Juul Users Sue E-Cig Maker for Triggering a Crisis of Addiction Among Youth
Juul Users Sue E-Cig Maker for Triggering a Crisis of Addiction Among Youth
A number of Juul users and their families are suing the e-cigarette maker for getting young people addicted to high doses of nicotine delivered by the trendy devices. According to a report in the Daily Mail, three lawsuits have been filed against Juul Labs involving plaintiffs as young as 15. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been looking into Juul Labs and the nicotine content in its devices. The agency cautions that while the device could help current smokers cut back on their nicotine use, it could pose serious addiction risks to new, younger users.
Court records say Juul contains more nicotine than even traditional cigarettes and is aggressively marketed to teens. Lawsuits allege that the device is disrupting young people’s lives. One lawsuit filed in New York by the mother of a 15-year-old boy identified only as “DP” says the boy took his first puff of Juul last September and became addicted in a hurry. The lawsuit states students at his high school routinely vape in bathrooms and DP was regularly offered hits from other kids’ devices.
Horrible Withdrawal Symptoms
The mom says the effects of nicotine addiction have been immediate and dramatic for DP. The teen has been irritable and anxious, which are common symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, the complaint states. He became prone to angry outbursts and started falling behind at school, his mother said. DP’s parents said they had to take drastic steps like taking the door lock off his room and telling his school he needed to be accompanied to the restroom so he wasn’t given Juul hits there. They also subjected him to regular urine tests to check for nicotine in his system.
Despite these dramatic steps, the couple said in their lawsuit that they were not able to stop him from using. Like many other lawsuits and research studies have shown, e-cigarette makers uniquely design and market their products to teens. Juul pods deliver high doses of nicotine, 37 percent more than what is delivered by a Pall Mall cigarette.
Holding E-Cig Makers Accountable
Advertising campaigns for Juul often feature bright colors and show models who appear to be teens, vaping. The device’s packaging bears no warnings. The candy-like flavors appear to entice young users. There is no question that the makers of these products are manipulating young people who are susceptible to fall prey to such advertising and marketing. Despite numerous studies that have shown e-cigarettes to be harmful to health and addictive, these manufacturers continue to push their products in order to maximize profits.
If your child has been affected after using these dangerous products, you may have a claim against the manufacturer. An experienced product liability attorney may be able to help you.
