After being targeted by recent federal crackdowns, it looks like e-cigarette maker Juulwants regulators to crack down on its competitors.
Juul filed a patent infringement complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission Wednesday, asking it to stop 18 companies from selling lookalike products.
In addition to claiming that its design was copied, Juul says the other companies don't do enough to prevent underage vaping.
It's important to note Juul has been in hot water with the FDA recently. The agency is interested in how Juul's marketing practices might have contributed to a surge in the teen vaping trend.
According to a new estimate, Juul's overall e-cigarette sales skyrocketed to more than 16.2 million in 2017.
In September, the FDA gave Juul and other e-cigarette manufacturers 60 days to come up with a plan to curb teen usage. Federal health regulators are also considering banning online e-cigarette sales and tightening restrictions on flavored vape products, which experts say appeal to young people.
Recent data shows more than 2 million middle and high school students reported vaping in 2017.
