Lawmakers investigating the e-cigarette epidemicsay JUUL health side effects may be worthy of concern. JUUL makes one of the most popular vape pens on the American market. 

E-cigarette use is skyrocketing among teenagers. A federal survey found that in 2018, some 21 percent of U.S. high school students used vape pens. The devices are accused of causing young people to become addicted to nicotine at higher rates than ever before.

JUUL Marketing Under Scrutiny

Some lawmakers have criticized JUUL for marketing its product to young people, something these legislators say has resulted in the company’s stronghold on the e-cigarette market. JUUL vape pens look like small electronic devices and come in attractive flavors, fooling young people into believing that vaping is not dangerous.

Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley said JUUL’s marketing is “right out of the Big Tobacco playbook,” according to CNBC. Her state is considering banning flavored nicotine liquid because of its appeal to teens.

JUUL has joined Big Tobacco, at least from an ownership standpoint.  CNBC reports that Altria, the maker of Marlboro, purchased 35 percent of JUUL for $12.8 billion last year. Altria anticipates that traditional cigarette sales will dip 5 to 6 percent in 2019, a direct result of the rise in e-cigarettes. 

Smoking Cessation Claims Under Fire

Many e-cigarettes are advertised as a healthy alternative to tobacco products, like cigarettes. In fact, some e-cigarette makers tout their products as smoking-cessation tools. 

But statistics point to e-cigarettes as a culprit in the rise of nicotine use among teens. According to Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, there’s no proof that e-cigarettes help smokers quit, and in fact, he says, the product causes young people to develop nicotine habits “at far greater rates than they’re helping adults quit smoking.”

Forbes reports on a warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about a new study suggesting a link between vaping and inflamed airways, suggesting that JUUL health side effects could be cause for concern. 

And CNN reports that JUUL’s marketing has gone so far as to claim that JUUL products are harmless. Allegedly, a JUUL representative showed a class of ninth-graders how to use e-cigarettes and claimed they were “totally safe” to use, dismissing concerns over JUUL health side effects. 

Safer Nicotine Alternative?

Students who witnessed the presentation testified to Congress about the event during hearings for the House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy. The hearings were an attempt to “examine [JUUL’s] responsibility for the youth nicotine addiction epidemic,” according to the subcommittee.

According to the students, the JUUL representative suggested that JUUL could be a safer alternative for people who already use nicotine products, with the company representative claiming that JUUL was in the process of receiving FDA approval as a smoking cessation tool. According to CNN, JUUL has not received FDA approval for its vape pens to be used to help quit smoking. 

Join a Free JUUL E-Cigarette Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you or your child suffered seizures after vaping with a JUUL e-cigarette, you may benefit from participating in a free JUUL class action lawsuit investigation.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented 
for informational purposes only.