E-cigarette maker Juul Labs is being sued by the state of California for systematically marketing its products to attract teenagers, reported Reuters.

The complaint was filed by Attorney General Xavier Becerra who announced that the law suit comes after a lengthy 21-month investigation, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The law suit accuses Juul Labs of illegally advertising to teenagers and young adults and failing to warn about potential health risks of using its products. It also states that Juul Labs failed to verify the age of customers, allowing anyone that failed the age verification on the website to create multiple accounts in order to circumvent the system. Sales records in California also show that the company sent out thousands of its products to fake names, the suit states.
“Juul ran Big Tobacco’s playbook and its plays, and the results were predictable,” Becerra said. “Millions of teens and young Americans now use its products. While Juul profits soared, users became addicted and their health was compromised.”
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Becerra’s suit seeks to recover $2,500 per violation from Juul Labs to cover the cost of addiction treatment and to go towards public health awareness programs.