RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein has filed several lawsuits against different vaping companies.
"My job is to protect the people of North Carolina from unfair business practices and that's why I'm taking this action," he said.
The vaping companies are accused of marketing and selling their products to kids under 18. The lawsuits were brought under the North Carolina Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
"We have an entire generation of young people at risk of nicotine addiction because of this product and I can not accept that," Stein said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there have been 33 vaping related deaths and more than 1,400 lung injury cases.
Doctors said high amounts of nicotine combined with flavors like cotton candy and mango may seem harmless to teens, but they are damaging.
Atrium Pediatric Lung Doctor Jeffrey Cleary said he's shocked by the impacts and underage sales.
"We know these products are only available for people 18 and above but still there are adolescences smoking and vaping, I didn't realize that vaping was so prevalent among young people," Cleary said.
The sued companies were Beard Vape, Direct eLiquid, Electric Lotus, Electric Tobacconist, Eonsmoke, Juice Man, Tinted Brew, and VapeCo.
Several businesses agreed not to sell their vaping products in North Carolina while the lawsuits work through the court system.
In May of this year, Stein filed a similar lawsuit against Juul.