In the wake of multiple health issues and even deaths caused by vaping products, the state of California has taken further action by filing a lawsuit against Juul, claiming that teens and young people were specifically targeted through marketing campaigns. These advertising efforts, the lawsuit claims, failed to warn young people about the potential health risks of using vaping and e-cigarette products.
What the Lawsuit Alleges
Filed in Alameda County Superior Court in early November 2019, the lawsuit alleges that Juul deliberately marketed their products to youths and teens, but that these advertisements did not provide warnings about the possibility of significant side-effects, such as cancer, birth defects, reproductive harm, and other issues. Additionally, the lawsuit points out that there were multiple instances of privacy violations, as the company allegedly collected personal information from minors who visited the company’s website—such as email addresses—and specifically used this information to target these individuals by sending them marketing materials.
A Widespread Issue
Although Juul maintains that they only market products to adults, vaping products are rising in popularity among young people. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), e-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among youth, with more than 3.6 million middle and high school students across the U.S. admitting that they used e-cigarettes within the last 30 days. Health problems relating to e-cigarette use have exploded in recent months, with over 2,170 cases of vaping-related lung injury reported to CDC so far.
Holding Companies Accountable
When announcing the lawsuit against Juul, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra remarked, “Juul adopted the tobacco industry’s infamous playbook, employing advertisements that had no regard for public health and searching out vulnerable targets. Today we take legal action against the deceptive practices that Juul and the e-cigarette industry employ to lure our kids into their vaping web.” As of late November, four e-cigarette users in California have died due to vaping-related illnesses or injuries. California hopes that this lawsuit will continue to put pressure on companies like Juul to take responsibility for their actions and stop contributing to the widespread health epidemic.
If you need assistance with filing a personal injury claim in California, Hales & Associates, A Professional Law Corporation is here to help. Call (951) 489-3320 to speak to an experienced Temecula personal injury attorney today.