LA Announces Legal Victory Over Kandypens

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer won an injunction against online vape brand Kandypens.

LOS ANGELES — Kandypens Inc was ordered to stop targeting youth through its marketing and pay $1.2 million in a civil penalty for past violations.

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer’s office sued Kandypens in 2018 for reportedly marketing its vaping devices and e-liquids at young people through social and by managing to secure music video placement for artists like DJ Khaled and Justin Bieber.

“Our fight is to protect kids from vaping companies that target them,” said Feuer in a press statement that was released on April 19. “Tobacco products, including flavored e-liquids, hook kids and pose a threat to their health. The message from this victory to the vaping industry is clear: don’t sell or market to kids—we’ll hold you accountable.”

According to local media reports, the city attorney’s office employed an investigator who posed a fake email account and a prepaid gift card as a teenage customer. Feuer added that the company did not ask for the date of birth to verify the customer’s age. By doing so, Kandypens violated the STAKE Act.

“Feuer alleged that Kandypens targeted young consumers with social media marketing on YouTube and Instagram,” notes the office. “Despite readily available “age-gating” options, Kandypens did not restrict access to its social media advertisements to persons 21 and over. Kandypens also paid for product placements in music videos featuring artists with large youth followings, like Justin Bieber, and 2019 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award host DJ Khaled.”

“We are grateful to the LA City Attorney for taking action to protect our kids from the industry’s candy-flavored deception. Our strong coalition of parents and community leaders and public health organizations will continue fighting the tobacco industry to keep our kids safe and healthy,” said Meredith Berman, a spokesperson for the controversial group Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes, via local news media.