CCSD to consider $9.5M settlement with e-cigarette maker

The Clark County School Board will consider Thursday whether to accept an approximately $9.5 million settlement offer for claims against Juul Labs, an e-cigarette manufacturer.

In August, the board voted to authorize seven law firms — which have represented school districts across the country — to conduct litigation on its behalf.

Online meeting materials from last year say the district — the nation’s fifth-largest with more than 300,000 students — has incurred costs related to detecting and reporting student vape pen use on school campuses.

The settlement offer is listed on the consent agenda, where multiple items are typically approved in one batch vote.

Trustees aren’t scheduled to discuss the item unless they opt to pull it for separate consideration. There aren’t any documents included with online meeting materials, with a note on the agenda saying “confidential.”

The district said Tuesday it did not have additional information to provide ahead of the School Board meeting.

The gross settlement amount is more than $14.6 million, but it comes out to approximately $9.5 million after deductions outlined in a fee agreement the School Board approved in August, according to the agenda.

Nevada was among more than 30 U.S. states and territories that reached a $438.5 million settlement in September with Juul Labs following an investigation into the company’s marketing tactics. The state was slated to receive $14.4 million.

Juul, which is based in San Francisco, denied allegations made in Nevada’s complaint, but agreed to stop marketing its e-cigarettes to minors.

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter.