E-CIGARETTES LINKED TO DANGEROUS HEALTH RISKS

Why are people filing Juul Lawsuits?
There are a number of individuals, including teens with no previous smoking experiences, who were led to believe that Juul was “better than smoking” and now find themselves addicted to Juul and are incurring serious health issues. The individuals who are fighting addiction and life threatening issues are currently filing a Juul lawsuit in order to get compensation.

What is Juul?
Juul – manufactured by Juul Labs – is a popular USB-shaped smoking device in Nebraska and Iowa. Its sleek concealable shape and an array of flavors make it a favorite choice of both adult and teen smokers. Contrary to Juul Labs’ claims that “Juuling” is a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes, studies have found that Juul and other e-cigarettes expose users to a number of dangerous health risks commonly associated with cigarettes. Researchers have also found links to risks not associated with cigarettes, such as developing bronchiolitis obliterans (more commonly referred to as “popcorn lung“). While research into Juul is still in its early stages, experts are already warning personal injury law firms, such as Inserra | Kelley | Sewell, to be prepared for a massive influx of e-cigarette lawsuits. With the continued rise in Juul’s popularity, paralleled by continued research illustrating Juul’s health risks, a Juul lawsuit is likely.

If you use Juul or other e-cigarettes, we urge you to read the following information and conduct your own research on Juul dangers before continuing to use these products. If you find that you are now addicted to Juul, consider joining other individuals in fighting back against the company that should have warned you and file a Juul lawsuit.

E-Cigarettes & Juul’s Rising Popularity
E-cigarettes have become very popular in recent years, with e-cigarette use increasing 10-fold between 2011 and 2016. Juul has more than 50% of the e-cigarette market – a market expected to be worth $86.43 billion by 2025.

Is Juul Bad For You?
There are a number of factors behind Juul’s domination of the e-cigarette market and becoming the leading brand for e-cigarettes, but the largest factor is Juul Labs’ successful ‘healthy alternative’ advertising campaign.

Through the campaign, Juul Labs advertises its main product as a safe alternative to traditional cigarettes, and an effective way to quit smoking. However, according to a study published in the American Journal of Physiology, the chemical flavorings and additives in e-cigarettes can potentially cause more damage to the lungs than the damage caused by conventional cigarettes. Coupled with the concentration of nicotine in each Juul pod there are multiple issues being fought in the Juul lawsuit.

How Much Nicotine is in a Juul/E-Cigarettes?
Juul and e-cigarettes put users at risk of developing injuries associated with nicotine because Juul pods contain high quantities of nicotine than most e-cigarettes. In general, e-cigarettes contain a lower dose of nicotine, ranging from 6 to 30 milligrams of nicotine per milliliter of liquid. Juul contains a much higher concentration of nicotine: 59 milligrams of nicotine per milliliter of liquid.

In fact, according to Juul Labs, a Juul pod contains about the same amount of nicotine as one pack of cigarettes. Experts argue that a Juul pod actually contains more nicotine than a pack of cigarettes because some of the nicotine in cigarettes is lost to filtration, whereas the nicotine released in a Juul pod is un-filtered. This high dose of nicotine puts users at risk of both nicotine-related injuries and nicotine addiction.

Juul is advertised as both a safe alternative to cigarettes and an effective way to quit smoking, neither of these claims are actually supported by fact.

There is no evidence to support the claim that Juul is a reliable tool for quitting smoking especially when Juul contains as much, if not more nicotine than cigarettes. Nicotine is the substance responsible for giving cigarettes their addictive nature, so there is no reason to believe that Juul alleviates addiction. Other e-cigarette brands offering lower mg/ml of nicotine may be more beneficial in lowering nicotine dependence.

JUUL Nicotine Concentrations Are Cytotoxic
A research study has revealed that high levels of nicotine concentrations found in Juul e-cigarettes are “sufficiently high to be cytotoxic, or toxic to living cells when test in vitro with cultured respiratory system cells.”
Of the hundreds of electronic cigarette products analyzed by the research team, only Juul had high enough nicotine concentrations to be toxic in standard cytotoxicity tests.

Of the eight different flavors manufactured and sold by Juul Labs, the study found differing levels of cytotoxicity. “We found some flavor chemicals, such as ethyl maltol, also correlate with cytotoxicity, but nicotine seems to be the most potent chemical in Juul products, due to it very high concentration,” according to the research team leader Prue Talbot, professor in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology at the University of California, Riverside.

Although federal regulations limit the sales of Juul products to individuals 21 years and older, Juuling still remains prominent among adolescents, primarily middle-school and high-school-aged youth. James F. Pankow, a professor of chemistry as well as civil and environmental engineering at Portland State University, Oregon and a member of the research team, explained that experts are still unsure of the long-term adverse health effects with chronic Juul use. There is a growing concern amongst experts and the FDA that high doses of nicotine found in Juul products could affect the still-developing adolescent brain, especially when considering the cytotoxic effects Juul products have been found to have.

