WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - E-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc., which is being criticized for marketing e- cigarettes and other vaping products to teens and youth, is facing a criminal investigation by federal prosecutors in California, the Wall Street Journal reported citing people familiar with the matter. The move comes as the Government and major companies are taking a strong stand against e-cigarettes and vaping amid the ongoing health crisis.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week that 530 cases of lung injury associated with e-cigarette product use, or vaping, were reported by 38 states and one territory, and that seven people have died.
In early September, Juul, which got a $13-billion investment from tobacco company Altria, had received a warning letter from the US Food and Drug Administration for marketing unauthorized tobacco products to consumers, including a presentation given to youth at a school. The company already is facing several federal, state investigations, including a probe by a House panel whether it deliberately targeted children.
Congressional Democrats have threatened to subpoena Juul for not providing documents related to its products and marketing practices.
As more deaths are reporting related to a mysterious vaping-related illness, media companies including CBS, Viacom, CNN and its parent WarnerMedia have taken decision to stop running advertisements for e-cigarettes.
Further, citing regulatory uncertainty around the vaping products, Walmart Inc. recently announced that it would stop selling e-cigarettes at its stores in the United States.
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