WASHINGTON (AP) — A top executive for vaping giant Juul Labs is set to tell House lawmakers his company is taking unprecedented steps to keep its electronic cigarettes away from kids.
According to his prepared remarks, Juul co-founder James Monsees will testify that the company never intended its vaping device to be adopted by underage teenagers.
Thursday’s hearing marks the first time Juul has been called before Congress amid a surge in teen vaping. Federal law bans the sale of e-cigarettes to those under 18.
The privately held company has grown into a multibillion-dollar business on the success of its small, discrete vaping device. The company says it’s providing an alternative to adult smokers who want to quit.
Recent federal data shows underage vaping has rocketed since Juul’s launch in 2015.
