FTC looking at whether Juul marketed to minors, says report

The Federal Trade Commission is investigating whether e-cigarette maker Juul practiced deceptive marketing, including targeting minors, says a Thursday report from The Wall Street Journal. Regulators may also seek monetary damages as they look into Juul's hiring of social media influencers to advertise its nicotine vaping devices, said the Journal.

"We fully cooperate and are transparent with any government agency or regulator who have interest in our category" a Juul spokesman said in a statement to CNET.

The company also said its paid influencer program was a "short-lived pilot that ended in 2018." Juul said it worked with fewer than 10 adults who were all smokers or former smokers over the age of 30.

Separate investigations into the company and possible vaping-related health issues have been launched by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, several state attorneys general and the Food and Drug Administration. 

The FTC didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Source: Cnet.com

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