Two school districts in Santa Cruz County California have become the most recent school districts to sue e-cigarette manufacturer Juul Labs. The school districts claim that the vaping giant marketed its products to teens and is to blame for the rise in vaping by teenagers. These lawsuits are only the latest in dozens of suits filed by school districts across the country, making the same allegations. The lawsuits seek to recover the costs of prevention programs, counseling, and treatment for addicted students.
Teen Vaping Epidemic
The lawsuits demonstrate that vaping has become an epidemic among teens across the country. Lawsuits have been filed by small rural districts to large urban districts such as those in Los Angeles. School districts feel that they must play a role in the fight against Juul as they have become, in effect, first responders in the teen vaping crisis. Students are missing school for vaping-related illnesses, and the schools are being forced to take preventive action. This costs money and resources for which the schools are seeking reimbursement from Juul.
Why Target Juul
While there are other vaping companies on the market, Juul had been the target of many lawsuits for a number of reasons. Juul controls 70% of the vaping market, making it the largest vaping company in the United States by far. In addition, Juul has a history of marketing its products to teens and young adults. It used flashy advertising and a variety of flavored vape juices to do so. Juul also failed to warn teens of the addictive nature of the nicotine salts contained in Juul products. Nicotine is highly addictive, and most teens didn’t even know that Juul contained nicotine. Nicotine is dangerous, especially for young people. According to the CDC, nicotine can damage an adolescent brain by affecting the way synapses are formed between brain cells.
Contact a Product Liability Attorney
If your child has been using Juul products, you should consult with an experienced product liability attorney. Gregg Goldfarb has been helping the victims of dangerous products for over 20 years. Contact us online or call us at 305-374-7000 to schedule a free consultation.