Declarations

“We remain focused on resetting the vapor category in the U.S. and earning the trust of society by working cooperatively with attorneys general, regulators, public health officials, and other stakeholders to combat underage use and convert adult smokers from combustible cigarettes.”

— E-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc. spokesman Austin Finan, after California sued Juul, alleging the San Francisco company engaged in a “systematic” and “wildly successful” campaign to attract teenagers to its nicotine devices.

“Although it won’t make forest landowners whole, it will make a tremendous difference in their ability to begin recovery and move forward with clean-up and reforestation.”

— Alan Shelby, executive vice president of the Florida Forestry Association, on the $380 million the state will receive from the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of an $800 million package of aid to southeastern states impacted by last year’s hurricanes. The Florida timber industry suffered $1.3 billion in losses. Georgia will receive $347 million and Alabama will get $25 million.

“The tow truck industry already has a reputation for predatory practices, and our investigation has led us to believe that they are also putting both their customers and workers at risk with falsified insurance and workers’ compensation documentation.”

— New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Lorelei Salas said announcing an investigation into the tow truck industry that suggests widespread insurance and workers’ compensation fraud.