Former Juul Executive Says Company Sold 1 Million Tainted Vaping Pods

e-cigarettes seek compensation

In a new lawsuit, a former executive contends that Juul released 1 million tainted vaping pods onto the market, then failed to warn retailers and consumers. This shocking revelation will likely open up the company to additional litigation at a time in which it is already under fire for deceptive and potentially illegal marketing practices and injuries to consumers.

To help you understand the dangers of Juul products and how consumers are fighting back, read more below.

What Are E-Cigarettes?

Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes or e-cigs, are devices that deliver liquid nicotine through a vaporization process, rather than burning tobacco like in traditional cigarettes.

These devices have become popular, in particular with young people, as a fashionable alternative to tobacco cigarettes. They come in flavors like mint, cappuccino, and watermelon. Manufacturers have been criticized for using flavored vaping products to appeal to younger consumers.

Juul is a popular brand of e-cigarette that has been on the market since late 2017. Juul Labs, Inc., the company that makes the Juul e-cigarette, has been implicated by a former executive in selling contaminated mint flavor pods to the public, then failing to alert customers to the danger.

Siddharth Breja claims in the lawsuit that he was fired for making his concerns known and criticizing the e-cig maker’s refusal to warn consumers. The company, which is partially owned by Altria Group, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes, has since announced that they will discontinue the sale of all mint-flavored refill pods.

Can E-Cigs Harm Me?

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, e-cigarettes can pose multiple health risks. They may contain ultrafine particles that can enter the lungs, and flavorants like diacetyl have links to lung disease. Volatile organic compounds such as benzene, which is present in car exhaust, and heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead may also be found.

Although these vaping products are popular with young adults, exposure to nicotine during adolescence can cause addiction and harm brain development. There have even been reports of explosions and burns from the devices due to faulty batteries.

If I Smoke E-Cigs, Do I Have a Case?

If you smoke e-cigarettes and have suffered an injury, you may have a case against the manufacturer. Both individual and class-action suits have been filed against Juul for everything from fraudulent marketing – including advertising that their products can help users stop smoking or that vaping is less dangerous than smoking tobacco – to causing addiction, to causing strokes and seizures.

Juul recently settled a suit with the Center for Environmental Health over levels of formaldehyde found in their products, and their practices in marketing to youths.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that e-cig users may experience shortness of breath, coughing, or chest pains. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea have also been reported, as have fatigue, fever, and weight loss. They have linked lung illnesses from vaping devices to sickening more than 1,600 users and causing 34 deaths. Many patients reported that they had used vaping products with liquids containing cannabinoids such as THC.

If you use these products and experience symptoms like these, the CDC says you should seek prompt medical attention.

How Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., Can Help with Your Juul Case

Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., wants to help if you have been hurt due to the use of a Juul product. We are prepared to seek compensation on your behalf for medical bills and expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Our experienced attorneys can make sure you have the support you need to pursue your claim. Please call us now for a free consultation.

Joe A. King, Jr., has been trying cases on behalf of injured plaintiffs or surviving families since 2000.