The War On Nicotine Is A War On Vitality

By trying to take down Zyn, the federal government is seeking to suppress the vibrant, youthful spirit that once defined America.

How the company Juul single-handedly created the worst epidemic in America



Vapes were sold as a way to help those addicted to cigarettes quit.

However, all they actually did was get a generation of Americans hooked on electronic cigarettes — which aren’t healthy either.

Netflix’s “Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul” highlights the multibillion-dollar vape company that caused an epidemic and hence its own downfall.

“That was one of these Big Tech start-ups that was in the e-cigarette or vape business and that had a rocket ship of an ascension, and it turned out that, guess what, folks, news flash, inhaling smoke is not good for your lungs or your body and overall health,” Steve Kim of Jason Whitlock’s "Fearless" explains.

Kim notes that one of the most interesting things about Juul is “that it really used social media influence” in order to make the product go viral.

This is where it got dicey.

“They paid certain celebrities and influencers to go out there and market this. And it turned out, based on the social media craze, that it specifically seemed to target, unintentionally or intentionally, younger kids,” Kim says.

Before vapes there were cigarettes, which dealt with the same issue of marketing to children.

“I still remember the days of Joe Camel, another cartoon character, which [was] basically banned because the government stepped in,” Kim says, adding that it’s a little ironic that the government cares so much about the health of children when it comes to smoking — but not when it comes to permanently altering their bodies via “gender-affirming” care.

“Isn’t that a little bit strange? Isn’t there a bit of an inconsistency in a sense that we are telling people at certain points ‘my body, my choice,’ except when it comes to this or that?” Kim asks.


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Juul agrees to pay $438.5 million to settle lawsuit from 33 states alleging it marketed e-cigarettes to teenagers



On Tuesday, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong (D) announced that Juul Labs, the electronic cigarette manufacturer, has agreed to settle a lawsuit for $438.5 million. The case was filed by 33 states following an investigation into the company's marketing practices, reported the Associated Press.

The settlement amounted to about 25% of its total sales in the U.S. last year. Tong stated that Connecticut would receive at least $16 million from the lawsuit.

Juul Labs was targeted in 2020 for bearing significant responsibility for the surge in teen vaping. The states in the lawsuit alleged that the company marketed its high-nicotine products to underage users by throwing launch parties, running product giveaways, and featuring ads and social media posts with young models.

In addition to the nearly $440 million settlement to be paid out over a six- to ten-year period, Juul was hit with several marketing restrictions. For example, the e-cigarette company can no longer use social media advertising, product placement, depict people under 35, or advertise on billboards or public transportation. In addition, giving away free samples or paying social media influencers to promote Juul products is prohibited.

"These are some of the toughest mandates at any point on any industry," Tong said, "which is incredibly important because at the end of the day this is about protecting our kids and protecting all of us from a very significant public health risk."

After the once-dominant vaping product manufacturer came under scrutiny, it stopped hosting launch parties and running product giveaways. In response to concerns that its products were attracting younger users, it pulled fruit- and candy-flavored e-cigarettes from stores.

Since 2019, Juul has pulled all advertising in the United States. It has moved away from marketing to younger crowds and focused on providing an alternative to adults hoping to kick cigarette habits.

Juul said in a statement, "We remain focused on our future as we fulfill our mission to transition adult smokers away from cigarettes — the number one cause of preventable death — while combating underage use."

At its peak, the company made up one-third of the retail vaping market. Since then, Juul's market share has dropped by 75%.

Juul still faces an additional nine lawsuits from other states, as well as personal lawsuits from users who claim they became addicted to nicotine due to using the company's products.

The vaping product manufacturer previously settled cases in Arizona, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Washington.

The FDA also targeted Juul, attempting to remove its products from the market altogether. Juul challenged the ruling in court, and since then, the FDA has continued its safety review of the company's technology.