CPKLaw is now Representing Individuals Injured by Vaping Devices

Juul has been aggressively marketing its Vape Pens to teenage consumers nationwide; often with the sales pitch of being a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes. However, these Vape Pens, along with e-cigarettes, have been found potentially fatal and pose numerous health risks.

It is well established that nicotine consumption has immeasurable health risks and smoking tobacco is a leading cause of premature death in adults. What is now known is that the side effects of Vape Pens can cause respiratory and lung problems, popcorn lungs, seizures, strokes and possible death.

What is the difference between an e-cigarette and a Vape Pen? An e-cigarette vaporizes a liquid solution generally called e-liquid or e-juice. Most e-cigarettes are automatic and a heating mechanism is activated when inhalation commences. Vape Pens have similar functions, however they have a small battery powered device that heats e-liquid into an inhalable vapor. Vape Pens can be used with substances including dry herbs, marijuana, waxes and oils. They also produce a larger cloud of smoke than an e-cigarette.

As of December 2019, 55 deaths have been attributed to vaping-related lung injuries. As the number of injuries and deaths increase due to vaping, it is clear that the US has a new health epidemic on its doorstep.

According to the Surgeon General, Vape Pens are a new wave of youth nicotine addiction, leading to adult smoking. In fact, the FDA recently identified vaping as a public health trend and warned children’s nicotine addiction as a public health emergency, naming Juul products as the primary culprit. One reason is because Juul Vape Pens have fruity flavors, bright enticing colors and the youth-directed social media marketing is cited as illicit marketing with the intention of hooking a new generation into a new addition.

Smoking during adolescence increases the risk of developing psychiatric disorders and cognitive impairment later in life. This is because the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for executive functions and attention performance, is one of the last areas of the brain to mature and continues to develop through adolescence.

The e-cigarette industry experienced tremendous growth in recent years, with an estimated 3.7% of the adult U.S. population using Vape Pens. When first released in the US in 2007, they were not regulated by the FDA. Regulation came in 2016, and is now on the government’s high priority list given the severity of health problems, especially for children. The e-cigarette market is expected to exceed $ 86 billion by the year 2025.

If you or anyone you know have been injured using a Vape Pen, please call or email Attorney Billie-Marie Morrison at 702-380-2800 or bmorrison@cpklaw.com.