In December 2018, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a warning to American consumers about the dangers involved with e-cigarettes. By issuing this warning, the Surgeon General has taken a strong stance against the rise of e-cigarettes because of the potential dangers associated.
This warning has turned into personal injury attorneys preparing a high-frequency e-cigarette lawsuit and JUUL lawsuits, which are expected to build over the next few years. These lawsuits will range from diacetyl related injuries, smoking-related injuries, to false advertisements, and failure to consumers.
Currently, there is an e-cigarette lawsuit case for individuals who developed e-cigarette popcorn lung, the more common name for bronchiolitis obliterans. Plus, there is also a vape explosion lawsuit.
What do you need to know about this lawsuit? There are several things that you should understand regarding this lawsuit, and this article is going to take you through it all.
What Is JUUL?
There is an e-cigarette product that is named JUUL; they are also called vapes. These “vapes” are battery-operated devices that warm liquid nicotine to create a spray that users inhale. They were originally designed to be a substitute to smoking traditional cigarettes.
With JUUL e-cigarettes, the liquid nicotine is kept in something called the JUUL pod. Users of the JUUL have to insert the pods into the cartridge, and then they inhale through the mouthpiece to get vaporized liquid nitrogen into their system.
Is JUUL Bad for You?
The sleek, concealable design and the array of JUUL flavors, including mango JUUL pods, make the JUUL a favorable choice for adults and teenagers. However, recent studies have shown that the JUUL e-cig and other e-cigarettes expose users to several dangerous health risks commonly associated with cigarettes.
E-Cigarette Dangers
The JUUL pods of liquid nitrogen deliver an extraordinarily potent dose of nicotine to the user. There are allegations that the pod dosages of nicotine are more than what is allowed in traditional cigarettes. There are other allegations regarding the efficiency at which the JUUL delivers nicotine to the bloodstream, which is said to increase addictiveness, and that JUUL is more additive than normal cigarettes, which poses serious health issues.
Nicotine is a carcinogen, meaning that it’s a toxic chemical that is associated with immunosuppressive, reproductive, and cardiovascular problems. Nicotine hurts the kidneys, lungs, reproductive system, eyes, and heart.
Researchers have also found links that aren’t commonly found with traditional cigarettes, such as e-cigarette popcorn lung. JUUL research is still in the early stages, but experts are warning personal injury law firms to be prepared for a massive influx of e-cigarette lawsuits.
Besides containing nicotine, e-cigarettes also contain harmful and potentially harmful chemicals, including:
- Ultrafine particles that can be inhaled into the lungs
- Flavor additives including diacetyl, which is linked to serious lung damage
- Volatile organic compounds
- Heavy metals, such as lead, tin, nickel
Diacetyl is a chemical additive that is mostly found in e-cigarettes. When this chemical is vaporized, it can lead to a medical condition called popcorn lung, or bronchiolitis obliterans, which is a degeneration of the lungs that can result in total respiratory failure and death.
These dangers of this harmful chemical were only recently discovered when researchers found out that foods that contain diacetyl posed threats to consumers. Diacetyl is mostly found in sweet and buttery flavors, including chocolate, peppermint, candy, and coffee.
Some of the other chemicals added into the JUUL e-cigs that were believed to be safe, including propylene glycol, can be accountable for respiratory inflammation and other pulmonary problems.
Almost all e-cigarettes use propylene glycol in addition to other potentially dangerous chemicals. Some flavor chemicals are used in e-liquids that contain aldehydes, which, when inhaled, can irritate mucosal tissue in the respiratory tract.
Researchers have discovered that even short-term use of e-cigarettes can cause significant inflammatory lung disease. However, this inflammation doesn’t pose a risk of e-cigarette cancer, but there are several health risks associated with the respiratory system.
JUUL Flavors
JUUL offers a variety of flavors, including cool cucumber, mango and more. These flavors make the JUUL taste better and help to alleviate some of the stigmas of smoking by getting rid of the smoking smell. There are Federal laws that prevent cigarette companies from producing and selling flavored tobacco because they believe that the flavors will appeal to young people and cause them to smoke.
However, JUUL and other e-cigarette companies can skirt around these laws as they aren’t technically flavoring the tobacco, but rather liquid nitrogen.
The Allegations
Plaintiffs of the cases against JUUL state that they knew that their e-cigarettes weren’t safe for non-smokers, also that they knew that their JUUL e-cigs posed a risk of increased nicotine addiction in people who were already are addicted to cigarettes.
They also allege that JUUL knew that their nicotine pods deliver more nicotine in the bloodstream than normal cigarettes do, and it does so more quickly too.
Instead of disclosing these facts, JUUL continued to disseminate deceitful, misleading, and false information on their website, on social media, advertisements, and in interviews.
Also, JUUL has created an online community and culture that is designed to encourage young people to use the JUUL. While JUUL claims that their e-cigarettes are designed for adults only, they appeal to the young people because JUULs can be easily charged on a laptop, have colorful decal designs and covers, and come in a variety of flavors.
If you or someone you know use JUUL e-cigarettes and want to join a class-action lawsuit, there are several places on the internet that you can go to sign up for the case.
Final Thoughts
JUUL e-cigarettes aren’t great for you; it’s been proven with scientific research. While they might appeal to consumers because of their portability, ease of use, and flavors, the side effects aren’t worth the hassle.
If you or someone you know has been harmed due to JUUL or another brand of e-cigarette, you should consider contacting a lawyer to see if you have a case.
If you have more legal questions, you can comment below or chat online with a Laws101.com attorney where you’ll be instantly connected to a lawyer who can give you legal guidance on your specific case or question.