opportunity to come at the expense of addicting a whole new generation of kids to nicotine. we'll take forceful steps to stem the youth use, even if our actions have the unwelcome effect of impeding some opportunities for adults. these are the hard tradeoffs we now need to make. we've been warning the e-cigarette manufacturers for more than a year that they need to do more to stem youth use. no reasonable person wants to see these products reaching epidemic use among kids. retailers and manufacturers of e-cigarettes know that the fda is aggressively enforcing the law to ensure they are complying with prohibitions against marketing and selling to kids. through these actions – and with more to come in the weeks and months ahead – we're committed to doing all we can to reverse the disturbing trends of youth tobacco use, especially e-cigarettes. i'll do everything i can to curb the epidemic of youth use," the us fda stated on october 12, 2018. in july 2019, law officials questioned juul labs' co-founder james monsees about marketing approaches his company used for their e-cigarette device. juul was suspected of targeting schools, camps, and youth programs. in summary 2018, juul sponsored a baltimore charter school with $134,000 in order for them to circulate materials created by juul on how to educate children about healthy lifestyles. in april 2017, a juul spokesperson went to the dwight school in new york city and said to students that their e-cigarettes are "totally safe." juul offered $10,000 to other schools throughout the us for them to be able to meet with students during school or after hours. a high school student said to the subcommittee, "juul went into their school and gave a presentation that was supposed to be about anti-vaping. after teachers left the room, juul gave a presentation that painted juul as healthy, and left kids believing that they could use it without health risks." in july 2019, courthouse news service stated, "robert jackler, a researcher from stanford university school of medicine, testified wednesday that monsees had said the use of the university's tobacco ad database was 'very helpful as they designed juul's advertising.' monsees denied making the statement." courthouse news service also stated, "rep. mark desaulnier, d-calif., said juul had falsely claimed it had partnered with stanford university to create a vaping prevention curriculum. in reality, the company had changed the research to suit its own needs, he said. the university has sent several cease-and-desist letters to the company." on september 9, the us fda issued a warning letter to juul for marketing unauthorized modified risk tobacco products by engaging in labeling, advertising, and/or other activities directed to consumers, including a presentation given to youth at a school. the agency also issued a second letter expressing its concern – and requesting additional information – about several issues raised in a recent congressional hearing regarding juul's outreach and marking practices, including those targeted at students, tribes, health insurers and employers. juul illegally marketed its nicotine e-cigarettes products as being safer than regular cigarettes, the us fda stated. the us fda told juul labs to amend its marketing practices. a juul representative stated the company was "reviewing the letters and will fully cooperate." graphic from the 2019 centers for disease control and prevention's report entitled e-cigarettes shaped like usb flash drives: information for parents, educators and health care providers lawsuits related to youth marketing in november 2015, three e-cigarette users filed a class action lawsuit in the us district court for the central district of california for deceptive advertising against the e-liquid company five pawns. the lawsuit contended that five pawns stated it had removed diacetyl from its e-liquids. the lawsuit contended that upon further tests, many of their e-liquids were found to contain small amounts of diacetyl. the suit also contended that five pawns stated to its users that its e-liquids did not contain diacetyl and acetylpropionyl, when testing indicated both were found in the e-liquids, and contended that the amounts of acetyl propionyl were more than a small amount. the suit also contended that breathing in diacetyl and acetyl propionyl can lead to severe lung ailments, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and emphysema. an attorney, speaking on behalf of five pawns, stated that the company denied the allegations. five pawns stated that the suit is "unfounded and without merit." in 2018, three lawsuits facing juul labs, contend that the company's patented formula increased their nicotine addiction. juul falsely marketed the device as safe, when it contains higher concentrations of nicotine compared with regular cigarettes, according to complaints in the two lawsuits in california. the two lawsuits in california contend that juul's marketing approaches were formed "around creating, and addicting, an entirely new group of customers who are not regular smokers." the lawsuit, in the us district court in northern california, stated that two people began using the juul device in 2017. one of them stated that they developed an addiction to the nicotine salts and uses up more than a few juul pods every week, according to the complaint. the other individual bought the juul device to assist them with give up smoking, but "the intense dosage of nicotine salts delivered by the juul products resulted in an increased nicotine addiction, and an increased consumption of nicotine," according to the complaint. the lawsuit, in the san francisco county superior court, stated a person bought the juul device with the intention of giving up smoking. the person stated that the juul device exacerbated their nicotine addiction. the complaint stated, whereas the person "had never felt the need to smoke on a daily basis, he now finds that he feels compelled to vape juul pods every day." a third lawsuit in 2018, in the us district court in southern district of new york, came from a mother of a teen who stated her son began using the juul device at 15 years of age. he was unable to quit using the device, the complaint contends, "even though it subjects him to disciplinary measures at home and at school." to substantiate