The Wake County school system will receive more than $8 million in lawsuit settlements against e-cigarette companies accused of causing a national vaping epidemic among teens.

The school board announced Tuesday it had reached a $1.87 million settlement with the Altria Group Inc. and its related companies. That’s in addition to the $6.2 million settlement with e-cigarette giant Juul Labs that Wake announced in April. Altria owns a stake in Juul.

Wake’s settlements are part of the federal district court lawsuit filed by school districts, cities and towns across the nation against companies involved in the manufacture, distribution and marketing of vaping products.

“This settlement is an important first step,” Wake school board chair Chris Heagarty said in a news release. “It’s a win for the health of our students, and these funds will educate and protect our youth from the dangers of vaping, ensuring a healthier future for our community. But there is more left to do, especially as these companies alter their products to evade existing protections of our kids.”

Both settlements will provide additional resources to further Wake’s work educating about the dangers of vaping and youth nicotine use.

E-cigarette soars among teens

North Carolina has already won a $40 million settlement against Juul. North Carolina was the first state to challenge and force change in how Juul targets teens with its marketing.

In 2021, Wake County was the first North Carolina school district to sue Juul.

E-cigarettes are electronic devices that use a liquid laced with nicotine that produces a vapor that users inhale. Their popularity caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to declare an “epidemic” of underage vaping among young people.

From 2018 to 2019, use of e-cigarettes rose 78% among high schoolers and 48% among middle schoolers, according to the N.C. Youth Tobacco Survey.

The Wake County school system saw a more than 1000% increase in e-cigarette violations among students between the 2016-17 and 2018-19 school year, The News & Observer previously reported.

In response, the Wake County Board of Commissioners now requires new stores that sell tobacco and hemp products to be at least 1,000 feet from schools, parks, greenways, homes, and other tobacco and hemp retailers, the N&O previously reported. The rule only applies to the county’s unincorporated areas and to towns that adopt it.

When attorneys approached Wake schools about suing Juul, they told the district that no taxpayer money would be spent. The attorneys will only be paid out of the settlement money Wake will receive.