California Attorney General sues two e-cigarette retailers

  California Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against two e-cigarette online retailers, accusing them of failing to legally verify user ages, violating laws designed to protect youth from tobacco products.

According to a report from the American news site einnews on December 14, California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a lawsuit against two e-cigarette online retailers—Ejuicesteals and E-juice Vapor.

The lawsuit is taking place in federal court in the Eastern and Central Districts of California, where Bonta accuses the two companies of failing to legally verify the ages of California consumers, violating state and federal laws that protect the public, especially youth and vulnerable populations, from harmful and addictive tobacco products.

In the lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta claims that the actions of these two companies violate the PACT Act, California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law, the STAKE Act, and the Unfair Competition Law, seeking civil penalties, damages, and injunctions against their actions.

Bonta stated: "As the legal representative of the people, I cannot stand by while online retailers of e-cigarettes continue to lead our youth to use harmful e-cigarettes and tobacco products. We will take all legal action against anyone who uses illegal practices to lure our children into harmful addictive behaviors for profit. Ejuicesteals, E-juice Vapor, and other companies that create this public health crisis will be held accountable."

Bonta claims in today's lawsuit that Ejuicesteals and E-juice Vapor violated the aforementioned federal and state regulations for reasons including: failing to verify consumers' ages; violating California tobacco product delivery sales regulations through remote sales transactions, among other actions.

Previously, Bonta reached a multi-state settlement agreement worth $462 million with e-cigarette manufacturer JUUL, with California receiving $175.8 million, the highest amount in the settlement with the state.

This settlement will help California fund research, education, and enforcement efforts regarding e-cigarettes. JUUL will also be prohibited from targeting youth in its advertising and promotions, as part of the agreement.