AG Carr: Georgia To Join 39 State Coalition To Investigate JUUL's Impact On Youth Vaping

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In this Friday, Oct. 4, 2019 photo, a woman using an electronic cigarette exhales in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. / AP

Attorney General Chris Carr’s office said Tuesday his office is joining a 39-state coalition in investigating e-cigarette company JUUL’s targeting of youth.

Carr told GPB News that vaping is an issue he hears about often.

“I'll tell you of the issues I hear about, vaping is one of the top five,” Carr said. “I mean, and no matter where I am in the state, I get asked about it.”

The National Youth Tobacco Survey found more than 5 million youth reported having used e-cigarettes within the past 30 days, up from 3.6 million just one year prior. 26.1% of Georgia high school students tried vaping in 2017, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

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On Tuesday, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention updated the number of hospitalized e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury (EVALI) cases to 2,807. Six people in Georgia have died of EVALI as of Feb. 18.

Carr said the issue is one that has impacted him personally as a father.

“I'm the parent of a teenager. And there's not a time I go to school and I don't get asked what we're doing about vaping,” he said. “You know, basically, it's reached epidemic proportions.”

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Carr declined to comment on the specifics of the investigation, but seemed open to collaboration with public health organizations across the state.

“A good investigation means you get facts and data and information from as many good evidence based database sources as you possibly can,” he said.