British Columbia has filed a civil claim against e-cigarette giant Juul Labs, alleging the company developed highly addictive nicotine products and fuelled youth nicotine addiction with “deceptive marketing practices.”

Attorney General Niki Sharma announced Friday that the claim was filed in B.C. Supreme Court under the new Vaping Product Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act (VPRA).

The legislation, modelled after similar laws used by government to sue tobacco and opioid companies, was passed earlier this month. It allows the government to seek damages from vaping companies for alleged public health harms.

The lawsuit marks the first civil claim launched under the new law.