Juul e-cigarette Lawsuit | Lung Injury, Seizure & Stroke

E-cigarettes have been marketed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. However, while they do not have the same long documented history as a carcinogen like tobacco cigarettes, they still have their own dangers. Moreover, the manufacturers of these products market e-cigarettes improperly and to minors. The reality is that, notwithstanding any marketing attempts to convince people to the contrary, e-cigarettes are not necessarily less dangerous than tobacco cigarettes. There have been reports of people suffering many of the same harms as they would with regular cigarettes. As a result, Juul, one of the major e-cigarette makers is facing product liability lawsuits for the harm that its product has caused. Anyone who has used this product and suffered harm should contact a Juul e-cigarette lawsuit lawyer immediately.

Juul lawsuit update- April 14 ,2023- “Juul Labs, the e-cigarette maker, is paying $462 million to six US states and DC in the largest multi-state settlement yet for the troubled company that has been accused of contributing to the rise of vaping among youth. The settlement, which was co-led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, will force retailers to secure Juul products behind counters and verify the age of purchasers, and Juul must cease using people under 35 years old in its marketing materials that directly or indirectly target young people.” CNN

January, 2023- “In January 2023, a California judge approved a $255 million settlement in the Juul class action lawsuit. The Juul class action settlement resolves claims that Juul deceptively marketed its products.” drug watch

12/2022 – “In December 2022, Juul agreed to settle about 5,000 cases in the MDL, for an undisclosed amount. According to Bloomberg’s sources, the amount was about $1.2 billion.” Id.

5-10-21- “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has signed legislation raising the state’s age to purchase nicotine and tobacco products to 21, lining up with federal law. DeSantis signed the law, which is slated to go into effect in October, on Friday. The signing comes after Florida state House members passed the legislation by a 103-13 vote last month. The bill’s supporters argue that the measure shows that Florida is willing to work with regulators to prevent underage use, but health groups argue that the legislation could block local regulations on the sale of tobacco and vaping products.” The Hill

5-1-21- “COLUMBIA — South Carolina public school districts representing one-quarter of all students statewide are now suing vaping giant Juul and other e-cigarette companies on accusations of marketing to teens and health risks. And more could be on the way with districts covering another 14 percent of S.C pupils weighing lawsuits. The Palmetto State districts are part of national movement to seek financial compensation from e-cigarette manufacturers. More than 750 such suits have been filed across America as of July 2020, according to Florida-based consumer advocacy group Drugwatch.” Daytona Beach Florida Journal

4-29-21- “The Biden administration announced its intention Thursday to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, including menthol. “Banning menthol—the last allowable flavor—in cigarettes and banning all flavors in cigars will help save lives, particularly among those disproportionately affected by these deadly products. With these actions, the FDA will help significantly reduce youth initiation, increase the chances of smoking cessation among current smokers, and address health disparities experienced by communities of color, low-income populations, and LGBTQ+ individuals, all of whom are far more likely to use these tobacco products,” Acting Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D., said in a statement. Woodcock expressed the hope and belief that these bans would “launch us on a trajectory toward ending tobacco-related disease and death in the U.S.”  CBS News

4-19-21- “The Volusia County school district is joining a mass action lawsuit against companies that market and sell electronic cigarettes that, the suit alleges, created the vaping epidemic.  The lawsuit will seek compensation for both past harm to districts, and compensation for future costs to install vape detectors in bathrooms, pay additional staff to supervise and counsel students and fund education on the harms of vaping.”

