A generation of Alaska teachers will remember the day they realized the flash-drive in a student’s hand wasn’t a thumb drive at all, but a nicotine vape. For years, educators, nurses, and parents have described a youth-vaping surge that seemed to sweep through Alaska schools almost overnight. Now, after half a decade in court, the State says it has finally held the companies behind that wave accountable.
This week, Alaska and Juul agreed to a $5.8 million settlement, ending a lawsuit the State filed in November 2020 over what it alleged was a campaign to target Alaskan youth with nicotine vaping products. Combined with a separate $2 million settlement reached with Altria in January 2024, the total recovery of $7.8 million ranks among the highest per capita in the nation.
The State’s case focused on Juul’s marketing of flavored vape products that resembled USB flash drives and a viral social media strategy that officials said was designed to appeal to children and teens. The lawsuit also alleged that Altria provided its financial backing and marketing expertise to help shape those campaigns.
Throughout the litigation, teachers, administrators, and students described the impact the youth-vaping epidemic has had on school life and student health. The Alaska Department of Health has spent nearly a decade responding through its Tobacco Prevention and Control Program, which worked closely with the Department of Law’s Consumer Protection team as the case moved forward.
Attorney General Stephen Cox said the five-year effort resulted in strong court-enforceable limits on how Juul and Altria can operate in Alaska, along with one of the highest per-capita financial recoveries secured by any state. Health Commissioner Heidi Hedberg pointed to recent Youth Risk and Behavioral Surveillance System data showing the use of vapes and other nicotine products continues to climb among Alaska youth, saying families need more education, treatment options, and prevention efforts to counter the trend.
Under the settlement, Juul will pay the State $5.8 million over the next five years, with the first payment arriving this month. Half of the net proceeds will fund Alaska’s tobacco prevention and control programs and the other half will support consumer protection efforts.
