The Colorado Department of Law will use settlement money from a nationwide lawsuit against electronic cigarette maker Juul Labs to provide up to $20 million in grants to community groups working to increase youth mental health services and curb teen vaping, Attorney General Phil Weiser announced Tuesday.
The state received $31.7 million from Juul Labs last year as part of a $462 million settlement the company agreed to pay to six states and the District of Columbia to settle claims that the company illegally marketed its products to children and teens and mispresented the health risks of vaping. Juul also agreed to pay another $438 million to 33 states over similar claims.
“Youth are facing a mental health and vaping crisis that is driven by a lack of meaningful connections in their lives,” Weiser said in a statement. “Even before the trauma and isolation of the COVID-19 epidemic, children and youth were facing increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, which research shows increases the likelihood of youth vaping.”
The $20 million in grant money is in addition to another $11.4 million that the Colorado Attorney General’s Office is distributing to schools as part of its efforts to reduce the number of students who vape, according to a news release.
The Department of Law will prioritize grant money towards initiatives that involve collaboration between community organizations and school districts, according to the news release. Applications for the grants will open in the fall and close in January, according to the news release.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
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