Juul to open facility in Research Triangle Park in 2022, company officials say

E-cigarette manufacturer Juul will create a facility in the Triangle, company officials said.

A company spokesperson told ABC11 the new facility is expected to be fully operational by April 2022 and will create 35 full-time jobs.

"We are preparing to launch a new facility in the Research Triangle that will provide high-quality, full-time jobs for a diverse and inclusive workforce as part of our commitment to continue producing science and evidence about our products for our regulatory submissions. We will continue to seek to earn the trust of key stakeholders, including local officials, as we advance the potential for harm reduction for adult smokers while combating underage usage," said a Juul spokesperson.

In June, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein announced he reached a settlement with the e-cigarette maker that will require it to pay $40 million and make "drastic changes" to how it operates in the state.

North Carolina is the first state in the nation to successfully hold Juul accountable for its role in spiking teen use and dependence on e-cigarettes, Stein's office said in a release.

The company responded to the settlement with the following statement:

"This settlement is consistent with our ongoing effort to reset our company and its relationship with our stakeholders, as we continue to combat underage usage and advance the opportunity for harm reduction for adult smokers. Importantly, we look forward to working with Attorney General Stein and other manufacturers on the development of potential industrywide marketing practices based on science and evidence. In addition, we support the Attorney General's desire to deploy funds to generate appropriate science to support North Carolina's public health interventions to reduce underage use.

"We seek to continue to earn trust through action. Over the past two years, for example, we ceased the distribution of our non-tobacco, non-menthol flavored products in advance of FDA guidance and halted all mass market product advertising. This settlement is another step in that direction."