E-Cigarettes Easier to Buy in Southern California Than Fresh Produce

If you live in Southern California, you’d probably find it’s easier to buy fruit-flavored e-cigarettes than an apple or an orange. This is according to data released by “Healthy Stores for a Healthy Community Campaign,” which looked at advertising and merchandise from more than 7,100 stores across California. The Orange County Register reports that the survey included supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies and smoke shops.

Compared to 2013, the number of stores in Los Angeles County that sold e-cigarettes rose by 34 percent. That number was 21 percent for Orange County, 15 percent for San Bernardino County and 9 percent for Riverside County. A number of these stores were located close to schools. Also, in LA County, 36 percent of stores sold fresh produce while 78 percent sold e-cigarettes in fruit flavors such as grape, cherry and strawberry. In Orange County, only 57.5 percent of stores sold fresh fruits and vegetables. But 85 percent stocked flavored e-cigarettes.

A Disturbing Trend

This is without question a disturbing trend. Recent reports from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) showed that the use of cigarettes among teens is dropping to historic lows, but that the use of e-cigarettes and vaporizers has skyrocketed. Experts believe that kids are being tricked into thinking vaping isn’t bad for them and that it’s fun because of all the fruit and candy flavors. CDC found e-cig use among middle and high school students has tripled from 2013 to 2014. High school usage skyrocketed from 660,000 students in 2013 to 2 million the following year. Middle school usage went from 120,000 in 2013 to 450,000 the next year.

Dangers of E-Cigarettes

E-cigarettes are not only injurious to health, but recent news reports have shown that the devices have the propensity to explode and catch fire, causing severe burn injuries. Individuals have reported these devices exploding in their pockets, purses or even in their faces as they were in use. Many have reported suffering permanent scars and disfigurement as a result of these e-cigarette explosion injuries.

These explosions are triggered by defective lithium-ion batteries, which fuel the devices. When these batteries are made with substandard parts or without proper quality control, they tend to fail more often. If you have been injured by one of these devices, you may be able to seek compensation by filing a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer, retailer, distributor, parts supplier, etc. Victims in such cases can seek compensation for damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, surgeries, pain and suffering and emotional distress. Contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer to obtain more information about your legal rights and options.