By David Fleet
Editor
Goodrich — On Oct. 24, the Goodrich School Board voted 7-0 to approve resolution after a settlement for $235 million with Altria Group, Inc., regarding the alleged impact of vaping on students. Altria Group Inc. is a tobacco producer and Juul investor.
The settlement for the school district will be $10,536 with Altria Group. The gross settlement amount is without attorney’s fees, case expenses, court ordered assessment and any liens.
The Altria defendants are the last in the lawsuit.
“This is much like the Juul resolution we had in the summer,” said Mike Baszler, district superintendent. “It’s about bringing awareness for vape-making-companies and the huge nation-wide lawsuit. We (Goodrich) is just a small portion of that (settlement).”
In March, the board also approved a resolution after a settlement for $600 million with Juul Labs regarding the impact of vaping on students. The district’s share of the settlement will be $34,997 with 30 percent for attorney’s fees. Those funds have not been received.
“Once we get the money, then we’ll figure out what the best course of action is with that money,” he said. “This one is considerably less, but hopefully the same amount of awareness.”
The settlement stems from a March 2022 board vote to join other public school districts in a nationwide lawsuit against electronic cigarette giant Juul Labs Inc., alleging vaping is harming students.
At that time school officials said there was no financial or legal risk to the districts for participating. The district was asked to join the consortium and if there is a financial recovery they would be a part of that settlement. If it was dismissed it would cost the district nothing.
The school district was represented by East Lansing-based Thrun Law Firm to initiate the litigation to hold Juul accountable. Thrun is not co-counsel in the litigation, rather is limited to referring clients to Frantz Law Group, a California law firm.
The lawsuit alleges that the defendants fraudulently and intentionally marketed their products to children.