Vaping e-cigarettes with Juul pods has become so widespread, particularly among young people, that there’s now a verb for it: Juuling. What many not realize is that there are a number of serious side effects of Juul, like Juul seizures and respiratory complications.

What is Juul?

Time explains that “juuling” refers to the recreational use of e-cigarettes among young people, and is named after the most popular—and controversial—e-cigarette brand. But what is Juul?

Juul e-cigarettes are vaping devices developed by the San Francisco–based e-cigarette company Juul Labs. The devices feature a sleek, techy design that appeals to young people and also makes them easy to conceal since they resemble USB drives.

Today, Juul holds the vast majority of the U.S. e-cigarette market. The vaping giant maintains that it introduced its e-cigarettes as a method of helping adult smokers quit and that they “really don’t want kids using [their] product,” Ashley Gould, Juul Labs chief administrative officer told Time.

Regardless of Juul’s intentions—and marketing tactics that targeted teenagers from the beginning—the reality is that a huge number of young people are Juuling.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), more than 5 million middle and high school students used e-cigarettes in 2019, and about 1 million of these young people vaped e-cigarettes on a daily basis. Another serious concern is the rapid growth in youth e-cigarette use, which jumped by nearly 2 million users between 2018 and 2019.

What are the Side Effects of Juul?

Since its entry on the e-cigarette market, Juul products have featured high nicotine content. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) notes that “a single Juul pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes.”

Despite the high nicotine content, many young Juul users aren’t aware that Juul products always contain nicotine. In fact, the majority of youth e-cigarette users believe that what they are vaping is only flavoring and that they aren’t consuming any nicotine when vaping.

Indeed, many young people may believe that Juul is far safer than regular e-cigarettes, but research has shown Juul delivers significantly more nicotine per puff than both e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes.

E-cigarette users may suffer a number of side effects, including:

• Nicotine addiction
• Problems with brain development
• Increased risk for future addiction to other drugs
• Lung problems
• E-cigarette liquid poisoning
• Defective e-cigarette batteries causing fires/explosions

Nicotine use can also increase the risk of:

• Blood clots
• Atherosclerosis
• Peptic ulcers
• Changes in heart rhythm
• Lung spasms

Can Juul Cause Cancer?

Vaping is meant to be a safer alternative to traditional cigarette smoking because e-cigarettes do not include tobacco, a known carcinogen. Since Juul products don’t contain tobacco, a common question consumers have is whether Juul can cause cancer.

E-cigarettes still contain many chemicals that traditional cigarettes also contain, which may also be carcinogenic. For example, according to one study, Juul products contain less benzene than traditional cigarettes, but there is reportedly still a health risk from benzene exposure in Juul products.

Plus, nicotine exposure over time can increase the risk of lung cancer.

Since Juul products haven’t been on the market very long, the long-term risks of these devices, especially in young users, won’t be known until more data is collected.

Are Other Complications Linked to the Side Effects of Juul?

Side effects of Juul may also lead to serious, even deadly complications such as cardiovascular or pulmonary issues. A study from the University of California San Francisco found that daily use of e-cigarettes doubles the risk of a heart attack compared to non-smokers.

Other studies have found cardiovascular risks linked to e-liquids and even the flavorings themselves. There have also been thousands of reports of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI), according to the CDC. These lung injuries are severe and have led to dozens of deaths.

How Can You Get Legal Help?

A growing number of Juul and other e-cigarette users are coming forward with reports of serious side effects and health issues. Joining their voices to consumer complaints are state authorities and bans of vape liquids.

Various city governments have taken legal action against JUUL for allegedly contributing to the ongoing issues surrounding e-cigarette usage. Most recently, the City of Philadelphia filed a lawsuit against JUUL Labs for contributing to the “e-cigarette epidemic among youth in Philadelphia” by causing young users to become addicted to nicotine.

“JUUL developed and marketed a product to deliberately get young people addicted to nicotine,” Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said. “The next generation is too important to Philadelphia for us to allow them to do that.”

According to the lawsuit, JUUL Labs used marketing directly targeting youth of Philadelphia when advertising their products. Although measures such as raising the federal minimum tobacco age to 21 have helped curb the use of these products amongst teenagers, millions of youths are still using vape products.

Some prevention measures are working, as the 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey reported this year that around 1.8 million youth have stopped using e-cigarettes since last year’s results. However, the products are still prevalent as findings show about 3.6 million young people still using e-cigarettes.

JUUL Labs has routinely denied their role in the e-cigarette craze amongst young users. In early October, the company announced it would be collaborating with We Card – a national initiative aiming to prevent the underage sales of alcohol and tobacco products. Upon the announcement of this partnership, the company said that “Juul Labs’ commitment to combat underage use is a key priority as the company works to help reset the vapor category.”

Despite these and other assurances, legal liability continues to mount against the company.

If you or someone you love has suffered side effects of Juul, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering, but it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.