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Birmingham Juul Lawyer filing Vaping Lung and Teen Addiction Cases

Are you (or is someone you love) experiencing symptoms of vaping lung from e-cigarette use or complications from addiction to Juul?  The Birmingham Juul attorneys at Lewis & Feldman, LLC are filing cases on behalf of teens addicted to nicotine as a result of Juul Lab’s targeted marketing effort and individuals who are experiencing the symptoms of vaping lung.

Birmingham Vaping Lung Lawsuit

The vaping illness outbreak that began in April has now spread to 46 states and one United States territory, and public health officials in 10 states have reported at least 13 deaths.

In Alabama, 16 individuals are being investigated for lung disease related to vaping. Representative Shane Stringer (R-Mobile County) is considering legislation that would ban e-cigarettes in the state until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) takes action. He plans to meet with state health officials to discuss a total ban and what needs to be included in any upcoming legislation.

What is Vaping Lung?

Vaping lung disease, as it is being called, is a serious respiratory disease that is occurring among patients who have used e-cigarettes and are experiencing the following symptoms:

    • Coughing
    • Shortness of breath
    • Chest pain
    • Difficulty breathing

 

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, abdominal pain, fever, and weight loss have also been reported as common symptoms.

Medical experts say that the number of vaping lung cases is being vastly understated due to the number of patients who are being misdiagnosed, and the number of confirmed cases is expected to increase substantially in the coming months. Here is a list of diagnosis, complications or misdiagnosis that may indicate a future or current vaping lung diagnosis:

    • Asthma
    • Bronchiolitis Obliterans (Popcorn lung)
    • Collapsed Lung (penumothorax)
    • COPD
    • Emphysema
    • Lipoid Pneumonia
    • Lung Cancer
    • Mesothelioma

 

So far, the disease is hitting mainly otherwise healthy males with a history of e-cigarette use, 61.9 percent of those young people between the ages of 18 and 34 and 16 percent under the age of 18, according to data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Birmingham JUUL Teen Addiction Lawsuit

JUUL, the nation’s leading e-cigarette maker, controls over 70 percent of the market share of vaping devices. Juul has engaged in a targeted marketing campaign directed at Birmingham’s youth and today, “Juuling” is a part of the daily school life of Birmingham’s teens.

Juul targeted Birmingham teens via social media through the use of young models, bright colors, and tempting flavors like Mango, Mint, and Crème. JUUL is at the center of several consumer lawsuits, one alleging that a Carmel, Indiana teen enticed by the rainbow colors and fruity flavors of Juul’s e-cigarettes later developed an intense nicotine addiction that may lead to health problems throughout his life.

On September 9, 2019, the FDA sent a warning letter to JUUL CEO Kevin Burns accusing the company of “marketing unauthorized modified risk tobacco products by engaging in labeling, advertising, and/or other activities directed to consumers,” including a presentation given to youth at a school. According to the letter, a JUUL representative made the following statements to students:

    • JUUL “was much safer than cigarettes” and that “FDA would approve it any day.”
    • JUUL was “totally safe.”
    • A student “…should mention JUUL to his [nicotine-addicted] friend…because that’s a safer alternative than smoking cigarettes, and it would be better for the kid to use.”
    • “FDA was about to come out and say it [JUUL] was 99% safer than cigarettes…and that…would happen very soon….”

 

Juul, CEO Kevin Burns resigned in September 2019 and is being replaced by a Big Tobacco executive – K.C. Crosthwaite.

How Addictive is Juuling/Vaping? 

Medical experts worry that nicotine salts, such as those used by JUUL to make its e-cigarettes, are sentencing young people to a “life of nicotine.” They warn that these substances could lead to learning, memory, and attention problems. The newest generation of e-cigarettes reportedly also have a higher level of nicotine than previous versions, making vaping even more addictive.

E-Cigarette Industry Under Scrutiny

Local, state, national, and international regulators are scrutinizing the e-cigarette industry, and have also become the subject of scrutiny. The chairman of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee recently attributed the dramatic increase in teen e-cigarette use and subsequent illness outbreak to a 2017 FDA decision to delay its review of those products.

Contact an Experienced Birmingham JUUL Lawyer Today

If you or your family are battling a nicotine addiction or a lung disease related to a JUUL e-cigarette product, fill out our Juul Instant Case Evaluation on this page and we will help you file a Birmingham Juul Lawsuit.

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