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St. Louis Juul E-Cigarette Lawsuit Lawyer

Dangers associated with use of Juul e-cigarettes include nicotine addiction and an increased risk of strokes, seizures and serious lung infections.  Absent real warnings from the makers of e-cigarettes, on December 18, 2018, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a warning to the American public regarding the dangers of e-cigarettes, particularly in reference to the increase in teenage use:

“We need to protect our kids from all tobacco products, including all shapes and sizes of e-cigarettes,” said Surgeon General Jerome Adams. “We must take action now to protect the health of our nation’s young people.” The warning advisory mentioned the Juul e-cigarette brand several times because of its popularity with underage people in high schools and junior high schools.

What is Juul?

Made by Juul Labs, Juul is the popular USB-shaped smoking device that has captured the lion’s share of the e-cigarette market. Juul’s sleek concealable shape and its variety of flavors make it the e-smoking choice for many adults and teens. The problem is that Juul Labs’ claim that “Juuling” is a safe alternative compared to smoking real burning cigarettes doesn’t hold water. Recent studies have found that Juul and other e-cigarettes expose users to several dangerous health risks commonly associated with traditional cigarettes. In addition, researchers have also found links to e-cigarette risks not usually associated with traditional cigarettes. One study found that e-cigarette users are more likely to develop into real cigarette smokers. So contrary to some of Juul’s disingenuous marketing to teens, rather than diverting from cigarette smoking, vaping among those who had not smoked real cigarettes before made them more likely to start smoking.

Juul Cigarette Dangers

E-cigarette users have a higher likelihood of developing bronchiolitis obliterans (better known as “popcorn lung“). Though research into Juul is still in the early stages, some litigation experts are already advising personal injury law firms to prepare for a huge influx of e-cigarette lawsuits. The continued rise in Juul’s popularity, along with continued research that shows Juul’s health risks, makes future Juul lawsuits increasingly likely.

Those using Juul or any other form of e-cigarette should conduct their own research on e-cigarette dangers before continuing to use these troubling products in the hope that they are less dangerous and less addictive than regular garden-variety cigarettes.

Some Volatile Chemicals in E-Cigarettes

  • Nicotine – a harsh, highly addictive chemical drug
  • Acrolein – toxic, used in chemical weapons
  • Acrylonitrile – a lung irritant, possibly related to brain cancer and breast cancer

Toxicology of E-Cigarette Constituents

The National Institutes of Health says e-cigarettes often contain ingredients such as propylene glycol (PG) and glycerol, mixed with concentrated flavors and usually some nicotine. Quantitative and qualitative studies show a wide variety of chemical components in e-cigarette cartridges, refill solutions and aerosols.  detected approximately 60 to 70 compounds (some identified, some not) in each liquid they tested. Additionally, more compounds appear in the aerosols, as the vaporization process generates some chemicals. One aerosol generated from a single product tested by  showed 18 additional compounds observed in the solution.

Substances identified in e-cigarette liquids and aerosols include nicotine, solvent carriers (PG and glycerol), tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), aldehydes, metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), phenolic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), flavorings, tobacco alkaloids and drugs. Yes, DRUGS!

The NIH further writes: “Most reviewed studies have evaluated nicotine and impurities in the liquids such as TSNAs and nicotine-related impurities, while other studies have focused on identifying potentially harmful chemicals in the aerosol, such as carbonyl compounds, VOCs, TSNAs, metals and silicates. Various chemical substances and ultrafine particles known to be toxic, carcinogenic and/or to cause respiratory and cardiac disease have been identified in e-cigarette aerosols, cartridges, refill liquids and environmental emissions. Some of the identified TSNAs, aldehydes, metals, VOCs, phenolic compounds, PAHs and tobacco alkaloids are harmful or potentially harmful constituents.”

CBS also reported that a study published in the journal Pediatrics in 2018 found many toxic chemicals in e-cigarettes, including one linked to several types of cancer. Some of those chemicals appeared even when teens used non-nicotine vaping products like fruit-flavored ones.

 

Juul delivers more Nicotine than Real Cigarettes

Juul and other e-cigarette makers put users at risk of developing injuries associated with nicotine use just as regular cigarettes do. Juul pods contain higher quantities of nicotine than most other e-cigarettes, which generally contain a lower dose of nicotine than real cigarettes. Most e-cigs range from 6 to 30 milligrams of nicotine per milliliter of liquid. Juul’s higher concentration of nicotine, by contrast, is roughly 59 milligrams of nicotine per milliliter of liquid.

In fact, according to Juul Labs, one Juul pod contains about the same amount of nicotine as one pack of cigarettes. Experts argue that a Juul pod actually delivers 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 unadulterated by filtration. This high dose of nicotine puts users at risk of both nicotine-related injuries and nicotine addiction.

Although Juul advertises its e-cigarettes as both a safe alternative to cigarettes and an effective way to quit smoking, neither of these claims are supported by fact.

There is no evidence to support the claim that Juul is a reliable tool for quitting smoking. On the contrary, Juul delivers as much, if not more, nicotine than cigarettes. Because nicotine is the substance responsible for giving cigarettes their addictive nature, there is no reason to believe that Juul will help alleviate addiction. To that end, some other e-cigarette brands offering lower mg/ml of nicotine may be more beneficial in lowering nicotine dependence.

Free Legal Consultation

If you or someone you love has suffered a stroke or been hospitalized for lung damage or another injury related to using Juul e-cigarettes, contact an attorney at Goldblatt + Singer now regarding a potential lawsuit against Juul. Vaping is far from harmless. Those responsible for enticing young people into becoming hooked on the unhealthy habit should be held accountable. Call us today at (314) 888-1000.

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