Minnesota sues e-cigarette maker over deceptive vape marketing tactics
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(FOX 9) - Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is taking legal action against a prominent e-cigarette manufacturer, citing violations of state laws on deceptive vaping products and consumer protection as teen vaping remains a national epidemic.
Minnesota lawsuit targets e-cig manufacturer
What we know:
AG Ellison plans to announce the lawsuit Wednesday, saying the company violated Minnesota’s prohibition on deceptive vapor products and general consumer protection statutes.
Dig deeper:
E-cigarettes, also known as vapes, e-pipes and other vaping products, are battery-powered devices that let users inhale aerosolized liquid, which can contain THC and nicotine.
Minnesota’s vaping regulations
Local perspective:
A law banning e-cigarettes and vapes in nearly all indoor workplaces and public places took effect Aug. 1, 2019, in Minnesota.
The Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act now treats vaping the same as cigarette smoking, banning it from restaurants, bars and almost all indoor workplaces and public spaces.
E-cigarette aerosol, commonly called vape smoke, has been found to contain harmful chemicals, including ultrafine particles, heavy metals like nickel, tin and lead, and other cancer-causing substances.
As part of settlements over harmful effects and deceptive advertising, e-cigarette makers JUUL and Altria have paid $41.75 million to Minnesota since 2023.
There are 28 cities and eight counties in Minnesota with some form of ban or restrictions on flavored vapes and other nicotine products. Plymouth was the most recent, approving a ban in April.
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Minneapolis Parks and Rec Board (MPRB) Commissioners discussed Wednesday night whether smoking marijuana should be banned in the city?s parks. But even if it is, you likely won?t be charged or even fined for doing it.
Big picture view:
The U.S. Surgeon General has previously called teen e-cigarette use an epidemic, noting that youth vaping had surpassed conventional cigarettes as the most commonly used tobacco product among teens in 2015.
However, on May 5, 2026, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released guidance that could allow several companies to market and sell fruit-flavored e-cigarettes under the Trump administration’s oversight.
The Source: Information provided by the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office and previous FOX 9 reporting.