10/14/20- “Philadelphia is suing JUUL Labs Inc., claiming the e-cigarette manufacturer is partly responsible for a youth vaping epidemic in the city.  The lawsuit, filed in California’s state court system, seeks injunctive relief and abatement remedies to combat the popularity of e-cigarettes. It also seeks compensatory damages to recover financial losses incurred by the epidemic.  City Solicitor Marcel S. Pratt said the lawsuit seeks to hold the San Franciso-based company accountable “for intentionally marketing its unsafe products directly to the city’s youth, including school age minors.” Philly Voice

10-13-20- “Lexington 1 school district has joined with other schools across the country in a lawsuit against the e-cigarette manufacturer Juul, after S.C. high schools reported a jump in the amount of vaping by students. The Midlands school district joined the class action suit in a California courtroom on Oct. 2, the district announced in a press release on Monday. Lexington 1 is the first district in South Carolina to join the nationwide lawsuit.” The State

9-28-2020- “The Pittsburgh Public Schools will join dozens of school districts across the country in filing a federal lawsuit against the manufacturer and marketers of Juul vaping products. The school board gave approval last week for the district to enter into a contract with the Frantz Law Group of San Diego, which is filing the lawsuits in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California, where Juul Inc. is located. “It’s very similar in concept to the tobacco litigation of some 20 years ago except this is not a class action,” district solicitor Ira Weiss said during a school board meeting Wednesday.” Post Gazette

7/19/2020- “Colorado is suing e-cigarette maker Juul Labs, Inc., alleging the company intentionally marketed its products to youth and misrepresented them as a healthy alternative to cigarettes when they may have been more addictive. The lawsuit comes after a nearly yearlong investigation led by Attorney General Phil Weiser, who claims Juul violated the Colorado Consumer Protection Act by targeting young smokers with attractive flavors and designs…” Denver Post 

August, 2019– “Cigarette giant Philip Morris bought a 35 percent interest in JUUL in August 2019, for $35 million.” National  law Review

e-cigarette epidemic among youth

Upon first glance, Juul e-cigarettes do seem to be less harmful than tobacco cigarettes. They appear to be similar to a USB device and do not require matches and a lighter. They are manufactured to have a sleek appearance, and the product has appealed to teens who have found ways to purchase e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes are a battery operated device that feeds mists or vapors into an inhaler. Users will suck the vapors into their lungs and “take a drag* the same as they would when smoking a cigarette. Makers warrant that the product does not contain as much nicotine, which is the dangerous ingredient in cigarettes. Further, these products are also supposed to be missing the carbon monoxide and tar that make cigarettes harmful.

E-Cigarettes’ Growing Popularity

E-cigarettes have gained in popularity since the product was introduced into the marketplace and as cigarettes have increased in price. Moreover, the high cost of cigarettes has led consumers to look for more cost-effective options. Many have turned to e-cigarettes since they can be cheaper and the perception is that they are safer.

Juul’s Market Dominance

While there are many companies that have entered the e-cigarette market, Juul is the dominant player in the space. Globally, the entire e-cigarette market has been estimated at over $11 billion annually. Internationally, the market is projected to exceed $50 billion by 2024. Juul has nearly half of the market share for e-cigarettes in this country. The company is experiencing dramatic annual growth even though it has had to stop selling certain products due to legal and regulatory concerns. Juul is poised to maintain its dominant position as the e-cigarette market continues to dramatically grow. Juul’s products have one of the highest nicotine content on the market, perhaps contributing to their popularity. Juul has capitalized on its sleek design and savvy social media marketing to achieve its dominant market position. In fact, Juul’s growth has been so dramatic that tobacco behemoth Altria recently purchased a large stake in the company.

Regulatory pressure

Juul specifically targets smokers that are looking to quit tobacco with its marketing. However, the product has also caught the attention of teenagers. Regulatory enforcement has been stepped up in the hopes of keeping e-cigarettes out of the hands of teens.  However, research has shown that instead of being a product that people use to wean themselves off of tobacco, e-cigarettes are actually a gateway to regular cigarettes, especially for minors. Recently, Juul had to stop sales of certain flavored e-cigarettes that particularly appealed to teenage users.

