Following a lawsuit against a major vaping company that netted Colorado more than $30 million, the Attorney General’s Office distributed roughly half of that amount to schools and organizations for programs to combat youth vaping.

The office distributed $17.4 million to 42 schools, governmental entities and nonprofits battling the “youth vaping crisis,” according to a news release Tuesday.

The settlement agreement broadly outlines where the money would go, notably to education or prevention programs that seek to reduce the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems.  

The grants were awarded through two programs: $6 million toward nonprofits and government entities, and $11.4 million to local education providers in partnership with the Colorado Department of Education, the office said.

The hefty grants come on the heels of the $32 million settlement the attorney general’s office received following a multistate lawsuit against Juul Labs, Inc. in 2023. The states had sued the firm for targeting young customers through marketing and misrepresenting the health risks of product usage.

About 10% of middle school and high school students throughout the country reported using tobacco products in 2023 during the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey.

Most of those students — 7.7% — used e-cigarettes. 

“By investing in these organizations, we are taking a critical step toward protecting our youth from the dangers of vaping. This funding will empower communities to educate our young people about the risks, implement preventive measures and provide essential treatment for those affected,” Attorney General Phil Weiser said in the release.

The 12 nonprofit and government agency programs awarded funds following the grant application are:

• The 21st Judicial District Attorney’s Office’s Juvenile Diversion Lighthouse Program
• Boys & Girls Club in Colorado, Inc.
• Broomfield Public Health and Environment
• Denver Department of Public Health and Environment
• Mountain Youth
• Jefferson County Public Health
• Partners of Delta, Montrose and Ouray
• Partners for Youth
• Rocky Mountain Center for Health Promotion and Education
• Servicios de La Raza
• University of Colorado/Colorado School of Public Health’s UpRISE
• Youth Healthcare Alliance

Servicios de La Raza received the biggest amount at $950,000 for creating a bilingual cessation program for Latino youth. The organization also plans to launch a youth-led prevention campaign with an educational outreach component following the grant.

Along with the nonprofits and agencies, a collection of 30 school districts, charter schools and boards of cooperative educational services received grants throughout the state. 

“We are pleased to award this grant funding to fight the youth vaping crisis by providing resources for education, prevention and treatment in our Colorado schools,” Colorado Commissioner of Education Susana Córdova said in the release. “Our goal is to give local educators the tools they need to address the health impacts of vaping on our youth.”

Along with the $17.4 million distributed to anti-vaping programs and education, the attorney general’s office also recently announced that a portion of the settlement funds will also be awarded to partnerships that target the promotion of youth mental wellness and interventions for students identified with mental health concerns and with serious concerns that affect daily functions.

Those grants would be awarded in early 2025.