Keller Rohrback L.L.P.: Altria Agrees in Principle to $235 Million Settlement in Nationwide JUUL E-Cigarette Youth Vaping Litigation

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Keller Rohrback is thrilled to announce a $235 million settlement with Altria and related companies, in the massive nation-wide JUUL e-cigarette youth vaping predatory advertising, fraud, addiction and injury litigation: In re JUUL Labs, Inc. Mktg., Sales Practices, & Prods. Liab. Litig., MDL No. 2913 (N.D. Cal.).

Altria is the parent company of Philip Morris USA and the company behind Marlboro cigarettes. They were also one the major investors in the JUUL e-cigarette company and one of the largest tobacco companies in the world.

The settlement, which comes shortly after the commencement of the first bellwether trial against Altria, will resolve all remaining personal injury, consumer class action, and government entity cases brought in the national MDL and the JCCP in California against Altria and related companies.

This settlement comes on the heels of a December 2022 settlement in the MDL where JUUL agreed to resolve thousands of claims brought by personal injury plaintiffs, school districts, and cities, counties and tribes, and millions of consumers.

The combined settlement proceeds will go toward directly addressing the youth use of e-cigarettes nationwide.

Keller Rohrback partner and co-lead counsel Dean Kawamoto said “It has been a privilege to represent school districts and public health departments in this litigation and help them in their fight to protect youth from vaping and nicotine addiction. Youth vaping remains a serious problem in our schools and communities, and this settlement will provide needed funds to address this pressing public health problem.“

About Keller Rohrback L.L.P.

Keller Rohrback is a national law firm with offices in New York, Seattle, Phoenix, Oakland, Missoula, Portland, and Santa Barbara. Keller Rohrback’s attorneys have been appointed to leadership roles in major litigations throughout the country.

Keller Rohrback has a long track record of representing school districts, cities, and counties in litigation to vindicate important public rights. In addition to its work in the JUUL litigation, Keller Rohrback represents over 70 city, county and tribal governments in the National Prescription Opiate Multi-District Litigation, filed the first case in the nation on behalf of the Seattle Public Schools against social media companies arising from the youth mental health crisis, and represents major cities in their lawsuits against Hyundai and Kia for facilitating a juvenile crime wave by failing to install basic anti-theft technology. While the facts of these cases may vary, the goal is the same – to help local governments protect their children, their families, and their communities.