Josh Shapiro

Some local business owners support a lawsuit against the electronic cigarette manufacturer Juul filed this week.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro sued Juul Labs on Monday over how its products are marketed and sold to teenagers.

Shapiro is seeking an injunction from Philadelphia courts to halt Juul sales in Pennsylvania or force it to dramatically change business practices.

Bob Robele, owner of Butler's Godfather Vapors, said Juul goes against his business's philosophy of helping people to quit smoking.

He said the Juul devices contain high nicotine levels.

“The real problem was their nicotine concentration,” Robele said. “Nobody needs nicotine that high, unless they were trying to catch a nicotine buzz.”

Robele said the small Juul device is easy for children to conceal.

Marketed to children“I knew that the Juuls would be popular when they first came out, but I knew they were marketed to children,” said Robele, who refused to sell the devices.“Closed pod systems are the problem,” Robele said. “That's where Juul is looking to make their money.”Shapiro said in a statement that Juul “knowingly targeted young people with tactics similar to the tobacco companies' playbook. There is no proof these e-cigarettes are safe and until there is, we need to get Juul products off shelves and out of the hands of young people.”Nearly a quarter of high school students in Pennsylvania report using e-cigarettes, the lawsuit claims.Daniel Shuman, an employee of Cheap Tobacco Outlet in Butler, had to turn down a customer Tuesday for being under age 21.Shuman said he has seen Juul's marketing shift from the wild flavors.“When they have all those flavors, that's what attracted the little kids,” Shuman said.Shuman said the Juul devices have not sold well at his business.“I don't sell more than a pack or two a week,” he said.

A serious issueKailyn Goldinger, a health educator with Keystone Wellness Programs in Evans City, said Juuls are becoming increasingly common contraband at schools.“It's a serious issue right now,” she said.Goldinger's job puts her in schools to talk with students about a variety of addictive products, such as tobacco, Juuls, e-cigarettes and vaping, among others.“(Regarding) Juuls, we do know that it's not FDA-regulated, and they say that even the ones that are nicotine free, they're still finding nicotine in them,” she said.Goldinger said she explains to students that their brains aren't developed until around age 25 with their prefrontal cortex being one of the last portions to be developed.“It makes them very vulnerable to addictions, even more so than when they're adults,” Goldinger said.Keystone Wellness Programs work mainly in preventive education and providing basic policies to municipalities and companies.Goldinger said she and her coworkers also try to work with families and parents to help them approach the subject of addiction and tobacco use with their children.The organization will host a Strengthening Families program at the Butler YMCA from 5:30 to 8 p.m. every Tuesday from March 3 to April 14.Goldinger said parents and families can find help regarding addiction there.The program is free and open to any Butler County residents.