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Several Native American tribes have sued Juul Labs, alleging the vaping giant purposely targeted the tribes, particularly the youth, in an effort to get them addicted to vaping and therefore reliant on their products. This, the lawsuits claim, not only endangers the tribes’ youth, but has also led to large costs.
Five separate complaints were filed in mid-June in California federal court by different tribes with similar allegations.
The five tribes involved in this wave of litigation are the Pala Band of Mission Indians, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, the Klamath Tribes, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe.
According to this group of tribes, Juul marketed its popular vaping products to members of the tribe, particularly targeting their young people, while also actively downplaying the risks of addiction to vaping devices.
This is particularly troubling because, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cited in the complaints, the smoking rates among Native Americans are the highest in the U.S. More than 40 percent of Native American and Alaskan Native high school students report e-cigarette usage, the CDC said, according to the complaints.
The tribes alleged in their complaints that the specific tactic Juul used to target their communities was the use of “switching programs.” These programs encouraged tribe members to switch from combustible cigarettes to vaping instead. But instead of being a way to help tribe members off of an addiction to cigarettes, this tactic actually led to more people becoming addicted to vaping and nicotine, undoing the progress that they had made toward reducing use of nicotine products.
Moreover, the complaints say, Juul actively marketed its e-cigarettes as “totally safe” to schoolchildren in their communities, and disseminated this message through sponsoring summer camps, using Native Americans as test subjects for products, and the use of social media influencers.
Instead of seeking damages for individual members affected by this issues, the tribes are seeking damages for the tribes as a whole because of the resources they have had to pour into curbing the rising vaping epidemic they allege was actively encouraged by Juul’s involvement.
Indeed, in response to the growing number of tribe members, especially youth, who are becoming addicted to vaping, these tribes say they have had to divert a portion of their “extremely limited” funds to help treat those suffering from nicotine-related illnesses, as well as into programs meant to prevent these kinds of addictions.
These lawsuits were filed four months after a major report was reportedly released from the House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, which found that Juul had deliberately pushed its e-cigarette products on at least eight Native American tribes.
According to a press release from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Juul has admitted a number of things based on this investigation, not least of which is that its “targeting of Native Americans was more pervasive than initially known,” and that “its business strategy relies on keeping users addicted to nicotine.”
If you or your child has become addicted to vaping or has suffered from other health effects of e-cigarette use, such as seizures, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by these problems, but victims may at least be able to gain compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and more.
Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you 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.
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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.
This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.
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