E-Cigarette Companies May Find Themselves Facing Personal Injury Lawsuits
OMAHA, Nebraska. According to CNN, vaping has now reached epidemic levels among teenagers and high-school aged kids. 1.7 million high school students have admitted to having used e-cigarettes in the last 30 days. Alarmingly, the trend has even impacted middle school students, with another 500,000 admitting to vaping. One in five eighth graders reportedly has vaped. Regulators claim that the flavors the companies promote are marketed to appeal to younger audiences. Health experts are concerned because vaping products can be just as addictive as traditional cigarettes and can often be a first step to long-term tobacco addiction and use.
One of the more popular vaping devices is Juul. The small profile of the device and its similarity to a USB key makes it easier for teens to carry around in school and even in classrooms.
According to Wired, Juul is facing several lawsuits, claiming that the company improperly marketed its products as safer than cigarettes. In several of the cases, users purchased the vaping devices, hoping they would wean them off cigarettes. Instead, because of the higher nicotine levels, the individuals found themselves more addicted than they were before. In another case, a mother claims that the products contain more nicotine than they should and that the products got her teenage son addicted to nicotine.
Juul seems to have been aware that its products contained more nicotine than regular cigarettes, Wired reports.
This won’t be the first time tobacco companies have faced lawsuits. In the litigation introduced in the 1980s, families used a similar tactic to those being used in cases today. Families claimed that tobacco manufacturers were aware of the addictive nature of their product and failed to warn users that tobacco could cause lung cancer. In the 90s these lawsuits became successful when evidence was revealed that showed that tobacco companies were aware that their products caused addiction and cancer.
The ultimate outcome of tobacco litigation was that tobacco companies were barred from certain advertising practices, tobacco companies were required to subsidize the state’s health care costs related to smoking, and the tobacco companies funded programs designed to reduce youth smoking.
There have been other recent lawsuits raised, this time targeting light cigarettes, and now, vaping. Tobacco litigation can be highly complex and when it is pursued, it is generally pursued as a class action claim. The complexity of the claims can involve teams of lawyers delving into arcane legal theory.
What’s fascinating about tobacco lawsuits are their outcomes and the impact they play in other personal injury lawsuits involving issues like product liability and marketing practices.
Rensch & Rensch Law are personal injury lawyers in Omaha, Nebraska who work closely with victims and families who have been hurt in car accidents and due to the negligence or neglect of another person or party. You may be entitled to seek damages for your medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages. Visit us at https://www.renschandrensch.com/ to learn more about your rights and options.
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