JUUL Labs, Inc., the manufacturer of JUUL vaping devices, is currently facing lawsuits for allegedly targeting marketing efforts for its e-cigarettes containing nicotine to children and adolescents. One study which analyzed the impact of tobacco advertising on children and young adults found that JUUL aggressively exploited social media and paid influencers to promote JUUL usage. Many of these social media posts featured young people socializing, having fun, vaping, and incorporated the use of hashtags related to the JUUL product.
How a JUUL vaping device works
JUUL is an electronic cigarette vaping device. The JUUL device resembles a USB flashdrive and uses replaceable cartridges of vaping liquid to deliver nicotine to the user. The liquid inside JUUL cartridges contains glycerol, propylene glycol, flavoring, benzoic acid, and 40 milligrams of nicotine. JUUL cartridges, also known as pods, come in flavors like mint, fruit, mango & cucumber.
JUUL dominates the vaping market
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), sales of JUUL vaping devices increased 641% between 2016 and 2017. These devices dominate the e-cigarette industry with over 70% market share currently.
Dangers of nicotine on youth
Robert Redfield, M.D., the director of CDC has stated that the popularity of JUUL among kids threatens the progress of reducing youth e-cigarette use. The appeal of JUUL pods in kid-friendly flavors makes them even more attractive. These flavored vaping pods contain some of the highest nicotine levels of any e-cigarette on the U.S. market. In addition to nicotine being highly addictive, it can harm a child’s brain development and cause problems with attention control, impulse control, and learning.
FDA issues statement about seizure risk from e-cigarette use
In April 2019, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement related to reports of seizures in youth and young adult users of e-cigarette vaping devices. The agency indicated that further study would be necessary but did state seizures or convulsions are a known potential side effect of nicotine poisoning and have been reported in relation to swallowing – intentional or otherwise—of nicotine-containing e-liquids.
Know your rights
Cohen & Malad, LLP attorneys are investigating cases involving young adult nicotine poisoning, seizures, strokes, heart attacks, lung & respiratory problems, mental health and behavior problems related to the use of JUUL vaping devices. If you or someone you know is a young adult and experienced any of the above injuries, contact us for a free consultation and discussion about your legal rights and options.