Niki Sharma, Attorney General, has released the following statement on the Province’s civil claim against JUUL Labs, Inc.:

“British Columbia has never shied away from standing up to powerful corporations when their actions put profits ahead of people’s health. 

“For decades, big tobacco and opioid companies have profited from deception, selling harm while hiding the truth. B.C. has fought back to hold them accountable for the damages they caused, and we won. Earlier in 2025, B.C. secured the first payment of nearly $1 billion from a landmark $3.6-billion tobacco settlement. And we lead the charge in two national class actions against opioid manufacturers, distributors and McKinsey for fuelling the opioid crisis.

“Today, B.C. is once again stepping up. We are filing a notice of civil claim in B.C. Supreme Court under the new Vaping Product Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act (VPRA) to hold JUUL Labs accountable for its public harms and to recover public health costs.

“JUUL was an early and significant contributor to vaping-related public harms, engaging in deceptive marketing practices aimed at youth to maximize its profits at the expense of people’s health and at significant cost to our public health system. JUUL’s development of highly addictive nicotine salts, product design and youth-friendly flavours caused many youth and non-smokers to become addicted to nicotine.

“With the VPRA now law, the Province is taking action to hold JUUL accountable for its role in fuelling an epidemic of youth addiction.

“This represents the first civil claim launched under the VPRA, but it will not be the last. Other manufacturers and wholesalers are also under consideration for litigation for their role in this public health crisis.

“We will continue to use every tool available to hold bad actors responsible for the harms they created, and ensure accountability from those who put profits ahead of the well-being of British Columbians.”

Learn More:

To learn more about the vaping product damages and health care costs recovery act, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025AG0058-000975

To learn more about government’s anti-vaping work, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/30272

To read the Attorney General’s statement on B.C. receiving the first tobacco-litigation payment, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/32718

To read the Attorney General’s statement on B.C. Supreme Court’s decision to certify the class-action lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/31920