Juul's future is getting cloudy.
The e-cigarette industry as a whole has come under fire as it becomes clear just how many teenagers starting vaping thanks to companies' flavored nicotine pens. Now, California prosecutors are conducting a federal criminal investigation into e-cig company Juul for its role in facilitating those addictions, people familiar with the matter tell The Wall Street Journal.
The Northern District of California is reportedly leading the charge against Juul Labs Inc., though it is unclear just what the federal prosecutors' focus is, the Journal reports. It follows separate investigations of the company by the Federal Trade Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, and state attorneys general, though those aren't explicitly pursuing criminal charges.
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Over the past few weeks, numbers of people contracting and dying from a vaping-linked lung disease have risen, with the death toll now at at least eight. President Trump pledged earlier this month to pull flavored vaping products off the shelves, while several states have mentioned doing the same.
A spokesperson for Juul had no comment, while a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney's office "said he couldn’t confirm or deny an ongoing investigation." Read more at The Wall Street Journal.
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