Juul Accuses Retailers of Selling Counterfeit E-Cigarettes Under Its Name

Last month, Juul Labs Inc. filed a patent infringement complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in Washington, disclosing the names of more than 40 companies importing imitation illegal cartridges for its devices.

 

The manufacturer has also filed six trademark infringement lawsuits in Alabama, New Hampshire, New York, Tennessee, and Texas against retailers selling “counterfeit, copied, and non-genuine Juul products and related packaging,” while also accusing them of selling counterfeit goods and “gray market” products. This means the products were originally intended for overseas markets but were illegally imported into the United States.

 

Juul Labs has now announced that more lawsuits are coming, while the U.S. International Trade Commission is considering Juul’s request to block the import and sale of unauthorized imported cartridges.

 

These lawsuits are part of Juul’s “global enforcement program, which is designed to disrupt the illegal trade in black-market vaping products, provide a more responsible marketplace for current adult users, and address underage use,” and more importantly, the brand is working to rebuild its credibility.

 

Efforts to restore credibility

Last month, Juul CEO KC Crosthwaite pledged to do everything possible to repair the company’s image, as the company itself has become the target of multiple lawsuits in recent months. “If successful, this new ITC action will deliver additional public benefits by helping users avoid unauthorized products that are marketed as Juul-compatible, including products that can be modified by users, such as empty and refillable pods, or products containing substances such as THC. Juul’s system was not designed for that,” Juul said in a statement.