Are E-Cigarettes Bad For You?
Like Juul, e-cigarette manufacturers often advertise their products as being a safe alternative to cigarettes; free of the many harmful chemicals found in cigarettes. However, what most e-cigarette companies fail to warn consumers of is that their products contain diacetyl: a chemical that, if vaporized, is highly toxic and can have detrimental health effects to those who are exposed to its vapors. The most common injury associated with diacetyl vapor exposure is bronchiolitis obliterans (popcorn lung), a condition that damages your lungs small airways, making it difficult to breathe and causing individuals to experience aggressive coughing spirts. If untreated, popcorn lung can degenerate into total respiratory collapse, which can be fatal. Also known as coffee lung, it can be also be found in manufacturing facilities that produce animal food, gum, or other food products.

In its natural form, diacetyl is a harmless additive, used to enhance the flavoring of e-liquids. But when heated in an e-cigarette, diacetyl is transformed into its hazardous vaporized state.

The health risks of e-cigarettes differ depending on which brand you choose. If you choose to Juul, you are choosing to use a product that has a higher concentration of nicotine than normal cigarettes but does not contain dangerous diacetyl vapors. If you choose to use most other e-cigarettes, you are choosing a product that has a lower concentration of nicotine compared to cigarettes, but you may be putting yourself at risk of developing popcorn lung. Either way, you are putting your health at risk. Cigarettes are bad for you – but e-cigarettes are by no means a lesser of two evils. E-cigarettes, either Juul or another popular brand, still put you at risk of developing a serious and potentially fatal injury.

Teenagers and Juul
Nearly half of all Twitter users who followed Juul last year were between the ages of 13 and 17, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics. Juul’s sleek & concealable shape, a range of enticing flavors, odorless vapor, and mischaracterization as a healthy alternative to cigarettes has led it to become the best selling e-cigarette. Juul has helped to end the social stigma surrounding smoking.

Unfortunately, the demographic that seems to be most susceptible to Juul’s false advertising are teenagers. Until recently, nicotine use amongst teens had been on a steady decline since the mid-1990s. But with the introduction of Juul and other e-cigarettes, nicotine use is once again on the rise amongst teens. At least 11% of middle school and high school students admit to using Juul.

According to an analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, around 33% of these teen users say that the availability of flavors is the main reason that they use this product. Another 39% attributed their use to a family member or friend who also used them. 17% claimed that they used Juul products because they believed them to be less harmful than other forms of tobacco – and the misconceptions about the health risks associated with Juul / e-cigarettes are rampant in the teenage demographic.

In fact, a majority of youth e-cigarette users think they vaped only flavoring, not nicotine, the last time they used an e-cigarette, according to a study conducted at the University of Michigan. Another study, conducted by the Truth Initiative, found that 63% of Juul users between 15 and 24 years old did not know that the product always contained nicotine – a chemical known to be harmful to adolescent brain development.

Teens that find themselves addicted to Juul should consider filing a Juul lawsuit while they now fight for their health.

Why are Teens using Juul?
Juul Labs has come under scrutiny by a number of advocacy groups who claim that Juul’s advertising campaign is aimed towards teens. The advocacy groups cited bright colors, youthful imagery, paired with fruity flavors offered by Juul – all of which they believe is an effort to hone in on the youth market.

Juul has also become something of a social phenomenon, taking over social media platforms, such as Instagram, which is popular with youth culture. On any given platform, you can find trending hashtags like #DoItForTheJuul, where teens post images of themselves using Juul and other e-cigarettes. Juul’s concealable shape and odorless fumes make it attractive to teens, who have found it easy to use at home, in public, and even in school, under the watchful eye of adults.

Matt Myers, head of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, says that the youth’s fascination with Juul and e-cigarettes could quite possibly develop into a future health catastrophe – a whole generation of young adults could become addicted to nicotine for life.

Juul Lawsuit / E-Cigarette Lawsuit
Personal injury attorneys like Inserra | Kelley | Sewell are preparing for a high frequency of Juul lawsuit cases and e-cigarette lawsuit cases in the next few years. Juul lawsuits and e-cigarette lawsuits will range from diacetyl related injuries, smoking-related injuries, to false advertising and failure to warn consumer cases as well as an ongoing Juul lawsuit for addiction related injuries.

Currently, ISK Lawyers is filing e-cigarette lawsuit cases for any individuals who use e-cigarettes and, as a result, developed bronchiolitis obliterans (popcorn lung). If you used Juul or another e-cigarette and suffered any injury besides popcorn lung, Inserra | Kelley | Sewell will still take your information, though we are not filing these lawsuits at this time.

For free, no-obligation chemical exposure, Juul lawsuit, or e-cigarette lawsuit case consultations, contact the offices of Inserra | Kelley | Sewell in Omaha today. One of our experienced investigation team members would be happy to discuss your potential Juul lawsuit/e-cigarette lawsuit, free of charge.

