The District of Columbia recently announced that it would be suing Juul e-cigarette manufacturers for allegedly marketing its products to underage consumers, for failing to check the age of consumers when they purchased Juul e-cigarettes, and for misleading consumers about the strength, safety, and content of its e-cigarettes. According to the Hill, the lawsuit in the District of Columbia, joins similar lawsuits in states including New York, California, and North Carolina. Not only did Juul allegedly fail to warn consumers about the nicotine content in its e-cigarettes, but it also initiated an e-cigarette marketing campaign that had the consequence of hooking countless teens on nicotine.
In Houston, Texas, parents of teens who have become addicted to Juul, and individuals who became addicted to Juul when they were underage, are considering pursuing lawsuits against the company for their underage nicotine addictions. Are you one of these teens? Are you a parent of a teen who became addicted to Juul? Blizzard Greenberg, PLLC is a Juul e-cigarette law firm in Houston, Texas helping parents and adults who became addicted to Juul as children. Our firm can review your case, help you understand your rights, and assist you with navigating the next steps.
How More Young People Have Become Addicted to Nicotine
Juul claims that its intentions were to help smokers find alternatives to smoking cigarettes. However, according to a New York Times report, the company fiercely marketed its e-cigarettes to people in their 20s and 30s, a demographic not known for its high smoking rates. Also, teenagers and high schoolers began to find ways to purchase the devices. According to the Times, Juul didn’t have a warning label on its package indicating that it contained nicotine until 2018. Because of the lack of labelling, many teens who began using Juul, may not have been aware that they were consuming nicotine, a highly addictive substance. According to the Truth Initiative, as many as two-thirds of Juul e-cigarette smokers between the ages of 15 to 21 may not have been aware that they were consuming nicotine when smoking these products.
The Truth Initiative notes that e-cigarette use is on the rise especially among teens and youth, with 27.5% of high school students admitting to having used e-cigarettes in the past month, a growth from 11% of high school students who admitted to having used e-cigarettes in 2017. E-cigarette use among youth and teens appears to be on the rise. The numbers are particularly alarming. In 2011, only 1.5% of teens admitted to having used e-cigarette products. The Truth Initiative notes that this represents an 1800% increase in youth and teen vaping in just the past few years alone. One in four high school students and one in ten middle school students are vape users, according to the New York Times. The increase in teen and youth e-cigarette use appears to correlate with the launch of Juul products on the market.
Nicotine can impact the developing and sensitive teen brain. Teens who vape are more likely to smoke cigarettes later in life and are also at risk of developing other addictions. Teens who become addicted to vaping and e-cigarettes struggle to quit.
Reports indicate that Juul’s marketing campaign targeted youthful users. Rather than marketing the device to people who were already smokers, or demographics where there were high numbers of smokers, the campaigns made e-cigarette use look “cool” and youthful. The New York Times reports that some youths who became addicted to Juul when they were under 18 are considering pursuing lawsuits against the company, because in the early days, no one really understood what Juul or e-cigarettes contained and the product didn’t clearly indicate that it contained nicotine.
There is substantial evidence that Juul was marketed to minors. For one, the flavors especially appeal to youths. Secondly, the branding and advertisement displayed young people smoking. And finally, the New York Times investigative report indicates that there were warnings indicating that teens were smoking (for example, orders made using fake identification), but the company didn’t change its course.
Are you one of the youths who became addicted to Juul when you were under age? Are you struggling to quit Juul or e-cigarettes as a young adult? Blizzard Greenberg, PLLC is a law firm in Houston, Texas, currently accepting cases from youth and teens who became addicted to Juul. Contact us today to learn more.
Teens and Parents Suing Juul
A growing number of states, counties, parents, school districts, and teens are suing Juul. Initially Juul billed itself as a smoking cessation device, or an alternative to cigarettes, but it appears that smoking rates have gone up, with teens being the most impacted demographic. Thinking you might want to join these lawsuits? Reach out to Blizzard Greenberg, PLLC, a Houston, Texas e-cigarette law firm today. The recently reported lawsuits are likely only to be the first of many to come.
