FTC looking at whether Juul marketed to minors, says report
The US Federal Trade Commission has launched an investigation to see if the maker of vaping devices engaged in deceptive marketing, says The Wall Street Journal.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that "e-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women, or adults who do not currently use tobacco products."
The Federal Trade Commission is investigating whether e-cigarette maker Juul practiced deceptive marketing, including targeting minors, says a Thursday report from The Wall Street Journal. Regulators may also seek monetary damages as they look into Juul's hiring of social media influencers to advertise its nicotine vaping devices, said the Journal.
"We fully cooperate and are transparent with any government agency or regulator who have interest in our category" a Juul spokesman said in a statement to CNET.
The company also said its paid influencer program was a "short-lived pilot that ended in 2018." Juul said it worked with fewer than 10 adults who were all smokers or former smokers over the age of 30.
Separate investigations into the company and possible vaping-related health issues have been launched by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, several state attorneys general and the Food and Drug Administration.
The FTC didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
