In recent years, e-cigarette use has increased 78% among high school students and increased 48% among middle schoolers. Much of this is related to e-cigarette brands – particularly JUUL e-cigarettes – marketing to young people and offering fruit-flavored nicotine pods in easily concealable devices.
If your child became addicted to JUUL while under the age of 18, you may be able to seek damages through a JUUL lawsuit.
Please contact the JUUL lawsuit attorneys at O’Connor & Partners, PLLC online or at (845) 303-8777 for a free consultation. We proudly serve the Hudson Valley area, including Kingston, Newburgh, and Poughkeepsie, New York.
What Is JUUL?
JUUL is a popular e-cigarette brand. An e-cigarette is an electronic nicotine delivery system that vaporizes liquids for inhalation in a process called vaping. This process utilizes liquid contained in replaceable cartridges known as pods, which are sold in an array of flavors. JUUL is known for its small, easy-to-conceal USB shape.
The nicotine concentrate in JUUL pods is nearly double the amount in most other e-cigarettes on the market. Just one JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes. Once inhaled, the vapors of a JUUL e-cigarette are absorbed at the same rate as a traditional cigarette.
Because the vapors inhaled with JUUL e-cigarettes can feel smoother than the harsh smoke of regular cigarettes, some believe that JUUL is a healthier alternative. However, this is not the case because, due to its high nicotine content, JUUL presents a significantly higher risk of addiction.
Why Is JUUL Dangerous?
Despite being marketed as being a safer alternative to smoking, the use of JUUL is very dangerous and extremely addictive. Due to JUUL’s relatively recent emergence – the brand has only been on the market for a decade – the long-term consequences of its use are not fully known. However, an ever-growing body of evidence is starting to demonstrate the short-term effects of vaping JUUL, including:
- Rapid deterioration of vascular function
- Elevated blood pressure
- Increased heart rate
JUUL use has also been linked to strokes and seizures, prompting a warning from the FDA.
The nicotine contained in JUUL is a known carcinogen that can harm the organs and impair brain development in teens and children. Considering its extreme nicotine concentration, JUUL’s adverse health effects – combined with its incredibly addictive nature – make it incredibly dangerous.
How Does JUUL Contribute to Teen Addiction?
JUUL has demonstrated an attempt to appeal to an underage audience. The brand’s irresponsible product design and its marketing have led young non-smokers to try nicotine, placing them at considerable risk for addiction and a number of subsequent health conditions.
JUUL has employed a variety of tactics to appeal to a young audience, such as those listed below.
Fruity Flavors
Although JUUL claims to provide adults with a safer alternative to smoking, the range of fruity flavors in which their pods are sold tells a different story. Flavors such as mango and fruit medley do not reflect any existing flavor of cigarettes. In fact, tobacco companies were banned by the FDA from selling these types of flavors in 2009.
These fruity flavors appeal to young people and make nicotine more accessible to a younger market that didn’t already smoke.
Prior to being forced to discontinue many of its flavors in the United States, JUUL offered nicotine pods in flavors such as:
- Creme
- Cucumber
- Virginia tobacco
- Cool mint
- Menthol
- Mango
- Fruit Medley
Marketing to Youths
JUUL has frequently featured young people in its advertisements. JUUL’s marketing campaigns have relied heavily on social media platforms used by people under the age of 18.
Once they were caught marketing to a young audience, JUUL adjusted its tactics, but it was aware of the market it was targeting and the potential consequences that could result. The brand should be held accountable for its unethical tactics and the lifelong health problems to which those tactics contributed.
Easily Concealed Devices
JUUL nicotine delivery systems do not necessarily look like vaporizers to the average non-smoker. Its elongated rectangular shape is more comparable to a sleek USB flash drive than an e-cigarette. This makes it easier for young people to conceal at school and at home.
Not only does a JUUL e-cigarette have a very discreet appearance, but the lack of smoke also makes it easier for young people to hide their nicotine use. In comparison to the telltale smell of smoke, vaping is barely noticeable.
High Nicotine Concentration
JUUL pods contain a higher concentration of nicotine than other e-cigarette brands, especially among those sold in the United States. In part, this is due to the use of protonated nicotine, which causes the absorption of higher nicotine levels than with products made with free-base nicotine. For those who were not previously smokers, pronated nicotine is less harsh and easier to handle.
While some other brands manufacture nicotine-free pods for smokers who are gradually trying to quit, JUUL does not. The lowest nicotine concentrations sold in some JUUL pod versions are 3% and 5% nicotine.
Health Risks Associated with Nicotine
By now, everyone should know that smoking is bad for your health. Because of this, many see vaping as a healthier alternative to smoking. However, e-cigarettes can deliver more nicotine than traditional cigarettes, which can exacerbate certain health concerns rather than mitigate them.
Some of the health risks associated with nicotine include:
- Addiction
- Vision loss and cataracts (macular degeneration)
- Reproductive issues
- GERD – Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Emphysema
- Coronary artery disease
- Kidney disease
- Respiratory problems
- Breast, pancreatic, and lung cancer
While using nicotine does not guarantee any of the issues listed above, addiction greatly increases the risk of developing these conditions. The younger someone starts vaping and using nicotine, the more time there is to potentially suffer health consequences.
Contact Our JUUL Lawsuit Attorneys Today
Nicotine addiction and the subsequent health complications can take a physical, emotional, and financial toll on your family. The company responsible for your child’s nicotine addiction should be held accountable for its unethical tactics to attract young people.
Contact O’Connor & Partners, PLLC today online or at (845) 303-8777 to discuss your case for free with a JUUL lawsuit lawyer. Our firm proudly serves the Hudson Valley area, including Kingston, Newburgh, and Poughkeepsie, New York.