Minnesota’s attorney general announced that his office has filed a , marketing vapes to children, and consumer fraud, and has launched an investigation into e-cigarette manufacturer Loon to determine whether Loon has violated these or similar laws.
“My job as Attorney General is to protect Minnesotans — especially our children — when corporations try to harm us to make a profit. I will not allow any corporation to illegally manufacture, market, and sell dangerous and addictive e-cigarette products to Minnesota youth,” said Attorney General Keith Ellison in a press release. “The actions I’m announcing today should put vaping businesses on notice: designing vaping products to appeal to young people will not be tolerated in Minnesota. I’m taking action to stop unlawful practices and prevent a generation of younger Minnesotans from becoming hooked on nicotine.”
High Light Vapes is the maker of e-cigarette products that mimic highlighters and are designed to be easily concealable and usable by school-age children.
High Light intentionally advertised its products as a “stealthy” and “disguise[d]” way to have “seamless and covert vaping in any setting,” due to their “striking resemblance to actual highlighters.” At an August 29, 2024 press conference, Attorney General Ellison demonstrated the similarity in appearance between an actual highlighter and a High Light Vape.
High Light’s e-cigarettes not only mimic children’s school supplies, but also come in a wide variety of “fruity, minty, or dessert flavors,” including Strawberry Cheesecake, Blueberry Raspberry, Sour Apple, and Magic Fruit. Attorney General Ellison alleges that by manufacturing and marketing these products, High Light Vapes has violated a new state law that prohibits the advertising, sale, or distribution of e-cigarettes that imitate school supplies or are described or depicted as imitating candy, desserts, or beverages that are commonly marketed to minors, among other things, and has violated other tobacco-related and consumer-fraud laws.
Attorney General today also announced he has begun a civil investigation into Loon (also known as Maduro Distributors), a Minnesota-based manufacturer of several brands and flavors of e-cigarettes.
As part of this investigation, the Attorney General’s Office served a civil investigative demand on Loon, which require the company to produce documents and answer questions under oath. The purpose of the investigation is to gather information to determine whether Loon may have violated Minnesota’s consumer protection and deceptive vaping laws.
