CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – A West Virginia woman has sued the nation’s largest e-cigarette maker, claiming the company uses a deceptive marketing campaign to intentionally target teenagers.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Charleston. It names San Francisco-based Juul Labs along with Altria Group and Philip Morris USA.
The lawsuit claims Juul violates state consumer protection law by using fraudulent and deceptive marketing practices to “exploit themes that resonated with teenagers.”
Plaintiff’s attorney Brett Preston says parents are finding nicotine Juul pods in their children’s backpacks and bedrooms that are meant to resemble USB drives.
The plaintiff is identified only by her initials. The lawsuit says her 16-year-old child is addicted to Juul products.
Spokesmen for the defendants said the lawsuit is without merit.