Let’s call the rise of vaping and the popularity of the JUUL e-cigarette among Tennessee’s youth what it is: a health epidemic. In this week alone, it has become harder to ignore the risks associated with vaping, as a Kansas woman over the age of 50 became the sixth person in the U.S. to die from lung disease related to vaping.

In this case, the victim was an adult, but already, many teens have been hospitalized for lung damage related to vaping. Notably, a college freshman from Florida who vaped about one JUUL pod every two days for a year had a lung collapse this summer. As of last Friday, CNN reports, more than 450 possible cases of vaping-related lung illness had been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

When it comes to JUUL use, young people are uniquely vulnerable.

JUUL has made their products highly targeted to young people, especially high school students, through social media. The pods include flavors such as mango, creme, and mint. According to the New York Times, more than three million middle school and high school students began using e-cigarettes in 2017, with about a third of them saying the flavors factored heavily into their choice.

It’s no surprise, then, that e-cigarette use has increased significantly among youth. From 2017 to 2018, e-cigarette use increased by 48% among middle school students and 78% among high school students.

As Dr. Diana Zuckerman, President of the National Center for Health Research, told CBS News, the onset of vaping-related illnesses are particularly troubling when compared to other nicotine products. “The vast majority of people who smoke started as children or as young teens, and yet you don’t hear about people getting lung cancer until their 40s, 50s, 60s… think about that compared to what’s happening to these kids now. I’ve never heard of a smoker ending up in the hospital in their teens.”

One of the myths behind vaping is that it’s better for you than regular cigarettes, the health risks of which are well known and heavily documented. But this is hardly a safe alternative.

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.”

Speak to a JUUL Lawyer TN Trusts

As a JUUL lawyer Tennessee trusts, I am 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:

  • Are 26 years old or younger
  • Are addicted to your JUUL device and unable to quit despite trying
  • Have experienced physical symptoms such as seizures, stroke, nicotine poisoning, heart problems, or lung problems