Home Legal Vapers Sue Juul for Allegedly Worsening Their Nicotine Addiction

Vapers Sue Juul for Allegedly Worsening Their Nicotine Addiction

Juul Labs is facing lawsuits by users, who allege that while the e-cig manufacturer deceptively markets their device as a safer alternative, Juul actually contains more potent doses of nicotine than regular cigarettes, leading to a worsening of their nicotine addiction.

Diane Caruana

July 26, 2018

In the last few months, the Juul vape pen has been under the spotlight, as we have been bombarded with alarming media headlines saying that the sleek e-cigarette which looks like a USB, is apparently addicting a whole new generation to nicotine.

In response to this, Juul Labs had announced that it would be spending $30 million to support state and federal initiatives to raise the minimum age to buy tobacco products, and towards research on how to prevent youth access to the products.

However, this has not stopped some individuals from filing complaints and lawsuits against the manufacturer. Two of the lawsuits were filed in California and seek both damages, and an injunction to curb Juul’s marketing practices.

Accusations about the extremely high nicotine levels

The lawsuit claims that “the intense dosage of nicotine salts delivered by the Juul products resulted in an increased nicotine addiction, and an increased consumption of nicotine by Colgate.”

In the first case, filed in US District Court in Northern California in late April by Bradley Colgate, who says he turned to the device in order to quit smoking, the lawsuit claims that “the intense dosage of nicotine salts delivered by the Juul products resulted in an increased nicotine addiction, and an increased consumption of nicotine by Colgate.”

In the second case, in San Francisco Superior Court, Carl Cooper says he also purchased the device as a smoking cessation tool, however, he alleges, Juul only worsened his addiction, turning him from someone who mostly smoked on the weekends to a habitual daily user within a couple of weeks.

Juul is launching reduced-nicotine pods

Currently, a single Juul Pod contains about 5% nicotine. The new reduced-nicotine pods will contain roughly 3%, which amounts to a 40% reduction.

In the meantime, last June the San Francisco-based company said that it will cease promoting its products online, and instead of advertising its devices, it will promote the devices as cessation tools by using images of former smokers, who have switched from smoking to vaping the Juul device.

Additionally, earlier this month Juul Labs announced that it will be selling lowered-nicotine pods that should help vapers reduce their nicotine levels. As it stands, a single Juul Pod contains about 5% nicotine. The new reduced-nicotine pods will contain roughly 3%, which amounts to a 40% reduction.

In a statement, company CEO Kevin Burns says, “We hope the availability of different nicotine strengths will continue to allow adult smokers the ability to explore what is best for them.”

Read Further: Wired