The rise of the JUUL e-cigarette has become a public health epidemic, with many teens hospitalized for vaping-related lung damage. As a JUUL lawyer TN trusts, I’ve been horrified by the latest news. There have been hundreds of cases of vaping-related illness reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Today, the mother of 18-year-old Daniel Wakefield, who died after using a JUUL e-cigarette for three years, filed the first wrongful death lawsuit against the company.
No parent should experience what Daniel’s had to endure. On August 31, 2018 — the night of Daniel’s death — his mother spoke to him around 7 p.m. At four in the morning, his father found him dead on the couch.
“Juul was the only change in this boy’s otherwise healthy life,” the family’s attorney, Angela Nehmens, told BuzzFeed News.
The lawsuit also accuses the company of deceiving potential customers by marketing its products as safe. One of the most terrible things about JUUL’s marketing practices is that they specifically target young people with their flavored products.
Even worse, it appears to be working. Vaping has skyrocketed among teens. Between 2017 to 2018, e-cigarette use increased by 48% among middle school students and 78% among high school students.
According to the Surgeon General of the United States, JUUL pods are much stronger than regular cigarettes: “A typical JUUL cartridge, or ‘pod,’ contains about as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes… This is of particular concern for young people, because it could make it easier for them to initiate the use of nicotine through these products and also could make it easier to progress to regular e-cigarette use and nicotine dependence.”
One study found that 60% of kids believe JUUL pods are nicotine-free. In reality, 99% of these products contain nicotine. Make no mistake, they are incredibly addictive, and incredibly dangerous.
Daniel Wakefield started vaping JUUL at age 15. It didn’t take long for him to get addicted. At 16, he was hospitalized for breathing issues. The hospital staff had to administer nicotine patches to address withdrawal symptoms — that’s how addicted he was, and how addictive these products are.
It’s too early to know what will become of these cases. But it’s clear that we’re dealing with an epidemic. If you’re addicted to your JUUL device and have experienced physical symptoms, we want to help.
Speak to a JUUL Lawyer TN Trusts
Our attorneys are offering a free legal consultation to any young person harmed by JUUL e-cigarettes.
Call us right away at (901) 327-1212 or contact us online for a completely free legal consultation if you believe you have a case.