Reports of vaping seizures by people using products like JUUL have resulted in an investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While the director of the agency’s Center for Tobacco Products has emphasized that there is “no proof of causality” and does not point at any one manufacturer of vape products, it does suggest a link between vaping and seizures.

Investigations of Vaping Seizures Began Last Year

The FDA investigations started in October 2018, with a small number of reports submitted through the agency’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These reports assist officials in identifying potential problems with prescription drugs, medical equipment and devices and other products.

JUUL Labs has drawn particular attention from regulators, the media and injury plaintiffs as well. Since it was spun off from Pax Labs, it has become the most popular e-cigarette in the U.S. As of September 2018, JUUL commanded 72 percent of the domestic vape market – the overwhelming majority of which consists of teens and young adults. Although company co-founder James Monsees has emphatically stated the marketing of JUUL products is “antithetical to the company’s mission,” much of its marketing activity suggests otherwise.

A Smoking Cessation Device?

Initially, JUUL Labs marketed its device as a way to help adult smokers quit smoking traditional cigarettes. However, according to JUUL Labs spokesman Matt Dennis, that campaign was ineffective: “[Advertisements] failed to gain traction on social media and failed to gain sales,” he told The New York Times. That approach was abandoned in the fall of 2015 after less than half a year.

However, a former company senior manager, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that not long after JUUL rolled out its products, the company realized that most of its customers were underage. “At first, they just knew it was being bought for resale…then, when they saw the social media in the fall and winter of 2015, they suspected it was teens.”

Vaping Seizures and Other Health Risks

While the fumes produced by e-cigarette “vape juice” appear to have fewer toxins than combustible tobacco, it contains and delivers far more nicotine. Vaping seizures have been attributed to these excess amounts of nicotine, which is itself highly toxic – as well as addictive.

One thing that sets JUUL products apart from other vape brands is the nicotine content, which is nearly twice that of its competitors. A single JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as 40 cigarettes. The habit is facilitated by the manner in which the product is made, using nicotine salts rather than freebase nicotine. Because of its lower acidity, nicotine salts are more easily inhaled and absorbed into the bloodstream – meaning that JUUL users may not be aware of just how much nicotine they are inhaling.

More Investigations

In addition to the FDA inquiry over vaping seizures and other reported illnesses, JUUL labs faces an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) into its advertising and marketing practices. In response, JUUL has said it’s taking steps to prevent sales to minors, using more effective age verification methods and other methods to discourage teen use.

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