A teenager from another state has joined alleged victims from all over the country in a series of litigation against Juul Labs, the most famous maker of electronic cigarettes.
As many residents of Georgia probably know, Juuling has become a popular forbidden pleasure among young people both in the Rome area and throughout the country.
In theory, Juuling was supposed to be a safe alternative to smoking conventional cigarettes. In fact, the Juul was originally marketed as a medical device that would help those addicted to cigarettes quit gradually. At the same time, while using the Juul pods, the user could get a dose of nicotine but without the added, and cancer-causing, chemicals in cigarettes.
However, these recent lawsuits suggest, and for good reason, that the Juul product is not nearly as safe as its manufacturers originally claimed.
The allegations also claim that the manufacturer began to market its product not just to those trying to quit smoking but also to teens who were looking for a way to smoke without resorting to tobacco products. Unfortunately, the end result in many cases is that young people are addicted to nicotine and suffering adverse health effects, some of which can be severe or even fatal, from their Juuling habit.
These lawsuits are still in the early stages of litigation. Right now, the most critical pending issue is whether or not the plaintiffs can proceed with a class action, meaning they could all sue Juul Labs as a group.
As with any other medical device, manufacturers of products designed to help people quit smoking have an obligation to make sure their products are safe and marketed accurately. If they do not, injured victims may be able to proceed with a products liability case.