Helping Victims of Tobacco and Vaping Recover Compensation In Daytona Beach, Florida
It is a common misconception that smoking cigarettes is a personal choice. Many smokers pick up the habit of smoking and vaping before the age of 18 due to peer pressure. Children and young adults are not equipped to make fully informed adult decisions or understand the impact that smoking will have on their future. Cigarettes are highly addictive and carcinogenic, and their composition is highly engineered. According to the American Lung Association, there are approximately 600 ingredients in cigarettes, and when burned, they release more than 7,000 chemicals. Nature’s way of protecting us from toxins from the atmosphere is that the body does not allow smoke to be inhaled. The tobacco companies change the structure of natural tobacco so that cigarettes can be inhaled by bypassing our bodies’ barriers. The nicotine in cigarettes gets to the brain within 3 to 4 seconds, along with all the other carcinogenic components.
Vaping is a modern form of smoking that has been steadily gaining traction since 2003. It was first introduced as a smoking cessation tool that would ease the transition from smoker to non-smoker. It was initially touted as being less toxic than smoking. However, it has been shown that electronic cigarettes and vape pens contain equal or greater amounts of nicotine than cigarettes. Modified vaping devices can contain volatile organic compounds and heavy metals. Teenagers and young adults favor vaping due to the selection of flavors. Generally, e-cigarettes are less expensive than traditional cigarettes, and they do not leave a lingering odor. In 2015, the Surgeon General reported that the usage of vaping by teenagers had increased by 900%. As of January 21, 2020, the Center for Disease Control confirmed sixty deaths in patients with lung injuries and other ailments associated with vaping.
The History of Tobacco and Vape Litigation
Tobacco litigation cases emerged in the 1950s when the link between cigarettes and cancer became public knowledge. The successes of these claims were variable, until the 1990s when more than forty states sued the tobacco companies for violations under the state consumer protection and antitrust laws. The health hazards of cigarettes were becoming a significant burden on the public health system for the treatment of lung disease.
In 1998, there was a Master Settlement Agreement between 46 states and four of the largest tobacco companies regarding the advertising, marketing, and promotion of cigarettes. The tobacco companies agreed to refrain from advertising campaigns that targeted children. They agreed to pay an annual sum of money to the states as compensation for the increased healthcare costs in the public health system. The cigarette industry funded the National Public Education Foundation to create anti-smoking campaigns to reduce youth smoking. Since that time, there have been many successful lawsuits against the tobacco industry for the health hazards of cigarettes.
A surge of individual and class action lawsuits have emerged on behalf of consumers due to the severe illnesses and deaths resulting from the vape industry. In addition to a variety of pulmonary diseases, consumers report incidents of seizures, strokes, and heart attacks. Due to a need for further research, some states have placed a partial or total ban on vaping devices. Lawsuits are filed based on fraudulent marketing and product liability, against companies such as Juul and The Altria Group, Incorporated.
At Ogle Law, We Are Relentless in our Pursuit of Justice
Tobacco and vape claims are product liability and fraudulent marketing cases that involve complicated legal theories. It is prudent to have representation from an attorney that focuses on this area of the law and has the resources to take on major tobacco and vape manufacturing companies. Ogle Law is a strong advocate for victims who have suffered from the damages of cigarette smoking and the use of vaping products. These include cancer, chronic pulmonary diseases, cardiac issues, and a host of other progressive and fatal medical disorders. Attorney William Ogle is a National Board-Certified Trial Specialist. He is prepared to fight aggressively for his clients in a jury trial. Ogle Law has won every tobacco claim we have represented, with notable awards from mega-corporations such as the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. If you or a loved one has suffered from medical complications related to smoking cigarettes or the usage of vaping devices, get in touch with us. We will work diligently for you and your loved ones to receive compensatory and punitive damages.
Contact Ogle Law LLC., for a case evaluation at (386) 253-2500. We have offices in Daytona Beach and Gainesville, Fl.