Side Effects of E-Cigarettes Usage

E-cigarette users have reported experiencing numerous health complications that belie the contention that this product is safe. First, the nicotine contained in this product is no less addictive than that contained in tobacco cigarettes. As stated above, Juul has a very high nicotine ratio for an e-cigarette. While people think that they may be using less nicotine, there is actually the same amount of nicotine in one pod of Juul as there is in an entire pack of cigarettes. Combined with the fact that users will consume more than one pod in a day and people are actually increasing their nicotine consumption with Juul. In teens, this can adversely impact brain development and lead to other illnesses such as bronchitis, nausea and persistent coughing. There is even a risk of seizures associated with the product.

e-cigarettes health dangers approach those of tobacco cigarettes

For all users of e-cigarettes, the health dangers approach those of tobacco cigarettes. While the headline risk of lung cancer is not as prevalent for e-cigarettes, there are still a host of other side effects that users can experience with prolonged use. E-cigarettes have been shown to have a negative impact on the cardiovascular system, which can ultimately lead to a heart attack. At a minimum, e-cigarettes can cause high blood pressure and coronary artery disease. In addition, e-cigarettes can still have harmful impacts on the lungs that can rival some of the side effects of smoking. The vapor can irritate the lungs, which can cause wheezing. Further, e-cigarette users are at a higher risk to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Many long-term health effects of e-cigarettes are not yet known since the product is relatively new to the marketplace. It may take some time to learn about the range of complications that users can experience.

Various regulatory actions recently

Juul has been the target of various regulatory actions recently as state and federal governments begin to realize the extent of the problems caused by this product. Various state attorneys general have taken steps to rein in some types of sales of e-cigarettes. For example, the North Carolina Attorney General filed suit against Juul for its marketing campaigns that have made the product popular with minors. The FDA has also issued various safety warnings and campaigns designed to educate the public as to the dangers of e-cigarettes. The federal regulator has also taken steps to enforce laws regarding sales of tobacco to minors against merchants who have been violating the laws.

The Class Action Lawsuit Against Juul

There has also been a class action lawsuit filed against Juul by parents of minor children and adults who began using e-cigarettes when they were teens. The lawsuit focuses on Juul’s marketing tactics, claiming that the company engaged in widespread deception in an attempt to convince minors to begin using a dangerous product with significant health impacts.

The named plaintiff was 14 years old when she began using e-cigarettes. She had heard about “Juuling” which was the term that teenagers use to describe consuming e-cigarettes. The plaintiff did not know how much nicotine was in the product that she regularly used.  She became addicted to nicotine and began to suffer seizures as a result. This was aggravated by the fact that she sometimes accidentally swallowed the liquid nicotine. This exposed her to a significant amount of toxins.

Juul e-cigarette lawsuit

The lawsuit makes various allegations about the product and the way that Juul marketed it. The complaint claims that Juul is defectively designed because of the markedly higher nicotine content of the product. Further, the plaintiffs allege that Juul’s e-cigarettes are further defective because they can cause seizures in users.

Complaint alleges that Juul has hidden information

The complaint alleges that Juul has hidden information that is in its possession that reveals that its product is dangerous. In spite of this knowledge, Juul continues to sell its products claiming that they are a safer alternative to cigarettes. In fact, Juul did not have any safety warnings at all on its products until it was forced to do so by regulators in 2018. The lawsuit argues that Juul’s practices constitute fraud. The plaintiffs describe how Juul emulated the practices that Big Tobacco used to hook minors on their products years ago.

Alleging that Juul violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

The lawsuit takes the dramatic step of alleging that Juul and Altria have violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. This statute is used against companies that engage in a criminal conspiracy. It is the same statute that was used to prosecute the mafia and insider trading on Wall Street. In addition, there are claims that Juul violated various aspects of Florida state law. The Juule e- cigarette lawsuit was recently filed so it is in its very early stages. Discovery and trial are still years away. In addition to the main suit in Florida, there is also a suit in federal court in New York.

Juul e-cigarette lawsuit attorney

Anyone who has been harmed by Juul e-cigarettes should immediately consult with a Juul e-cigarette lawsuit lawyer about the possibility of either joining the class action lawsuit or filing a suit of their own. The  Juul e-cigarette lawsuit attorney will be able to give a free case assessment after having a discussion about the facts of the case. Plaintiffs will only need to compensate the lawyer if they are successful in achieving some sort of financial recovery from Juul.