As technologies develop and markets change, the rule of law can sometimes take a while to catch up. New industries rise and proliferate long before appropriate legislation can be considered.
The popularity of vaping and electronic cigarettes has thrown the law (and many citizens) into a state of confusion. Which, if any option, is safest? What recourses do I, or someone I love, have if we’ve been harmed? Why were these companies allowed to sell unsafe products in the first place?
To this formidable list of questions, we can add the simplest and most common—what are the real differences between vaping with Juul and smoking?
Heninger Garrison Davis knows a thing or two about vaping. As the first law firm to file a national suit against Juul in 2018 over permanent lung injuries, Heninger Garrison Davis led the charge for public safety and consumer rights long before Juul made international headlines.
Analog vs. digital
Despite the tobacco industry’s best efforts, it’s long been known that smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products puts users at a higher risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and various forms of cancers. Is it any wonder then, that society is eager for a “safer” alternative?
Although e-cigarettes are often marketed as a “smoking cessation” aid, trading the “analog” cigarette for the “digital” vape pen may not lead to long term success or wellness.
Lifelong smokers may be willing to accept some “risk,” but the vaping industry doesn’t stop at selling their products for smoking cessation. Advertising targeted toward teenagers and even younger children threatens to expose new generations to addiction and other long-term side effects that haven’t yet been studied.
But what are the real costs of vaping?
Safe, safer, or downright harmful?
While it is commonly believed that most e-cigarette vapor lacks many of the harmful chemicals present in traditional tobacco cigarettes, that doesn’t necessarily make them safe.
For starters, and no matter how you cut it, nicotine is an addictive substance. For young children who are still developing and pregnant women, nicotine can cause serious damage. E-cigarette liquid can also contain harmful metals and other ingredients that can be absorbed secondhand. In some cases, accidental poisonings have been reported when children or adults ingested or came into direct contact with the vapor liquid itself.
While adults can make informed decisions about their health, it’s also important to remember that we don’t know the full extent of vaping’s safety or side effects. Unlike the tobacco industry, the vaping industry is mostly unregulated, and it may take years or even decades before the full extent of vaping’s harm is known.
Trading mystery for security
Juul and other large vaping companies would like us to believe that their products are safer than cigarettes, but “safer than cigarettes” isn’t saying much.
There are other, more reliable methods of smoking cessation, and we can all agree that our children shouldn’t be using nicotine products at all.
Heninger Garrison Davis believes that the legal system was not designed to serve the interest of a select few. If you or someone you know has been harmed or unjustly targeted by vaping companies, you might need to consider legal representation.
Even if you are not ready to file a suit, you may still consult with one of our qualified lawyers for free to learn your options — Call 1-800-222-9657 for a free claim evaluation. A member of our staff will reach out to you to discuss your options. You may be entitled to monetary compensation.
Partner with Heninger Garrison Davis to File a Claim Against JUUL
Heninger Garrison Davis is Alabama’s most prolific civil litigation law firm based in Birmingham, AL. We focus on personal injury, business litigation, mass tort, and class action cases. We possess the sophisticated legal skills, financial resources, and multi-layered support needed to take on the world’s most powerful corporations. Our team works hard to cut through the complexity, get to the heart of the problem, and win what matters the most.
