RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina has launched a comprehensive public archive containing nearly 5 million internal Juul Labs documents, providing unprecedented insight into the marketing strategies and business practices that contributed to widespread youth vaping addiction.
The Juul Labs Document Repository, developed through a partnership between the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of California, San Francisco, was funded by North Carolina’s legal settlement with the e-cigarette manufacturer.
The archive offers a detailed look at Juul’s marketing tactics, product development processes, and business strategies during the height of what public health officials have termed the youth vaping epidemic. Despite declining rates in recent years, more than 1.6 million U.S. middle and high school students reported current e-cigarette use in 2024, with over 12% identifying Juul as their usual or most recently used brand.
Legal Action and Settlement
The database stems from groundbreaking legal action initiated by Governor Josh Stein while he served as North Carolina’s Attorney General. In 2019, Stein filed the first state lawsuit against Juul Labs, alleging the company deliberately targeted young people with addictive e-cigarette products.
“As Attorney General, I held e-cigarette companies accountable to keep kids safe and healthy,” Governor Stein said. “This new database strengthens our ability to protect our kids, inform policy, and prevent future public health crises.”
The lawsuit resulted in a $40 million settlement in 2021, later increased to $47.8 million in 2023. The funds, paid over several years, support prevention programs, cessation efforts, research initiatives, and public transparency measures, including the creation of this document repository.
Comprehensive Research Tool
The archive was developed through collaboration between UNC-Chapel Hill’s University Libraries and the UCSF Industry Documents Library, which hosts the public database. The fully searchable repository integrates with more than 18 million related documents, providing broader context about tobacco industry practices and marketing strategies.
“Libraries are trusted sources of information that can fuel understanding and drive discoveries,” said María R. Estorino, Vice Provost for University Libraries and University Librarian at UNC-Chapel Hill. “This collaboration produced an essential new resource that none of our organizations could have created alone.”
The database contains a wide range of materials, including corporate emails, marketing plans, scientific studies, and regulatory communications, offering researchers unprecedented access to internal company decision-making processes.
Multiple Applications
The repository is already being utilized across several sectors:
Research: Public health experts are analyzing the documents to examine youth-targeted marketing strategies, flavor development processes, and corporate lobbying efforts.
Policy Development: Lawmakers and regulatory agencies are using evidence from the archive to strengthen tobacco control measures and inform future legislation.
Education: UNC’s University Libraries has developed comprehensive guides, training materials, and analytical tools to help students, journalists, and community organizations effectively navigate and interpret the vast collection of materials.
Public Awareness: Journalists and advocacy groups are leveraging the database to educate the public about tobacco industry tactics specifically designed to appeal to younger demographics.
Setting Precedent
The Juul Labs Document Repository represents more than just a settlement outcome—it establishes a model for how legal resolutions can create lasting public health protections. By mandating transparency and public access to internal corporate documents, the settlement creates accountability mechanisms that extend far beyond monetary penalties.
The initiative builds transparency, accountability, and evidence-based policymaking into the legacy of North Carolina’s legal action against Juul Labs, potentially influencing how future public health litigation is structured and resolved.
The complete Juul Labs Document Repository is accessible to the public at industrydocuments.ucsf.edu/tobacco/collections/juul-labs-collection, providing free access to researchers, policymakers, educators, and citizens interested in understanding the corporate strategies behind the youth vaping epidemic.
