Join the Many makes it easier for victims facing complications caused by harmful products to demand justice from the companies that hurt them. We can help you, too. If you developed an addiction to vaping as a result of using JUUL products, you may be eligible for compensation.
What Is JUUL?
JUUL calls itself a smoking alternative. It is a type of electronic cigarette that was designed to provide a nicotine experience for adults who are smokers and want an alternative to traditional cigarettes. The company, JUUL Labs, Inc., is a spin off of Pax Labs. The JUUL e-cigarette atomizes nicotine salts that come from tobacco. The tobacco product is a one-time use cartridge.
What Are the Concerns with JUUL?
JUUL’s products have long been sought after not just by adults but by kids as well. The company was founded in May 2015. Within 2 years, it took off, and by September 2018, the company had captured 72% of the market share. While this sounds good for the company, in fact, it was somewhat worrisome when you look at how the company did so.
Consider some insight. By June 2018, the company had reached $942.6 million in sales for the year. Week after week, according to CNBC reports, the company’s product shares continued to grow in value. As the company began to grow in popularity with its product sales, it was the public that began to question the product the most.
Key concerns began to surface when children, hiding the sleek devices from their teachers and parents, were able to purchase and use these products. The pods, which are filled with nicotine liquids, appeal to kids because they have sweet flavors to them, including fruit flavors. The critics of the product claim that the company used flavors like this to appeal to younger users. JUUL says it did not and that it only markets its products to adults.
The FDA was encouraged to step in and offer clarity on the safety of these products. The agency did so. It issued a letter to the company to ask how it was appealing to kids with its products. In addition to this, the FDA also went undercover to find out how easy it was for minors to purchase these nicotine-based products. This was done in September 2019.
The FDA’s actions came after Congress and others had come forward to express concerns about these products. The agency wanted to better understand the company’s outreach efforts and marketing practices, especially those that targeted students.
In February of that year, the FDA sent letters to JUUL as well as Altria Group, a company that has acquired a large ownership in JUUL.
However, the investigations into JUUL’s actions would continue. The New York Times notes that after a lengthy investigation, it was determined that the company had purchased ad space on Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, as well as in Seventeen Magazine. The company also was found to have purchased ad space on education sites designed for high school and middle school students to use. Because of this investigation completed by the Massachusetts Attorney General, a lawsuit by the state was filed against JUUL. The lawsuit shows that the company was targeting young teens and nonsmokers from June 2015 through early 2016.
The company states that it did not market to children in any way. Further investigations found that JUUL had rejected a marketing proposal by the company it had hired, Cult Collective, that targeted adult smokers. Instead, it produced a new marketing campaign called “Vaporized” that targeted youth.
JUUL reacted to the FDA’s research and stated it would pledge $30 million over the next three years (in 2018) to support research and education against tobacco use.
Did you use these products? If you did, did you become addicted to them? If so, you may have a legal case against JUUL if you did not know they were addictive or that they could cause health consequences for you. Join the Many can review your case and connect you with the best legal resources for your situation.
JUUL Recall
In June of 2022, the FDA took its most dramatic step forward. At this point, it had worked to alert all manufacturers of their actions in promoting the product to teens. It also had worked to ensure companies were making it illegal for teens to access these products. Yet, they continued to have access.
As a result, on June 23, 2022, the FDA issued a marketing denial order to JUUL Labs. This meant that all of their products marketed in the U.S. could no longer be sold. The FDA stated that JUUL had to stop selling and distributing its products in the country.
The move included all JUUL devices along with four types of JUUL pods, including Virginia tobacco flavored pods with concentrations of nicotine ranging from 5.0 to 3.0 percent, as well as menthol flavored pods with concentrations in the same range.
In the letter, FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D., states, “The agency has dedicated significant resources to review products from the companies that account for most of the U.S. market. We recognize these make up a significant part of the available products, and many have played a misappropriate role in the rise in youth vaping.”
