JUUL E-cigarette | JUUL Lawsuits
Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is “highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development”, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition to that, as of January 2020, the CDC informed that “a total of 2,711 hospitalized EVALI cases or deaths have been reported”. EVALI is “e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury.”
JUUL, an e-cigarette launched by JUUL Labs in 2015 and responsible for ¾ of the US e-cigarette market, is not only in the middle of the EVALI outbreak, but has been accused of deliberately targeting teens in its early marketing campaigns.
The lawyers at Peiffer Wolf have represented thousands of victims of major corporations like JUUL Labs. If you or someone you love has become addicted to nicotine as a result of using e-cigarettes, suffered from e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) or any other health problem related to e-cigarettes, Contact Us by calling 504-523-2434 or by filling an online Contact Form for a FREE Consultation.
JUUL | Health Risks, Side Effects and other problems
Many studies have already linked vaping to health problems that include lung disease and heart attack. If you have been diagnosed of have had any of the following health problems, you should contact us immediately for a FREE Consultation:
• EVALI – e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury
• COPD – Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. According to the American Lung Association, COPD is the “the third leading cause of disease-related death in the US.” This is caused by acrolein, a “herbicide primarily used to kill weeds.”
• Chronic Lung disease – “people who used e-cigarettes were 30% more likely to have developed a chronic lung disease, including asthma, bronchitis and emphysema, than nonusers.”
• Damage to blood vessels – “Chemicals used in popular flavorings like clove, mint and vanilla that are added to cigarettes, e-liquids and other tobacco products can harm blood vessel cells that help keep the heart healthy, a new study shows.”
A study presented at the American College of Cardiology mentions additional health risks:
• Heart attack – “e-cigarette users were 56% more likely to have a heart attack”
• Stroke – “e-cigarette users are 30% more likely to suffer a stroke”
• Coronary artery disease – 10% higher among those who vape
• Circulatory problems (including blood clots) – 44% higher among those who vape
• Depression, anxiety and other emotional problems – “twice as likely”
Some users also had physical injuries as a consequence of explosions tied to the Lithium battery used in e-cigarettes. A 2017 report by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency; National Fire Data Center, U.S. Administration) shows that between 2011 and 2016, 195 injuries were reported and included burns, cuts, teeth loss, tongue injury, and temporary blindness. In one of the most severe cases, a 17-year-old had his jaw shattered and teeth knocked out by the explosion.
JUUL Lawsuits | What happened?
In 2018, JUUL Labs’s then-CEO, Kevin Burns, announced the company’s actions for “preventing youth from initiating on nicotine”, which include stopping flavored JUUL pod sales to retail stores. Many thought that the move, considered to be a direct response to FDA’s demand that “manufacturers provide plan for mitigating youth sales within 60 days”, came too late. By then, the company was already being accused of specifically targeting teenagers in its earlier campaigns:
[Dr. Robert Jackler, cofounder of a group called Stanford Research Into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising] says the company’s marketing clearly appealed to youth, most overtly from mid-2015 to 2016, the year following Juul’s launch. His archived Juul ads are filled with attractive young models socializing and flirtatiously sharing the flash-drive shaped device, displaying behavior like dancing to club-like music and clothing styles more characteristic of teens than mature adults. Often, early marketing contains little to no reference to Juul being an option for switching from cigarettes. Juul’s launch events and parties also often featured youth-oriented bands and free tastings, Jackler says, promoted alongside ads that made pods seem like “sweet treats” and made “juuling” (the device is so popular it’s now a verb) seem like casual fun. (Kathleen Chaykowski, Forbes Nov 16, 2018)
The lawyers at Peiffer Wolf have represented thousands of victims of major corporations like JUUL Labs. If you or someone you love has become addicted to nicotine as a result of using e-cigarettes, suffered from e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) or any other health problem related to e-cigarettes, Contact Us by calling 504-523-2434 or by filling an online Contact Form for a FREE Consultation.
JUUL Timeline | What happened?
2015
The e-cigarette market gains a new player in 2015: JUUL Labs. The Stanford Research Into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising group “looked at thousands of Instagram posts, emails, and ads, and came to this searing conclusion: Juul’s marketing ‘was patently youth-oriented.’ Juul also appeared to borrow directly from the tobacco industry playbook. […]Juul’s product launch coincided with sampling events in major US cities. Good-looking young people distributed free Juuls at movie and music events. ‘The principal focus of these activities was to get a group of youthful influencers to accept gifts of Juul products’.” (Julia Belluz, Vox, Jan 25, 2019)
CDC’s “2016 Surgeon General’s Report: E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults” reveals that “E-cigarette use has increased considerably in recent years, growing an astounding 900% among high school students from 2011 to 2015. These products are now the most commonly used form of tobacco among youth in the United States, surpassing conventional tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and hookahs.” The same study also revealed that the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) found that 15.5% of high school and 5.3% of middle school students were current users of e-cigarettes.
2017
In 2017, students admirt to be users JUUL, especially because of its flavored pods, and many schools start to take measures to prevent students from “vaping”. Although the e-cigarettes are not supposed to be sold to anyone under 21, JUUL’s e-commerce is not effective in preventing minors from buying the product: prepaid debit cards + lying about age allow any teenager to buy the e-cigarette and pods.
2018
In 2018, the first lawsuits are filed: “At least four lawsuits were filed this year against Juul by parents, underage users and others, which include allegations that the company deceptively marketed its product as safe and targeted underage and nonsmokers. The lawsuits also claim that Juul is as addictive or more addictive than cigarettes, alleging that Juul’s nicotine salt formula enables higher nicotine absorption into the body than traditional smokes or other e-cigarettes that use nicotine liquid.” (Kathleen Chaykowski, Forbes Nov 16, 2018)
After the FDA demands action from manufacturers, JUUL Labs launches a campaign for “preventing youth from initiating on nicotine”. In December 2018, Altria, the leading US cigarette manufacturer, announces a $12.8 billion investment in JUUL.
2019
2019 brings new FDA actions: the agency warns JUUL Labs for “marketing unauthorized modified risk tobacco products, including in outreach to youth”. While Massachusetts temporarily ban the sale of e-cigarettes and vaping products, cities like Denver, Boulder, Eagle and Pitkin file lawsuits against JUUL. In December, the FDA raises the legal age to buy tobacco products (including e-cigarettes) from 18 to 21.
2020
Louisville Metro Government files a federal lawsuit against JUUL Labs. It follows a lawsuit filed by the Los Angeles Unified School District and another filed by the San Diego Unified School District. A federal ban on all fruit-flavored cartridges go into effect on February 6. Manufacturers of e-cigarettes are called to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee.
JUUL Lawsuits | FREE Consultation
The lawyers at Peiffer Wolf have represented thousands of victims of major corporations like JUUL Labs. If you or someone you love has become addicted to nicotine as a result of using e-cigarettes, suffered from e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) or any other health problem related to e-cigarettes, Contact Us by calling 504-523-2434 or by filling an online Contact Form for a FREE Consultation.
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