The Colorado Department of Law will use settlement money from a nationwide lawsuit against electronic cigarette maker Juul Labs to provide up to $20 million in grants to community groups working to increase youth mental health services and curb teen vaping, Attorney General Phil Weiser announced Tuesday.

The state received $31.7 million from Juul Labs last year as part of a $462 million settlement the company agreed to pay to six states and the District of Columbia to settle claims that the company illegally marketed its products to children and teens and mispresented the health risks of vaping. Juul also agreed to pay another $438 million to33 states over similar claims.

“This youth mental health crisis is devastating right now and we are committed to do everything we can to be part of developing solutions,” Weiser said in an interview.

The $20 million in grant moneymarks the third time the Department of Law has distributed funds from the Juul settlement. After this round, the money will be exhausted, he said.

The Colorado Attorney General’s Office previously announced it plans to distribute an additional $11.4 million to schools as part of its efforts to reduce the number of students who vape, according to a news release.

The Department of Law will prioritize grant money towards initiatives that involve collaboration between community organizations and school districts, according to the news release. Applications for the grants will open in the fall and close in January, according to the news release.

An estimated 30% of Colorado high school students have tried vaping, which is slightly higher than the estimated 20.8% of pupils who have ever smoked a cigarette, according to the state Department of Public Health and Environment’s 2021 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey.

“It’s pervasive,” said Dr. Robin Deterding, a pediatric pulmonologist and medical director of the Breathing Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado. “All teenagers know people who vape and use nicotine.”

Researchers are still working to understand the health effects of vaping on children, especially compared to traditional cigarettes. But Deterding said she has seen children in her clinic with a history of vaping who have chronic coughs, worsening asthma and severe lung injuries. It can also affect children’s brain development and ability to learn, she said.

“It has a significant impact, especially if they are daily users,” Deterding said.

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