Hawaii is suing e-cigarette maker JUUL Labs and Altria, saying the companies used misleading marketing to entice young customers, Honolulu Civil Beat reported.

“In marketing their e-cigarettes to Hawaii’s children, these companies ripped pages directly out of the tobacco-company playbook and resurrected Joe Camel for a 21st Century audience,” said Attorney General Connors in a statement. “By misrepresenting nicotine content and by presenting their products as healthy alternatives to cigarettes, they deceived the public and created a new generation of nicotine addicts.”
According to the report, the lawsuit alleges the companies violated Hawaii’s Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices Law and names executives and directors in the suit. It also alleges the companies downplayed the risks involved with using e-cigarette and vaping products.
Hawaii joins the ranks of several other states that have sued Juul in recent months, including New York and California. Federal data show that Hawaii has the highest vaping rates among middle schoolers and high schoolers in the US, the report said.