their complaints, the three lawsuits referred to juul's early marketing strategies, the company's patented formula, a study indicating that juul may provide higher concentrations of nicotine than the company claimed, and a study that indicates that juul profited from its social media promotions. juul's campaign, costing millions of dollars, titled "vaporized" that depicted young people in billboards in times square and an overt advertisement in vice magazine were emphasized in the complaints in all three lawsuits. "juul labs does not believe the cases have merit and will be defending them vigorously," a juul representative told to the verge in july 2018. in may 2019, a girl 15 years of age and her parents from sarasota, florida sued juul labs and altria (owner of philip morris usa), which represents a 35% interest in juul. she began using a mango flavored juul device at age 14 and initially did not realize it was made with nicotine, according to complaints in the lawsuit. she had seizures after using the device, also according to complaints in the lawsuit. the parents accused them of attempting to get youth addicted to its products with the use of misleading marketing methods. juul has rejected these accusations. a spokesperson stated to rolling stone in may 2019 that "juul labs is committed to eliminating combustible cigarettes, the number one cause of preventable death in the world. our product is intended to be a viable alternative for current adult smokers only. we do not want non-nicotine users, especially youth, to ever try our product. to this end, we have launched an aggressive action plan to combat underage use as it is antithetical to our mission. to the extent these cases allege otherwise, they are without merit and we will defend our mission throughout this process." in may 2019, north carolina attorney general josh stein brought a lawsuit against juul, stating that the company targeted children. stein requested that a court restrict the number of flavors that the company sells and make sure minors will not be able to purchase its products. in august 2019, stein took legal action against eight e-cigarette businesses, stating that they are "unlawfully targeting children" and not mandating an age-verification process when products are being purchased. the companies listed in the lawsuits are beard vape, direct eliquid, electric lotus, electric tobacconist, eonsmoke, juice man, tinted brew, and vapeco. in july 2019, a teen sued juul in new jersey, stating that when he was 16 he started using juul. after a year, the teen stated he was using two pods every day. "he would juul during class, at home, while driving, practically anywhere that he could get away with it. he struggled to function without nicotine, and when he tried to quit using the product, he would have mood swings and become irritable," according to complaints in the lawsuit. "like the prior cases that this one copies, it is without merit and we will defend our mission throughout this process," the company juul stated. in august 2019, a mother of clay county, missouri sued juul in federal court, stating that the company "developed a marketing strategy" that targets youth, such as her daughter, who were in danger of developing a nicotine addiction. juul stated that the lawsuit is "without merit." they also stated, "we have never marketed to youth and do not want any non-nicotine users to try our products. last year, we launched an aggressive action plan to combat underage use as it is antithetical to our mission." the daughter was 14 when she began using the juul device in 2018, according to complaints in the lawsuit. she realized that she was unable to quit using the device, was purchasing juul products regularly, and put on display photos of herself and acquaintances using the device on social media, also according to complaints in the lawsuit. in august 2019, lake county, illinois state's attorney, michael nerheim sued juul labs, stating the company downplayed the effects of nicotine content and other substances used in the device, according to complaints in the lawsuit. nerheim also stated that the company engaged in marketing tactics directed at underage individuals, also according to complaints in the lawsuit. "just like cigarette companies did in the past, juul preyed on teens by using advertisements that glamorized their product in order to get kids hooked on nicotine. it will take years of education and money to right the wrongs and cover the damages caused by juul's marketing campaigns. to that end, the company should be held accountable for the massive expected cost to undo the damage they created," nerheim stated in august 2019. "juul labs exists to help adult smokers switch from combustible cigarettes. we have never marketed to youth and do not want non-nicotine users, especially youth, to ever try our product," a juul representative stated to csp daily news in august 2019. the lawsuit in illinois also stated that juul promoted its products on social media to influence young people to post selfies of themselves vaping with the device. "we have exited instagram and facebook and work constantly to remove inappropriate social media content generated by others," a juul representative wrote to nbc news in august 2019. in august 2019, a park ridge, illinois teenager sued juul labs and altria for "fraudulent and deceptive youth marketing business practices" that allegedly resulted in him developing an addition to nicotine. the teenager stated that the companies marketed their products to underage individuals without telling them about the dangers, according to complaints in the lawsuit. in august 2019, juul stated, in a respond to the lawsuit, it has "never marketed to youth and do not want non-nicotine users, especially youth, to ever try our product." altria stated in august 2019 that "virtually all of the conduct alleged in the complaint occurred before altria had any economic interest in juul." two days after the suit was filed, the teenager filed for a voluntary dismissal, and it was dismissed without prejudice. on september 13, 2019, an 18-year-old student is taking legal action in illinois against juul after doctors told him his lungs are like that of a 70-year-old. "the suggestion that only black market vape products are connected to vape-related deaths