In this episode, we’re talking about the largest monetary settlements in the tobacco prevention and control field since the Master Settlement Agreement in 1998, which was 25 years ago. Starting in 2021, Juul, the company known for leading the way in addicting an entire generation of youth to nicotine through its targeted marketing and wide array of flavors, began settling with states’ Attorneys General, cities, counties, tribes, school districts, and individuals who brought personal injury claims after using Juul products, for intentionally and inaccurately marketing their highly addictive products to minors. In this episode, we walk you through these settlements involving Juul and Altria that totaled well over 1 billion dollars and the settlements’ impact at the point of sale.

Notes: 

• More on Juul’s rise and fall
  • Read Jamie Ducharme’s book, Big Vape
  • Watch Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul documentary on Netflix
• Public Health Law Center’s Juul Litigation Settlement Guide & Interactive Map
• More on how public health organizations believe Juul Settlement Agreement funds should be used:
  • Health groups urge states to spend Juul settlement dollars on tobacco prevention
  • Public Health Law Center’s document, How to Spend Juul Settlement Funds: Champion Our Children, Target Commercial Tobacco

In this episode, we’re talking about the corrective statement signs that tobacco companies are currently being required to post at the point of sale. These signs are part of the results of a court case decision from 2006 that convicted major tobacco companies of racketeering – for a decades-long conspiracy to deliberately mislead the public about the health risks of smoking and secondhand smoke and about the addictiveness of their deadly products. We'll cover  some background on what led to this requirement, what the requirements really are, and how tobacco prevention and control advocates can use this as an opportunity to work toward change. 

Notes: 

• Read the full text of these court-ordered corrective statements and see images of all 17 point-of-sale signs.
• Read Judge Kessler's final opinion and the court order
• History of the case:
• • 23 Year History of the Racketeering Lawsuit Against the Tobacco Industry: Guilty of Deceiving the American Public, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
  • United States vs. Philip Morris (1999), Public Health Law Center
  • Timeline: United States v. Philip Morris USA Inc., et al., Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
  • U.S. Racketeering Verdict: Big Tobacco Guilty as Charged, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids 
  • Department of Justice Lawsuit Against the Tobacco Industry, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
• More on the corrective statements at the point of sale:

o   Starting July 1, Tobacco Companies Must Post Signs About Health Risks of Smoking at About 220,000 Stores Across U.S. – Signs Stem from 2006 Racketeering Verdict Against Companies, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids 

• Media campaign: "Tobacco Stops With Me" Corrective Statement Media Campaign, Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Fund (TSET) 

In this episode, we're talking about the environmental impact of commercial tobacco products. Despite not typically being at the forefront of commercial tobacco prevention and control efforts, now more so than ever, it is paramount to understand how commercial tobacco products negatively impact our environment. You’ll hear about the manufacturing of tobacco, the use of non-biodegradable cigarette filters which remain the world’s most littered plastic item, the impact of e-cigarette and e-liquid waste, and ways that communities across the country are standing up to the commercial tobacco industry to reduce the environmental impact of tobacco products. 

Read a transcript of the episode.