Horry County school board votes to sue e-cigarette company Juul for ‘vaping epidemic’
The Horry County Board of Education unanimously voted Monday to file a lawsuit against a popular e-cigarette company for its part in the “vaping epidemic.”
The Horry County school board will file a lawsuit against Juul Labs Inc. for “the harm its products have caused, including addition and health problems in students as well as the financial burden faced by the school system,” according to a press release from the district sent shortly after the vote was taken.
The district’s suit joins dozens of others filed against Juul. The company didn’t respond to a request for comment Monday night.
In the lawsuit, the district plans to claim Juul “falsely marketed” its products as safer than traditional tobacco products, the release says, and that young consumers were targeted by colors and flavors.
“While companies like Juul have promoted its products as a safe option compared to other tobacco products, they are far from safe,” the release reads.
In the lawsuit, the district will seek “damages the school system has incurred from students vaping on campus and for future resources to combat vaping among students.” The district also wants to recover cost of resources like prevention programs, counseling and treatment, the release says.