LITIGATION UPDATES
Two Individuals Admitted to St. Louis Children’s Hospital for E-Cigarette Related Illnesses; 7 Other Possible Cases Being Investigated in Missouri
September 13, 2019 – Two confirmed cases of lung illness associated with e-cigarettes have been reported in Missouri in the past two weeks, with seven more possible e-cigarette injuries currently being investigated by Missouri Health Department officials.

Both injured individuals are being treated at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, so it is likely that these individuals are minors.

No additional information about the two individuals or their injuries is being made public at this time.

“If we receive more reports in the future that allow us to provide aggregate data on the location, ages and illness severity in these patients, we will do so,” Lisa Cox, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, said in an email. “Because there are currently just nine cases under investigation, we are unable to delineate these cases any further due to the fact that it could cause identification of those patients.”

Dr. Randall Williams, Department of Health and Senior Services director encouraged Missourians who are concerned with these health risks to refrain from using e-cigarette products.

FDA Threatens Fines, Company Product Seizure for Juul Illegal Marketing Practices
September 9, 2019 – The FDA issued a letter warning Juul on Monday that the company may face sanctions for illegally advertising Juul as a safer alternative to cigarettes. In the letter, the FDA warned that it will fine the company or even seize Juul’s products if the e-cigarette manufacturer does not revoke its unsubstantiated claim that Juul is a safer alternative to cigarettes.

The letter was sent to Juul CEO, Kevin Burns.

The warning letter was prompted by FDA findings after reviewing testimony presented in Congressional hearings on Juul in July. From the testimony, the FDA determined that, by selling or distributing Juul products as modified risk tobacco products without an FDA order in effect that permits such sale or distribution, the company had committed illegal marketing practices.

Federal law states that companies are not allowed to market tobacco or nicotine products as safer than cigarettes without presenting evidence to the FDA. After reviewing the evidence, the claims must be approved by the FDA. The FDA has never validated claims that Juul is a safer alternative to cigarettes.

“Regardless of where products like e-cigarettes fall on the continuum of tobacco product risk, the law is clear that, before marketing tobacco products for reduced risk, companies must demonstrate with scientific evidence that their specific product does in fact pose less risk or is less harmful,” explained Acting FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless.

The letter addressed numerous instances where Juul violated these federal laws, citing one particular instance in which a Juul representative told students at a school presentation that Juul “was much safer than cigarettes,” and “totally safe”.

The FDA also cited a statement written by Burns that appeared on the company’s website, which stated that Juul is designed to “heat nicotine liquid and deliver smokers the satisfaction that they want without the combustion and hard associated with it.”

The FDA sent an additional letter, inquiring about Juul’s marketing practices. The agency requested any scientific evidence or data that shows whether certain phrasing used in Juul advertisements gives consumers the idea that Juul is less harmful that traditional cigarettes.

Juul has recently begun a new advertising campaign which tells smokers to “make the switch” from cigarettes to Juul and features personal stories of adult smokers who have switched over to Juul. The FDA is concerned that these advertisements deceive smokers into believing that by making the switch, they are choosing a safer option.

Juul was asked to turn all materials presented in the July congressional hearings into the FDA. The FDA is now investigating whether Juul failed to comply, and withheld some materials from the agency.

Federal health officials and the FDA both have expressed growing concerns for Juul’s advertising practices, which seem to make Juul appear as less harmful than cigarettes.

Juul has undergone major rebranding in wake of numerous investigations into the company’s marketing tactics which revealed that Juul was marketing to youth.

The FDA warning letter is a dark mark on Juul’s rebranding efforts and a reminder that there is validated evidence that Juul is less dangerous than cigarettes.

Illinois State Attorney Files Lawsuit Against Juul
August 14, 2019 – Illinois state prosecutors on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Juul Labs, accusing the e-cigarette company of using targeted marketing practices to appeal to youth and intentionally get them addicted to their nicotine product. This is the first Illinois Juul lawsuit filed against the manufacturer.

The lawsuit, which is filed in Lake County, Illinois, is one of numerous identical state lawsuits filed against Juul labs recently. Michael Nerheim, the state’s attorney in Lake County, said that his office will be working with several private Chicago law firms in the Illinois Juul Lawsuit.

“Companies like Juul Labs are preying on our teens and pre-teens by turning them into addicts,” Nerheim said. “Like dope dealers on a street corner, Juul intentionally created addicted teen customers, to get them to continuously come back for life.”

The Illinois Juul lawsuit claims that Juul Labs utilized their social media presence in order to influence teens to post selfies using their Juul device.

Juul Labs stated that their company’s marketing team has never attempted to influence teens in this matter. However, the company has deleted their Instagram and Facebook. They claim to be making efforts to remove all inappropriate use of their product from social media platforms.

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