U.S. Prosecutors Launch Criminal Investigation into Vaping Giant Juul

Recently, due to suspicions that lung diseases related to vaping have led to multiple deaths, e-cigarettes and industry giant Juul have become the focus of public scrutiny in the United States. According to foreign media reports, a reputable U.S. media outlet cited informed sources on Monday, stating that federal prosecutors in California are conducting a criminal investigation into the e-cigarette manufacturer "Juul Labs, Inc.".

The specific focus of the investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California regarding Juul remains unclear, and this criminal investigation is still in its early stages.

Neither Juul nor the U.S. Attorney's Office immediately responded to media requests for comments.

Juul is a major e-cigarette company in the U.S., with products sold in the U.S. and several other countries. The company is facing increasingly stringent scrutiny and investigations from U.S. regulatory agencies, which have criticized Juul for publishing misleading advertisements and claiming without approval that "e-cigarettes are less harmful than traditional tobacco," thereby enticing teenagers to use e-cigarettes.

It is reported that tobacco giant Altria Group holds a 35% stake in Juul.

Earlier this month, the Governor of California ordered a public awareness campaign regarding the health risks associated with teenage vaping. Additionally, the Governor of New York announced a ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes.

Reports indicate that one direction of the California prosecutors' investigation is to determine what role Juul has played in the rise of vaping addiction among teenagers in the U.S.

Currently, various agencies investigating Juul include the Federal Trade Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, and some state attorney general offices. However, previous investigations did not involve criminal inquiries.

E-cigarettes are electronic products that vaporize nicotine. In recent years, e-cigarettes have gradually gained popularity among teenagers and other groups, with some flavored e-cigarettes indicating a more complex chemical composition.

Currently, health departments at both the federal and state levels in the U.S. are investigating 450 suspected cases of lung disease related to e-cigarettes, with several patients already reported dead.

According to foreign media reports, these lung diseases have not yet been definitively linked to the nicotine or other substances in e-cigarettes (some lung diseases are also suspected to be related to a cannabis active ingredient), but the health risks of e-cigarettes have drawn public attention. Following the recent reports of cases and deaths, some consumers have stated they are giving up vaping.