Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that Georgia has joined a bipartisan, multistate investigation of e-cigarette manufacturer JUUL Labs. The 39-state coalition is investigating JUUL’s marketing and sales practices, including targeting of youth, claims regarding nicotine content and statements regarding risks, safety and effectiveness as a smoking cessation device.

“Underage vaping has reached epidemic proportions,” said Attorney General Chris Carr. “Our office is committed to learning all the facts so that we can best protect Georgia’s youth from products that could be harmful to them.” 

While traditional cigarette use has plummeted among youth, vaping is skyrocketing, undermining national progress towards reducing tobacco use. The National Youth Tobacco Survey conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control in 2019 found more than 5 million youth reported having used e-cigarettes within the past 30 days, up from 3.6 million just one year prior. According to a report by the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Tobacco Use Prevention Program, the number of Georgia high school students who have tried vaping increased by 66 percent from 15.7 percent in 2013 to 26.1 percent in 2017.