Several California school districts have filed suit against JUUL Labs, Inc., a popular e-cigarette and vape company for what they call an “e-cigarette epidemic” amongst student populations. The lawsuits claim that JUUL created a resurgence in youth nicotine addiction, so much so that it has disrupted learning environments and compromised the overall health of their students in schools across California. As of now, 27 school districts have joined in the litigation against JUUL. Attorneys for the school districts released a statement which states in part, “Vaping on school grounds has negatively impacted student education with some students’ GPAs dropping, some getting suspended, and some unable to graduate. JUUL targeted youth customers with their marketing schemes and they should be held accountable for the negative consequences that come with that. JUUL shamelessly solicited and exposed an entire generation of youth to nicotine addiction.”
According to a 2018 study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, it found the number of youth e-cigarette users had increased by 1.5 million between 2017 and 2018 – the largest spike in drug use for any substance recorded over the past 44 years.
The school districts now seek injunctive relief and an abatement remedy to combat the widespread e-cigarette use amongst students. Additionally, the districts are seeking compensatory damages to provide relief for financial losses as a result of students being absent from school, outreach and education programs to combat e-cigarette use, enforcement equipment such as school surveillance systems and vape detectors, as well as costs for additional staff necessary to monitor e-cigarette use at the school districts’ campuses.
If you or a loved one has been injured due to e-cigarettes, call Abraham Watkins today. It is imperative that you find a law firm to manage your claim as soon as possible following an incident of this nature. Further, it is important to find a skilled law firm with experience handling these cases to ensure that companies are held fully accountable. The law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner is the oldest personal injury firm in Texas, and our attorneys are standing by to assist with your claim. Call us today at (713) 222-7211 or 713-222-7211 for your free consultation.