Last year, the FDA accused vape company JUUL of illegally marketing e-cigarettes as safe. The claim, which was made with little scientific evidence to back it up to begin with, has now been further debunked.
On January 4, a study was published in Tobacco Regulatory Science illustrating how JUUL e-cigarettes deliver significantly higher nicotine concentrations to the bloodstream per puff than traditional cigarettes. The study, which was done by researchers at UC San Francisco, also found that e-cigarettes impair blood vessel function in a manner comparable to cigarette smoke.
JUUL e-cigarettes briefly enjoyed a reputation as being safer than regular cigarettes, starting when they first entered the public consciousness in 2015. This misleading impression, which was fueled by JUUL’s aggressive advertising efforts, led to their products gaining popularity with many smokers, including teenagers and young adults. According to UC San Francisco, a recent study found that 27.5% of high school students and 10.5% of eighth graders currently use e-cigarettes.
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), along with the FDA and other clinical and public health partners, are investigating a national outbreak of lung injuries related to e-cigarettes. A total of 2,711 cases of hospitalization have been reported in the U.S.; 60 of these have been fatal. The median age of affected patients is 24 years old.
Together, these facts reveal a disturbing narrative. Like cigarettes before them, nicotine vaping devices falsely claimed to be relatively harmless only later to be revealed as the opposite. With vape-users—which include many people under the legal smoking age—consuming nicotine in higher amounts, it’s unlikely these cases will disappear any time soon.
Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with a pulmonary disease after using JUUL vaping devices and e-cigarettes? You may be entitled to compensation for your losses, including coverage for your medical bills and pain and suffering. Our Kansas City JUUL lawsuit attorneys have extensive experience going up against large corporations. Contact us at Bertram & Graf, L.L.C. to schedule your free case evaluation today.