The popular vaping company is reportedly fighting hundreds of Juul RICO lawsuits that say viral advertising campaigns that used social media targeted youth to tout highly addictive Juul products which often result in lung damage.

Bloomberg reports that Juul faces hundreds of RICO lawsuits that have been consolidated in California state and federal courts. The company announced that it plans to fight allegations brought under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO.

RICO is a law that is meant to target organized criminal activity, such as organized crime or the Mafia. The federal law works by targeting those who benefit from criminal activity. Under RICO, perpetrators can be hit with civil and criminal penalties.

“It’s a very powerful weapon in plaintiffs’ arsenal,” one legal expert told Bloomberg. “Proving RICO can be challenging, but the payoff can be substantial.”

The Juul RICO lawsuits allege that the vape company, along with its largest investor Altria, schemed to addict children and teens to e-cigarettes. According to Court House News, Altria also owns Philip Morris USA and the plan was to create another generation hooked on nicotine products, reaping endless profit for the companies.

The lawsuits say that Juul and Altria used mail and wire fraud to further their advertising campaign to youth. Wire and mail fraud are violations of RICO.

The Juul lawsuits point to actions allegedly taken by Altria in 2018. Reportedly, Altria sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration promising to take it’s vape pods off the market; however, unbeknownst to regulators, Altria was at the same time in the works to invest $12 billion in Juul.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs in the Juul lawsuits say that hiding the investment deal was misleading.

According to Court House News, prior to a hearing on Juul’s argument to dismiss RICO claims, the judge stated that he was likely not going to dismiss the claims.

Juul RICO Lawsuits Target Teen Advertising

Juul has been plagued by allegations from teens, parents, and schools that its slick advertising campaign targeted youth in an attempt to hook the next generation on nicotine.

Electronic cigarettes, also called e-cigarettes or vape pens, are battery-powered devices that create a vapor for the user to inhale. Initially touted as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, the devices have reportedly been linked to heart and lung problems, nicotine addiction, and other side effects.

In addition, e-cigarette companies have been criticized for marketing their products to youth with candy and fruit-flavored vape pods and youth-oriented advertising campaigns. Juul, in particular, has faced allegations that it targeted school-aged children with the design of its vape pen – small and easily mistaken for a benign USB drive – as well as the ease with which youth can purchase Juul products through the internet.

According to some Juul lawsuits, teens who used Juul did not realize that some of its flavors contained large doses of nicotine. ABC Action News reports that, according to one 15-year-old who has filed a class action lawsuit against the company, she did not know that her Juul pen contained nicotine and that she was unintentionally swallowing the product when she vaped. The teen alleges that she is now addicted to nicotine and suffers seizures as a result of using Juul products.

For its part, Juul maintains that it did not target youth with its advertising and its goal is to encourage adult cigarette smokers to switch to their vaping products.

“We will continue to reset the vapor category in the U.S. and seek to earn the trust of society by working cooperatively with attorneys general, legislators, regulators, public health officials, and other stakeholders to combat underage use and transition adult smokers from combustible cigarettes,” it said in response to the RICO lawsuits reports Bloomberg.

Is Vaping Safe?

Juul reportedly maintains that vaping is safer than smoking traditional cigarettes. However, vaping has been linked to a series of health risks, including for the heart and lung, as well as seizures and even the brain.

Many of the health risks linked to vaping concern the delivery of nicotine to the system. Nicotine is an addictive substance, as well as a toxin. Vape products reportedly deliver more nicotine than traditional cigarettes, raising the risk of nicotine poisoning. Additionally, kicking a nicotine addiction is one of the toughest to beat.

Nicotine has also been linked to cognitive development problems, particularly in children and teens. The brain is still developing in youth during these ages and exposure to nicotine can disrupt this process. It has also been associated with a greater risk of developing a strong nicotine addiction.

Other than nicotine, e-cigarettes have also been known to contain other harmful substances that should not be inhaled.