Vaping Related Death Reported in Michigan

The first vaping related death has been reported in Michigan. Michigan Health and Human Services announced the death of an adult male due to vaping related lung injury on Oct. 2.

In the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. David C. Christiani, M.D. writes of vaping related deaths and notes that “there is clearly an epidemic that begs for an urgent response.” Between statewide bans of vaping and the recently formed multidistrict litigation we are beginning to see such a response.

Here at Smith & Johnson we are currently interviewing potential Michigan claimants for inclusion in the recently formed multidistrict litigation re: JUUL e-cigarette.



From the Legal Examiner:

 

As the New York Times reports: "Juul Labs, the dominant e-cigarette company, illegally marketed its vaping products as a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes, the Food and Drug Administration said on Monday, casting a deepening shadow over the safety of e-cigarette devices."

As recently as September, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter, to JUUL. In that warning letter, the FDA stated that JUUL violated federal regulations by touting it’s vaping products as being safer than traditional tobacco products.

It’s becoming clear that vaping is probably a much more dangerous alternative to traditional tobacco products. Dr. Brandon Larson, a surgical pathologist at Mayo Clinic recently reviewed lung biopsies from 17 patients, all of whom had vaped. He confirmed direct chemical injury to the lungs “similar to what one might see with exposure to toxic chemical fumes, poisonous gases and toxic agents”.

This newly formed Multidistrict Litigation involving JUUL will be procedurally similar to the MDLs formed in the Municipal Opioid Litigation and the Roundup Cancer litigation that Smith & Johnson is currently involved in. Smith & Johnson is currently interviewing potential Michigan claimants for inclusion in this Federal MDL re: JUUL e-cigarettes. If you have questions about this litigation and what rights you may have, please contact Attorney Tim Smith at 231.946.0700 for a free consultation.