A report by the CDC is revealing staggering new statistics regarding vaping , showing just how much of an epidemic this issue has become not only in the United States but all around the world. The data showed that in 2019 alone, 55 people died as a result of vaping. In addition, 2,500 became ill from using electronic cigarettes, according to Becker’s Hospital Review.
Patients have been hospitalized for vaping-related ailments in all 50 states. There have been vaping related deaths in 27 different states. Hospitalizations for vaping have also occurred in Puerto Rico, The District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For the most part, this issue is affecting young people. The majority of those hospitalized were under the age of 35-years-old while the average age was around 24-years-old. These are certainly concerning statistics that have led the United States to begin taking drastic measures to prevent these devices to get into the hands of young people, or at least make it less desirable.
Identification is required to purchase vaping products by companies such as Juul or Blu. While the age of which one must be to legally purchase these products in the United States used to be 18-years-old, it was recently changed to 21-years-old in an attempt to detract younger customers. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of young people that have already gotten hooked on nicotine as a result of using these products.
The city of Denver, Colorado recently joined the lengthy list of cities that have filed lawsuits against Juul, arguably one of the most famous vaping companies. In the lawsuit, they accuse the company of marketing to teens and thus leading to thousands of young people getting hooked unnecessarily on nicotine.
We’ve dealt with this issue in my house. And if you think VAPING is old news… wait until you see what we found in one local school. TONIGHT at 6pm and 11pm. What was found.. what kids admit to us.. and the tricky ways they’re hiding vapes and Juul’s from us. @WLWT pic.twitter.com/g1HprLwDpN
— Sheree Paolello WLWT (@ShereeWLWT) November 4, 2019
City attorney Kristin Bronson explained the reasoning behind the lawsuit and said that she hopes it shows that the city intends to take this issue very seriously.
“We’re hoping to get the word out to our young people that vaping and e-cigarettes are not safe, they are not a healthy alternative, that there are serious health risks. They really need to stay away from these products. JUUL’s initial marketing was totally youth-oriented. Their marketing practices were deceptive about the potency of these pods, and nicotine addiction and kids.”
Nevertheless, Greg Conley, the president of the American Vaping Association is skeptical about how far this lawsuit and the ones similar will go.
“JUUL absolutely made mistakes in their earliest days, but from reading the complaints filed in many of these lawsuits, the lawsuits appear to be frivolous and won’t survive very far into the litigation process,” he said.
