ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL ANNOUNCES JUUL SETTLEMENT FUNDS TO BRING NATIONAL YOUTH VAPING PREVENTION AND CESSATION INITIATIVE TO ILLINOIS

Settlement Funds will Support Efforts by Nation's Largest Nonprofit Dedicated to Youth Vaping Prevention to Launch "EX Program" Campaign Statewide

, /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced $24 million from the 2023 Juul Labs settlement will support efforts by Truth Initiative, the country's largest nonprofit public health organization dedicated to preventing youth and young adult nicotine use and addiction, to provide Illinois youth with vital resources for vaping prevention and cessation through Truth Initiative's EX Program, the Vaping: Know the Truth curriculum, and a targeted media campaign.

Truth Initiative's EX Program is an evidence-based quitting resource developed in 2008 by Truth Initiative with Mayo Clinic. EX Program can increase the odds of quitting nicotine by up to 40%, by offering young people personalized digital quitting support accessible via their phones, internet and social media that is tailored to their lifestyle.

"E-cigarette use is an ongoing epidemic among youth in Illinois as flavored, disposable vaping products that appeal to teens and youth have flooded the market nationwide," Raoul said. "The sale of flavored vaping products continues to be a problem throughout the state and nation, and I appreciate Truth Initiative educating Illinois youth on the dangers of vaping while empowering them to live healthier, vape-free lives through its EX Program."

Truth Initiative is the nation's largest nonprofit public health organization dedicated to preventing youth and young adult nicotine addiction and empowering all to quit. The organization will launch a media campaign specifically designed to educate Illinois youth and young adults on the harms of vaping, increase awareness of available resources and drive enrollment in the EX Program.

Additionally, as part of this initiative, Illinois schools will receive access to "Vaping: Know the Truth" curriculum, which is a self-led prevention and cessation education program created by Truth Initiative and Kaiser Permanente, in collaboration with the American Heart Association. The curriculum will be delivered through EVERFI, a technology company that drives social impact through education, and will provide interactive modules designed specifically for middle and high school students to lead vape-free lives and support peers in quitting nicotine.

"This settlement with JUUL presents a pivotal opportunity to redirect funds toward evidence-based programs that empower young people to quit vaping and prevent future addiction," said Kathy Crosby, CEO and President of Truth Initiative. "We commend Attorney General Raoul for his strong leadership in confronting the youth vaping crisis and his commitment to strategically directing settlement funds to maximize their impact. We're proud to partner with the Illinois Attorney General to help end the youth vaping epidemic and create a healthier, tobacco-free future."

To promote awareness and engagement, Truth Initiative will also host college and university campus-based events, including at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Knox College in Galesburg. These events will foster a culture of quitting, encouraging students to enroll in the EX Program or support friends looking to quit. Young adult advocates will also share firsthand experiences about the risks of vaping and the benefits of quitting.

Truth Initiative's mission is to prevent youth and young adult nicotine addiction and ensure individuals have access to resources that will help them quit. Through its EX Program and national public education and prevention campaigns, they lead the fight against youth and young adult tobacco use. Its scientific research and policy studies, community and youth engagement programs supporting populations at high risk of using tobacco, and innovation in tobacco-dependence treatment continue to contribute to ending this critical public health battle.

The EX Program is a proven-effective tobacco cessation program that brings together evidence-based quitting approaches, interactive digital quitting programs and an established online quitting community. EX Program has helped millions of youth and adults develop the skills and confidence to successfully quit. Young adults ready to quit nicotine can join the movement by texting EXPROGRAM to VAPEFREEIL or visiting the program's website to start their journey toward freedom from nicotine.

This project stems from Attorney General Raoul's longstanding work to combat youth e-cigarette use and hold e-cigarette manufacturers accountable for the epidemic of use among youth and teens. As part of this work, Raoul filed suit in 2019 against one of the largest e-cigarette manufacturers, Juul Labs Inc., alleging the company intentionally marketed its harmful products to minors. As a result, Raoul, along with six other attorneys general, secured a $462 million settlement with Juul. Settlement funding to Illinois will make this statewide initiative possible.

SOURCE Office of the Illinois Attorney General; Truth Initiative