The Juul Teen Addiction Epidemic

Juul vape pods have become extremely popular in recent years, despite presenting significant dangers, even when compared to other nicotine-containing products. Research has shown that one Juul pod contains 20 cigarettes worth of nicotine, according to the Truth Initiative.

The secondary danger they present is the wide variety of flavors the company offers; these seemingly fun, harmless flavors have attracted a greater population of teenaged users to the product than ever before. In fact, according to another study by the Truth Initiative, two-thirds of Juul users between the ages of 15 and 24 were entirely unaware of how much nicotine they were taking into their bodies.

This is leading to higher rates and severity of addiction in long-time smokers as well as teenage consumers. If your teenager has become addicted to nicotine after using Juul vape pods, reach out to a product liability attorney right away to discuss filing a lawsuit.

Aside from the high levels of nicotine in the product, the flavored chemicals present more than one danger.

Juul is credited with attracting more teenagers to e-cigarettes than any other brand. They were one of the first to offer a variety of flavors which particularly appealed to youth, although the company claims this was not their attention. Some experts believe this phenomenon should have easily been predicted by the company before rolling out these flavors. Not only did these new flavors attract younger and younger users to the nicotine-heavy products, but the chemicals in the flavoring have also been linked to damage to the lungs and throat, even resulting in life-threatening injuries.

Juul’s actions raise questions regarding their care for their customers, including teenagers.

Despite Juul’s official assertion that their products are not intended for teenagers, the ability to predict how flavored Juul pods would attract young people seems like a given. This is not only the instance in which Juul seems to have grossly failed to predict the effects of their products on their customers. While Juul hails itself is an effective way to help current smokers wean themselves off nicotine, the high levels of nicotine in the product and chemicals in the flavoring don’t seem to carry any predictable benefits for users of any age.

In fact, a former Juul executive was reportedly fired after reporting that other senior executives knowingly let contaminated Juul pods ship out, then refused to issue a recall. This lack of concern for their customer’s health and safety is alarming, especially considering how widespread use of the product has become among the teenage market. Nicotine addiction is serious and can lead to a variety of deathly cancers. If your teenager is addicted to nicotine and/or has suffered from using Juul products, you may be eligible to seek legal compensation for your child’s damages.

If your teenager is addicted to a Juul vaping device, take the following steps:

• Get your teenager to stop using the device. This might seem like a given, but it bears repeating. If your child is addicted to Juul, they need to cease using the product immediately. Not only does addiction carry all its own risks, but the chemicals in Juul can also be particularly harmful.
• Take your teen to their doctor or a pulmonologist. This is an important part of the recovery process for a teenager addicted to Juul. It is important to have their health assessed by a medical professional to identify any signs of health complications caused by the vaping product. This is also a good way to make a plan for kicking the addiction.
• Contact an attorney. If your child has suffered from Juul addiction and/or the negative effects of the chemicals in Juul products, they may be eligible to receive legal compensation. This compensation can help pay for medical bills in addition to other resources for your teen’s recovery.

To learn more about the Juul teen addiction epidemic, or for help filing a claim, reach out to a product liability attorney experienced with Juul litigation.