Juul Labs has shuttered its assembly plant in Lexington County, South Carolina, USA, amid a deteriorating business environment and pushback from local politicians.

“There has been rapid change in the landscape of the vapor category, and these operations are no longer viable,” the company said in a statement to The Post and Courier on Wednesday. “Earlier this summer, we unfortunately had to begin reductions to our manufacturing team.”

In May 2019, Juul announced the new assembly and packaging plant in Lexington County, boosting South Carolina’s economy by about $125 million and creating 500 jobs.

Juul has since suffered a backlash over its marketing practices and heightened restrictions on the vapor business, including flavor bans in many jurisdictions. It has laid off a substantial share of its workforce, discontinued certain products and exited several international markets.