When the tobacco industries do youth prevention, they are not honest and rather than actually doing best practices in tobacco prevention they tend to promote their own product, as our study showed last year.” |
| On Thursday, the panel is expected to question James Monsees, Juul’s co-founder, and Ashley Gould, the company’s chief administrative officer. | On Thursday, the panel is expected to question James Monsees, Juul’s co-founder, and Ashley Gould, the company’s chief administrative officer. |
| The lawmakers contend that the activities Juul introduced in 2018 as prevention programs were actually intended to familiarize teenagers with its products. | The lawmakers contend that the activities Juul introduced in 2018 as prevention programs were actually intended to familiarize teenagers with its products. |
| It has been nearly a year since the Food and Drug Administration started its crackdown on Juul. At that time, the agency seized documents from Juul’s offices, and launched an inquiry to determine whether it intentionally targeted youth. | It has been nearly a year since the Food and Drug Administration started its crackdown on Juul. At that time, the agency seized documents from Juul’s offices, and launched an inquiry to determine whether it intentionally targeted youth. |
| Dr. Scott Gottlieb, who was then commissioner, threatened to pull Juul off the shelves if the company could not keep the products away from youths. Juul responded by ending most of its social media campaigns. It also began restricting sales of some fruit and dessert flavors to online sales which require age verification to ensure buyers are over 21. But convenience stores and other retailers still sell mint menthol flavored pods, which studies show appeal to young people. | Dr. Scott Gottlieb, who was then commissioner, threatened to pull Juul off the shelves if the company could not keep the products away from youths. Juul responded by ending most of its social media campaigns. It also began restricting sales of some fruit and dessert flavors to online sales which require age verification to ensure buyers are over 21. But convenience stores and other retailers still sell mint menthol flavored pods, which studies show appeal to young people. |
| Juul’s rebranding campaign has relied on a lobbying army to press its case around the country, as well as recruiting scientists to build evidence that “Juuling” is more of a benefit than a liability for public health. The company has until May 2020 to prove to the F.D.A. that its products are more beneficial than detrimental. | Juul’s rebranding campaign has relied on a lobbying army to press its case around the country, as well as recruiting scientists to build evidence that “Juuling” is more of a benefit than a liability for public health. The company has until May 2020 to prove to the F.D.A. that its products are more beneficial than detrimental. |
| Dr. Norman E. (Ned) Sharpless, the agency’s acting commissioner, has vowed to continue Dr. Gottlieb’s crackdown on youth vaping. But it’s unclear whether Dr. Sharpless has the clout to continue a regulatory push that has mixed support, at best, at the White House. | Dr. Norman E. (Ned) Sharpless, the agency’s acting commissioner, has vowed to continue Dr. Gottlieb’s crackdown on youth vaping. But it’s unclear whether Dr. Sharpless has the clout to continue a regulatory push that has mixed support, at best, at the White House. |
| Juul has spent $940,000 on lobbying so far this year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks money in politics. The e-cigarette company has not yet reported its 2019 campaign contributions, but in March, Kevin Burns, Juul’s chief executive, donated $125,000 to a Republican fund-raising committee called “Take Back the House.” | Juul has spent $940,000 on lobbying so far this year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks money in politics. The e-cigarette company has not yet reported its 2019 campaign contributions, but in March, Kevin Burns, Juul’s chief executive, donated $125,000 to a Republican fund-raising committee called “Take Back the House.” |