Altria says judge has dismissed lawsuit over Juul investment

By MATTHEW PERRONE
AP Health Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Altria says an administrative law judge dismissed a federal lawsuit alleging that its investment into vaping company Juul violates anticompetitive laws. The preliminary decision by a federal agency judge is subject to review by the Federal Trade Commission and will likely be appealed. The FTC sued Altria in 2020 to break up its pact with e-cigarette maker Juul. Investigators said Altria’s deal amounted to an agreement to discontinue its own e-cigarettes and no longer compete in the burgeoning vaping market. If the judge’s ruling stands it will allow Altria to continue profiting from Juul e-cigarettes.