UK government criticized for calling Juul a leader in combating youth vaping

Today, on June 4, it was reported that the UK government has been criticized for "completely inappropriately" supporting an e-cigarette manufacturer that has been accused of fueling the youth vaping epidemic in the U.S.

JUUL Labs was promoted in an official briefing released by the Department of Health and Social Care, which outlined the Prime Minister's plan to close loopholes that allow free samples to be provided to children.

The press release—quoting Rishi Sunak, England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty, and Health Minister Neil O'Brien—described the company as a leader in combating youth vaping, stating that it has taken measures to ensure its products do not appeal to minors and encourages others in the industry to do the same.

It also quoted Joe Murillo, former tobacco executive and Chief Regulatory Officer of Juul Labs, who praised the UK government's policies and called for more measures to combat youth usage of these products. The briefing sent to reporters before the policy was publicly announced seemingly led to positive media coverage for Juul today, with Murillo's quotes being reprinted by four national newspapers.

However, it did not mention that the company has been accused more than any other of fueling the youth vaping epidemic in the U.S. and has recently agreed to pay over $1 billion to settle allegations of illegally marketing its products to minors.

In the latest settlement in April, Juul agreed to pay $462 million to resolve lawsuits filed by six U.S. states after being accused of targeting youth through promotional events, product giveaways, and using young models in social media advertising campaigns. The company has not admitted any wrongdoing and stated that these settlements are part of its commitment to addressing past issues.

Health experts and activists have stated that the UK government's promotion of Juul as an advocate for addressing youth vaping issues is naive and inappropriate, raising questions about potential behind-the-scenes influences.

Deborah Arnott, CEO of Action on Smoking and Health, expressed her shock at seeing such an inappropriate endorsement, stating that it gives the impression that the company is determining how e-cigarettes should be regulated.

"The government needs to make it clear that its policies on youth vaping will be evidence-based, not driven by industry interests," she said.

Professor Gurch Randhawa, Director of the Institute of Health Research at the University of Bedfordshire, stated, "It is concerning that any company accused of promoting youth vaping through colorful packaging and various flavors is included in government policy announcements."

"Despite e-cigarette companies claiming they do not market their products to children, their products are fueling the current vaping epidemic among young people in the UK," he said.

The Department of Health and Social Care stated that it has outlined bold actions to combat youth vaping, including establishing an enforcement team to catch companies selling products to children under 18.

"To support our ambition of a smoke-free society by 2030, we are working closely with all stakeholders," a spokesperson said. They did not clarify how Juul appeared in the press release or why they decided to remove references to the company from a blog post published on their website.

Labour's shadow health minister Wes Streeting accused the Conservatives of celebrating a company that has consistently marketed e-cigarettes to children. "This seriously calls into question Rishi Sunak's sincerity in taking meaningful action against harmful vaping. Meanwhile, a new generation of children is becoming addicted to nicotine," he said.

Juul Labs has an office in London and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. The company stated that it is committed to supporting the government in providing alternatives for adult smokers while combating youth vaping efforts.

It added that since the new leadership took over in 2019, it has implemented a company-wide reset to address youth vaping issues, and the use of Juul products among U.S. minors has decreased by 95%. A company spokesperson stated: "We do not want any non-nicotine users, especially minors, to try Juul products, which exist solely to help adult smokers move away from cigarettes. We continue to take measures to ensure our products do not appeal to minors or are used by them, and we support policies and regulations aimed at preventing youth usage."

Research shows that the rate of e-cigarette use among young people is relatively low but is increasing. NHS data from 2021 indicates that 9% of children aged 11 to 15 use e-cigarettes, up from 6% in 2018.

Charities are calling for stricter limits on the marketing of e-cigarettes and the use of packaging and flavors they believe make products appealing to children.