The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has partnered with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of California, San Francisco to launch a new document repository revealing internal operations of Juul Labs. According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services release, more than 1.6 million U.S. middle and high school students reported current e-cigarette use in 2024. The public database contains nearly 5 million internal documents funded by a settlement with Juul Labs.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services credited litigation initiated by Governor Josh Stein in 2019, when he was Attorney General, for making the repository possible. This litigation resulted in a $40 million settlement with Juul Labs in 2021, later increased to $47.8 million in 2023, which funded public health initiatives including the repository.
The repository, hosted on the UCSF Industry Documents Library website, integrates over 18 million related files. It contains corporate emails, scientific research, and policy communications about marketing, flavors, and business strategies. It is designed to be accessible for academic research, policymaking, and public use.
According to UNC Chapel Hill Vice Provost for University Libraries María R. Estorino, the repository is intended to support broad understanding and research. UNC’s University Libraries have also developed guides and analytical tools to help users navigate the documents. The Juul Labs Document Repository provides a resource for researchers, educators, journalists, and policymakers.
