19-Year-Old Sues Juul and Philip Morris International, Says Use Starting at 16 Worsened Asthma

According to Bloomberg, e-cigarette manufacturers Juul Labs and Philip Morris USA have been sued for illegally selling nicotine inhalation devices to minors and deceiving consumers about the associated risks. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of 19-year-old Christian Foss, who claims that starting to use Juul Labs products at the age of 16 led to his addiction to nicotine and worsened his asthma symptoms.

Additionally, the lawsuit seeks to represent all minors in Illinois who have used these products. The complaint alleges that Juul Labs and Philip Morris USA violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) by employing advertising tactics targeting children that the tobacco industry has used in the past. Twenty years ago, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the tobacco industry under the RICO Act.

The complaint states: "The defendants mimicked the marketing practices of large tobacco companies in the past, harming young people for economic gain."

Juul Labs has not yet commented on this matter. However, as one of Silicon Valley's most valuable private companies, the increasing popularity of its e-cigarette products among minors has put Juul Labs under growing pressure.

Although Juul Labs has attempted to curb youth usage by implementing various measures, including improving its online age verification process, removing related promotional posts from social media, and halting the sale of certain fruit and dessert-flavored products in retail stores, Juul Labs' products remain highly favored by young people.