E-cigarette company Juul Labs will pay Arizona USD 14.5 million and vowed to stop marketing to young people in the state to settle a consumer fraud lawsuit, reports Albuquerque Journal.

The settlement announced by Attorney General Mark Brnovich is the second Juul has reached with state prosecutors, the report said. It ends litigation the Republican US Senate candidate filed in January 2020 against Juul and another el-cigarettes maker, alleging they illegally targeted young people in their marketing.
According to the report, Juul admitted no wrongdoing in settling the case and called it “another step in our ongoing effort to reset our company.” The company had halted all advertising and stopped sales of all flavoured products except menthol prior to Brnovich's lawsuit.
Juul has already been sued by multiple states over marketing of its products, which it praises as a safer alternative regular tobacco product. In June 2021, it reached a similar settlement with North Carolina’s attorney general that included a USD 40 million payment and promises not to market to minors and boost enforcement of retailers who sell its products. Lawsuits with a few other states remain, the report said.
“Today’s settlement holds Juul accountable for its irresponsible marketing efforts that pushed Arizona minors toward nicotine and the addiction that follows,” Brnovich said in a statement. “Combatting the youth vaping epidemic remains a priority for our office with both our undercover Counter Strike program and zero tolerance for vaping companies that mislead or deceive.”
Juul said in its statement on the Arizona settlement that it will “continue working with federal and state stakeholders to advance a fully regulated, science-based marketplace for vapor products.”
The company, which is partly owned by Altria, said it is in discussions to settle lawsuits filed by other states.