On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit created a temporary administrative stay on the marketing denial order. On July 5, 2022, the FDA administratively stayed the marketing denial order. This put a pause on the suspension of the product but did not rescind it. In doing so, it required all electronic nicotine delivery systems to obtain FDA authorization to legally market them.
Why Are There JUUL Lawsuits?
JUUL, as well as other e-cigarette manufacturers, are facing a number of lawsuits brought by people who have had experiences related to the use of the products. It is clear that the FDA recognizes that these products create a nicotine risk, but for many other people, there are additional claims and concerns related to the use of the product.
Vaping lawsuits like these claim a number of complications from their use. This includes serious lung injuries, lung disease, and strokes. Some people suffered seizures as a result of using these products. Many people who filed these lawsuits have come forward to state that they became addicted to them. That led to a worsening of their health condition.
Some people, notably, stated they did not know the vape fluids contained a high level of nicotine in them. Nicotine is a recognized, highly addictive product. Many people noted that these products created addiction but that the users did not know they carried that risk when using them. Some teens have described the products as candy-like items that were easy to purchase online or locally.
JUUL did not place any type of nicotine warnings on its products initially. These were only placed after August 2018.
These lawsuits have occurred for several years, well before the actions of the FDA to remove these products from the market.
What Is Happening with the Current Lawsuits?
Many thousands of people have come forward to issue lawsuits against JUUL as well as other vape product manufacturers for claims like this mentioned above. As a result of this, many of those causes were combined into multidistrict litigation. That means that because many of the claims are the same or very similar, they will all be overseen by the same judge and jurisdiction. This is being done through MDL 2913.
MDL 2913 relates to the sale practices as well as the product liability claims brought against JUUL specifically. The MDL was created on October 2, 2019.
At this time, these cases continue to be investigated, and claims continue to come in. To date, over 4,000 lawsuits have been brought against the company. This includes personal injury claims, class action cases, as well as tribal claims. These are all a component of the MDL which is being overseen in the U.S. Northern District of California federal courts by Judge William Orrick III.
It’s also important to know that many states themselves have taken legal action against the manufacturer. This includes the states of Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, and North Carolina. Additionally, the District of Columbia has taken action. Several school districts in the U.S. have also filed claims, including those in New York, Washington, Kansas, and Missouri.
Numerous additional lawsuits have been filed. Some of the latest relate to claims that their aggressive advertising campaign specifically targeted youths.
Could You Have a Case?
Many people used JUUL products. In the short time that the company launched and began its marketing, it became extremely successful. Many people who purchased their products believed they were safe and that they would not cause addiction. However, that is not the case.
The FDA’s efforts to ban the product is a clear indication of the risks. It also helps to show that the products were not marketed properly and that there were risks to youth. You may be one of the many people who began using these products because of the advertisements you saw. That led to you using these products frequently, and ultimately, you may have developed an addiction to them.
Nicotine addiction is a serious health hazard. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that smoking or any type of tobacco use is unhealthy and can create a shortened lifespan, as well as numerous health products. The CDC has issued warnings against the use of these products, including JUUL and others.
You may be able to take legal action if:
- You used JUUL products.
- You did not know they caused addiction because they did not offer warnings.
- The packaging did not clearly communicate the risks of use.
- You began using as a youth who saw ads.
- You developed health complications, including lung disease, that resulted in hospitalizations, surgeries, or other complicated cases.
- You developed a nicotine addiction from your use of JUUL products.
If any of these things relate to your situation, take action now. Join the Many can help you to determine if you may have a case against JUUL. There are thousands of people who have come forward with such claims. You can be one of them.
Join the Many will review your case for free in a matter of minutes and help determine if you may be eligible to file a lawsuit. If the courts determine that JUUL is responsible for harm done to consumers because of product liability or because of false advertising, you may be entitled to compensation.
We understand the legal processes involved are often confusing and even frustrating–that’s why we want to help. Join the Many today so we can make the system work for you and in your favor. You’ll pay no legal fees unless you’re awarded compensation.
