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New York City has filed a lawsuit in federal court against 22 e-cigarette online sellers. It alleges the companies target minors in their marketing tactics.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio released a statement regarding the lawsuit. “Preying on minors and hooking them on a potentially lethal, lifelong nicotine addiction is unconscionable,” he says. “This lawsuit sends a message: we will do whatever it takes to protect our kids and the health of our city.”
Last month, Haute Lawyer reported about other lawsuits against e-cigarette sellers.
He then continues, “The kids of New York are the pride of our city, but to these companies, they’re just a source of profit. Preying on minors and hooking them on a potentially lethal, lifelong nicotine addiction is unconscionable.”
The most prominent defendant is the e-cigarette seller Juul. It has been hit with almost a dozen lawsuits. Plaintiffs include parents claiming their children have become addicted to nicotine through using e-cigarettes.
In another part of the lawsuit, the ease with which underage people can purchase e-cigarettes is detailed. Using a pre-paid debit card and a new e-mail address, two under-21 women bought products from each defendant.
The suit says, “The Defendants shipped all of the purchased e-cigarette products to an address controlled by the New York City Sheriff’s Office and located in New York City. The products arrived addressed to one of the Jane Does, both of whom were underage individuals. The deliveries were made without any requirement of a signature or to show identification.”
Responsibility
Vaping industry leaders like Mirza Baig, who heads of Texas-based Artisan Vapor Franchise, said his company hires a third party to verify customers’ age. “We will take full responsibility of course if anything like that has happened,” he said. “That’s not our business. That’s not what we do. We all have kids.“
References:
- https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/09/health/new-york-city-e-cigarette-website-lawsuit/index.html
- https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-09/new-york-sues-online-e-cigarette-sellers-amid-vaping-crackdown
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