Is there a class action lawsuit against JUUL? Payout date details and more explored as TikTok trend takes over
Some JUUL users are receiving thousands of dollars this week thanks to a class action lawsuit involving the tobacco giant. Several netizens have taken to social media and online forums like Reddit to claim they received a lump sum from the e-cigarette company after the organization agreed to a settlement in 2022. The deadline for submitting claims to receive money had passed on February 5, 2024.
The legal woes began in 2022 after the company, alongside its 35% stakeholder Altria, allegedly misled consumers about how addictive and dangerous the products are. Furthermore, it was alleged that the company was unlawfully marketing its products to teens.
JUUL agreed to a settlement of $225 million in 2023, with Altria contributing $45 million. By March 2024, 14 million vape users had filed their claims, with 842,000 eligible customers being compensated. JUUL did not admit any wrongdoing amidst their lawsuit; however, Altria denied the allegations. A court has yet to make a ruling regarding the lawsuit.
How much money are JUUL users getting? Details revealed amid massive payout
Those who purchased the company's vapes before December 7, 2022, were eligible to submit claims and receive a portion of the $300 million settlement.
According to the company's class action website (www.juulclassaction.com/en), the payouts began on October 18, 2024. They were based on how many receipts users could produce to show proof of purchase. Those without any proof of purchase received compensation of up to $300.
Meanwhile, netizens took to the internet to share screenshots of online deposits they had received from the settlement. According to AOL, some payouts ranged between $144 and $9,217. As per The Independent, college student Drewe Raimi received $3,500. She wrote in a TikTok post:
“POV: you just got $3k Venmo from a class action lawsuit against JUUL you forgot you filled out as a JOKE 2 years ago in college.”
Meanwhile, the r/juul Reddit forum has remained active, with many discussing the class action lawsuit. Some comments on the forum read:
"What are y’all buying with that fat settlement money," one Reddit user said.
"Anyone filled out the settlement and didn’t get a confirmation code," another platform user said.
"Direct Deposit Option," a netizen said on the forum.
"How Much did ya’ll claim," an internet user said.
The organization has been in trouble with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, with the latter placing a ban on the company’s products in 2022. This comes after it was observed that the vapes were largely being used by teenagers.
However, in June, it was announced that the ban on the products had been reversed. It is important to note that the vapes continue to be under review by the federal agency with no indication of them being fully cleared in the future.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last year that the use of e-cigarettes had grown by nearly 50% between January 2022 and December 2022.