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We’re not sure if the floodgates of the forthcoming lawsuits against JUUL has truly opened yet or not. That said, another State has decided to join the lawsuit that has been filed against JUUL, for “enabling” the current e-cigarette crisis against the majority of the e-cigarette industry.
Before we dive deeper into the lawsuit, remember, it’s the State of California, New York and North Carolina suing JUUL for allowing the ‘conditions to be met’, that resulted in thousands of illnesses, dozens of death. As much as Spinfuel VAPE dislikes the JUUL closed-pod device, we have questions for the states involved, and the other states that will undoubtedly follow.
From CBS News:
New York state officials have joined their counterparts in California and North Carolina in suing e-cigarette maker Juul, alleging the company created marketing campaigns that targeted youth and helped fuel teenage lung illness and — in some cases — vaping-related deaths.
I’ve spent most of the morning researching JUUL ad campaigns and I can’t find a single Ad that would “appeal” to kids. JUUL’s packaging is actually sophisticated within the e-cigarette packaging of other devices, and especially e-liquid packaging.
It is true that JUUL used young millennial in their Ads, but so does every other advertised product in the world (practically), including tobacco cigarettes, cars, and electronics. Advertising to kids, it would seem to me, would include 12-14 olds holding the product, using the products, or being excited about the product…. not 25-30 year olds.
In our minds, suing JUUL for targeting kids is a losing proposition. Is there a better one?
JUUL Wasn’t Alone
This lawsuit, or likely to become a nationwide Class Action, will wind up hurting our industry a lot more than helping it. (Money really is the Heart of all Evil). Yes, Spinfuel VAPE does believe that the sudden appearance on the market a few years back, of this “closed system pod mod” using high strength nicotine salts, aka JUUL, was very bad for the Vaping Community.
We all have the first-hand experience of a nicotine buzz using a JUUL. But how does that connect to the current Lung Illness and deaths when those were caused by Bootleg THC Cartridges laced with Vitamin E acetate?
CBS News Continues…
Juul disputes allegations that it marketed to teens. The company points out that it has halted its advertising and removed most of its flavors from the public.
Good. They should dispute this part of the suit. However, look at the other ‘reason’ these states are suing JUUL;
enabling the current e-cigarette crisis.
Now this part is going to make the lawsuit at least “interesting“.
Can JUUL Survive After This….?
Firstly, did JUUL kick off this current crisis, enabling it? If you think ‘yes’, tell us how (in the comments below.)
Because, now that we understand what happened to all these people that got very sick, some died, was caused by NOTHING used in our Vaping Culture.
Let’s Talk Nicotine Salts
Nicotine Salt, (the e-liquid JUUL uses) is a form of nicotine that is found naturally in the leaf of tobacco. It is generally considered to be a more stable form of nicotine when compared to the more traditional freebase nicotine found in most e-liquids. … Vaping a PG/VG/Flavoring with Nicotine Salt can vaporize at much lower temperatures. It’s a smoother hit, and that would have been okay in the early days.
Afterwards, because vaping Nicotine Salt e-liquid is a smoother way to get nicotine into the bloodstream, it has virtually no ‘throat hit’ (remember the importance of ‘throat hits’?
Had e-liquid companies adopted the same nicotine strengths used in traditional freebase nicotine with nicotine salts, the end result would be very much the same vape experience. Except the throat hit of a 3mg nicotine-salt e-liquid wouldn’t satiate a smoker’s desire for nicotine. While addictive, nicotine doesn’t cause disease.
Nicotine Salt as the Villain of the e-Cig Crisis? How?
Every company in every field are constantly looking to upgrade, or otherwise bring new products to market. For the e-cigarette industry it gave JUUL the brilliant idea of building what we used to call, a “cig-a-like” battery and pod, and fill it with very high levels of nicotine salt e-liquid. How high? Try 59mg high.
Regardless of the fact that 59mg of Nicotine Salt e-liquid has a smoother throat hit, it is still 59mg of nicotine. Potent. No one with a sub-ohm tank and 200W mod would ever use 59mg of nicotine in their lives. A throat hit of 59mg Nic-Salt would hurt like hell.
But I digress…
The idea of JUUL and other pod mods using nicotine salt e-juice is that some heavy cigarette smokers that couldn’t stay off cigarettes at 18-24mg of freebase nicotine, could stop with higher 40-59mg of nicotine salt strengths. And it worked.
That said, there is a severe drawback to this when it comes to dumb kids who are always looking to get on the cheap. The kids found out that with a JUUL or other pod mods and nicotine salt e-liquids, and a cheap and easy “buzz” was just waiting.
Stupid? Yes, totally. But responsible for those 2000+ illnesses or deaths? No! Just No!
After reading the compliant, there is likely chance that the Lawsuits won’t survive the Motion to Dismiss. With what we all know now, JUUL and others simply cannot be guilty of the vaping crisis. The ones that are? They hide from the public and pump out 20,000 THC/Vitamin E Acetate Cartridges every day, to sell to an eager public of kids and adults. How can you sure them?
But you can surely arrest them and toss them in jail.
The Vaping Crisis Doesn’t Involve Vaping E-Liquid
Here’s where there is this complete disconnect with non-vapers. Pod Mods and Nicotine Salts, nor any other vape products or e-liquid, has anything to do with all these Lung Illnesses. Let’s say again; Vaping e-Liquid has NOTHING to do with this Lung Disease. Period. End of Story.
In every single case, EVERY SINGLE CASE, the Lung Illness was, and will be caused by Cartridges containing THC, the part of the marijuana plant that gets you high, mixed, or cut, with Vitamin E Acetate, a cheap solution used by bootleg THC Cartridge makers.
So, please, attorney’s in California, New York and North Carolina; tell us HOW JUUL or any other vape company can be responsible for this vape crisis when they have nothing to do with THC Cartridges, legally make or bootlegged?
If you want to stop, or educate young people from buying illegal bootleg THC Cartridges with Vitamin E Acetate solution, do so, and now… But you’re wasting your time suing JUUL.
