Vaping is a popular alternative to smoking cigarettes; however, this alternative is presenting plenty of health risks of its own. Stories of young people losing their lives to problems caused by e-cigarettes seem to occur regularly. It’s scary to see how many teenagers are hospitalized with health problems because of using e-cigarettes. While there are many variations of e-cigs, JUUL emerged as one of the most popular products. Seeing a loved one lose their life or have severe health complications because of an e-cigarette device is extremely difficult, but you may have legal options. Philadelphia JUUL e-cigarette lawyers from Shrager, Sachs, & Blanco can help you with your claim.
We believe in standing up for those who have been wrongfully injured. Much of vaping as been advertised as safe and many falsely believe the ingredients in an e-cigarette cannot cause them harm. This, however, is not the case. The companies that sell those products should be held accountable for marketing them as safe when they’re clearly not. Our attorneys will stand by your side and fight for the justice you deserve.
Everything about e-cigarettes seems rapid. Their integration into the consumer market, popularity in younger demographics, and how quickly they can cause harm has happened at a fast pace.
The Rise of E-Cigarettes
E-cigarettes harming youth is a major health concern, as they’re the most common way teens use tobacco products. The industry used techniques in advertising that were similar to the ones that made traditional cigarettes so popular to reach this demographic. Teens are more likely to use e-cigarettes if they’ve seen advertising for it than those who haven’t. According to the Surgeon General, the e-cigarette industry spent $125 million a year on advertising its products as of 2014.
This opened the door wide open for new businesses to enter the e-cigarette market. One of the main brands to become popular is JUUL, which entered the market in 2015. JUUL differed from other e-cigarettes in how they built their products. While other e-cigarettes may look like regular cigarettes, pens, or devices that have a medium or large-size tank, JUUL products look like a USB port.
The sleek design paired with advertising as a safe tobacco product, which resulted in an FDA warning, has solidified JUUL as a cornerstone of the e-cigarette market. However, their products still use nicotine and other harmful substances. Let’s look into what’s in a JUULpod.
What’s in a JUUL Pod?
JUULpods are the containers that have the liquid for the device, which includes nicotine, chemicals, and is often flavored. The e-liquid in the pod is heated, which creates a vapor.
They used to come in a variety of flavors that helped mask the taste of nicotine and possibly contributed to being more palatable for teenagers. However, JUUL has stopped selling flavors like mango, crème brûlée, fruit, and cucumber in the United States. They still sell menthol, mint, and tobacco.
No matter what flavor pod a person buys, it will still contain nicotine—a dangerous and addictive substance. It harms brain development in adolescents who may not even realize the harm the nicotine is causing. The human brain continues to develop until age 25. Those younger than 25 who use e-cigarettes run the risk of suffering long-term effects that include:
- Nicotine addiction
- Mood disorders
- Permanent lowering of impulse control
- Harming the parts of the brain responsible for attention and learning
One JUULpod has the same amount of nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. The damage e-cigarettes have caused is staggering and is leading to premature deaths and severe injuries to young adults.
Who Has Been Affected?
Since the e-cigarette industry targeted youth so aggressively in their marketing campaigns, many of those suffering from e-cigarette-related illnesses are young—about 80% of those affected are under 35 years old.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, e-cigarettes have caused 33 deaths and 1,479 cases of pulmonary disease. Victims experience shortness of breath, chest pain, and fatigue.
Vaping is also causing toxic chemical burns in the lungs. Doctors from the Mayo Clinic have likened the injury to that of someone exposed to toxins in their workplace. While it isn’t known what ingredient in e-cigarettes would cause the injury, the CDC is warning those who vape to refrain from counterfeit products and making any changes to legally-purchased products.
As vaping-related illnesses are so new, it’s unknown how e-cigarette users will be affected years from now. It’s not clear if they will have breathing difficulties or will suffer from lung disease.
Seeing a loved one suffer major health complications is difficult, especially when the product may have been falsely advertised to consumers. JUUL’s social media campaigns not only promoted using JUUL products, but they also did so while making claims about how safe their product was. As more reports of illness and deaths arise, their claims about safety helped get a new generation of teenagers addicted to nicotine products and are now paying the ultimate price. You may be able to file a lawsuit against JUUL to get justice for your loved one.
How Can a Lawyer Help You?
Going up against a large company can be intimidating. To increase your chances of maximizing your compensation, you should have trusted representation who will always fight for your rights. Our lawyers can help you stand up for your loved one and be their voice. With Shrager, Sachs, & Blanco at your side, you can have peace of mind that you’re on the right path to helping your loved one. We’ll fight for the compensation that covers the economic and noneconomic losses JUUL has caused. This includes staying in the hospital, receiving medical treatment, missing work, as well as the pain and suffering of having a lung injury and how that’s affected the person’s life.
Get in touch with our firm today. We’ll do everything we can to show how JUUL products wrongfully harmed your loved one and will hold the company accountable for their actions. Our lawyers are experienced in representing clients in cases with large companies and are ready to do the same for you.
