Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, has jumped on the judicial bandwagon for investigations into e-cigarette powerhouse, Juul. Krishnamoorthi’s request to Juul included asking for documents related to its partnerships in the cannabis industry.

Cannabis has become legal for medical use and full recreational use in a variety of states across America. As a vape unit manufacturer, Juul’s involvement with cannabis companies is a natural business move. After all, Juul was created in a spin off from the cannabis company, Pax. Why then did Krishnamoorthi ask for this information? Juul’s partnership with big tobacco company, Altria, is already well-known and any connection to Altria’s Cronos cannabis division is again, natural. Barring a desire to get press, one can only assume that Krishnamoorthi’s committee is concerned that Juul’s historically youth-focused advertising programs will increase the underage use of cannabis, as they have with tobacco. There have already been claims that the Juul product speeds the effect of nicotine in the body; perhaps the same is true of THC.

See Krishnamoorthi’s letter to Juul.

Whatever Krishnamoorthi’s reason for the cannabis partnership request, Juul’s nicotine content, its product development toward teens (i.e., candy-flavored liquids), and its advertising are a real danger to youth. Vaping has increased exponentially over the last few years, reversing the previous downward trend for smoking and nicotine use. Moreover, there is a growing body of scientific evidence that vaping causes physical damage to the body due to the chemicals in the vaping liquids.