GSA Law
GSA is representing families of teenagers who have become addicted to nicotine through use of JUUL vaping devices.
JUULing is the act of using a JUUL vaping device, an item that is rechargeable and has a similar appearance to that of a USB drive, which is filled with a JUUL pod, a nicotine solution. The widespread use of vaping among teens has been covered by a variety of news outlets such as the New York Times and Mashable. As the complaint discusses, JUUL has geared much of its advertising towards teens using bright colors and attractive models, which selling a product that is reported to have a higher dose of nicotine than tradition cigarettes. Furthermore, the product draws in young users by coming in flavors such as Mango and Creme Brulee.
Since its release, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has reported a steady increase in the numbers of high school students JUULing. GSA’s investigation has revealed that there are countless high school and even middle school students who cannot stop JUULIng and have become addicted to nicotine and put themselves at risk adverse changes to their brain chemistry. GSA believes JUUL is responsible for this phenomenon. On July 24, Massachusetts’ Attorney General, Maura Healey, announced that the state would begin an investigation on the company due to determine its practices of targeting minors and enticing them to use their device. In the press conference she stated, “they’re engaged in an effort to get kids addicted, to get kids hooked, so that they’ll have customers for the rest of their lives.”
GSA is currently one of a coordinated group of three law firms currently taking legal action against JUUL. On June 26, 2018, we filed a complaint (link here) against JUUL on behalf of a 15-year-old, D.P., and his mother. The complaint details that after being introduced to JUUL during his freshman year, D.P. became addicting to vaping and nicotine. The complaint states “D.P. has been unable to refrain from JUULing. D.P. is severely addicted to nicotine, which has altered his brain physically and chemically, and has put him at risk for a lifetime of life-long health problems, to say nothing of the economic costs of nicotine addiction.”
The case has attracted significant media attention including articles in Wired, the Daily Mail, Vice and a segment on Good Morning America in which GSA attorney Jason Solotaroff appeared. Links to the articles and segments are below.
If you are interested in speaking to Mr. Solotaroff about your teenager’s JUUL use and your legal options, please call him directly at (646)964-9640.
GSA in the News
July 25, 2018 – Mother leads new lawsuit saying JUUL is addicting kids to nicotine
July 24, 2018 – Users Sue JUUL for Addicting Them to Nicotine
Wired covered Giskan Solotaroff & Anderson’s case against JUUL along with two other cases that criticize the company’s practice of deceptively marketing their product as a safe alternative to smoking, even though “it contains more potent doses of nicotine than cigarettes.” The article highlights the widespread mistrust of JUUL due to their misleading advertising practices, showing that both adults and children were made unaware of the device’s adverse effects. GSA is continuing to work on the case for D.P. and his mother and to seek some form of relief.
July 24, 2018 – JUUL Users Sue E-Cigarette Maker for Causing a ‘Youth-addiction crisis’