Senator Martinez Joins Attorney General James to Unveil New Funding for Suffolk Youth Anti-Vaping Programs

New York State Sen. Monica R. Martinez joined Attorney General Letitia James and Suffolk County officials to announce more than $8.8 million in new support for a range of local programs to reduce and prevent underage vaping.  The funding is a result of the state’s settlement agreement with electronic cigarette maker JUUL Labs Inc. that was secured by Attorney General James and several other attorneys general who joined the lawsuit.  As part of the multistate 2023 agreement, JUUL will pay $462 million to six states and the District of Columbia, with New York receiving $112.7 million spread out over eight years.

"Electronic cigarette companies have clouded the minds of New Yorkers about the harmful effects of nicotine use, especially among teens and adolescents," said State Sen. Martinez.  "This settlement's funding will help dissipate the clouds of deception that have encouraged youth e-cigarette use across Suffolk County and throughout our state.  As a sponsor of legislation to reduce adolescent vaping, I thank Attorney General James for securing this settlement on behalf of New York’s children and for reinvesting it into their healthier futures.”

Photo: New York State Senator Monica R. Martinez discusses efforts to reduce youth vaping during a June 12, 2024, press conference with Attorney General Letitia James and Suffolk County officials.

Combating youth vaping has been a priority for Sen. Martinez, who passed legislation in the Senate this session to ban the sale of electronic cigarette products that resemble school supplies or toys, or that use packaging and advertising intended to target children. 

According to data from the New York State Department of Health, 18.7% of New York high school students are using electronic cigarettes. Nicotine, the substance found in over 95% of the e-cigarettes sold in the United States, has been linked to significant risks to adolescent health, including brain development, impulse control, and impacts on mood, attention, and learning.