Illinois teen suing Juul after docs say he has lungs of a 70-year-old

A student-athlete from Illinois is suing the e-cigarette company Juul after doctors said he now has lungs similar to those of a 70-year-old man.

Adam Hergenreder, of Gurnee, used the e-cigerettes for over a year and a half. He claims he was victim of deceptive marketing by the company, according to the lawsuit filed on Friday in Lake County Circuit Court.

“To put it mildly, Adam didn’t stand a chance to avoid getting hooked on these toxic timebombs,” said Hergenreder’s lawyer, Antonio Romanucci

 

Hergenreder received the bad diagnosis about his lungs after being hospitalized late last month for nausea and breathing problems.

The student athlete stated that he used both nicotine and THC products while vaping and now it is unclear if he his lungs will ever fully recover.

“I was a varsity wrestler before this and I might not ever be able to wrestle because that’s a very physical sport and my lungs might not be able to hold that exertion. … It’s sad.” said Hergenreder

Hergenreder is one of the hundreds of vapors across the U.S. who has contracted lung illnesses from this device.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 380 cases have been reported among 36 states, corrected from a previous reported number of 450.

“The previous case count was higher because it reported possible cases that were under investigation by states. The current number includes only confirmed and probable cases reported by states to CDC after classification,” the CDC said in its update.

 

There have been six vaping-related deaths to date, in the states of California, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota and Oregon.

Doctors say the lung illnesses resemble an inhalation injury, in which with the body is reacting to a caustic substance being breathed in. Some symptoms have included shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, diarrhea, and vomiting.

As of right now, the CDC has not found a specific cause of the illnesses, and no single product nor ingredient has been identified.

On Wednesday, President Trump said his administration was considering a ban on non-tobacco-flavored e-cigarette products, citing nationwide concerns about adverse effects.

“While I like the Vaping alternative to Cigarettes,” the president wrote, “we need to make sure this alternative is SAFE for ALL! Let’s get counterfeits off the market, and keep young children from Vaping!”

In addition to Juul, Hergenreder’s lawsuit names as a defendant the Waukegan, IL, gas station where he regularly purchased nicotine-based Juul products when he was underage.

In late August, Juul CEO Kevin Burns called vaping-related illnesses “worrisome”. He mentioned that he had no plans to pull the company’s products from the market.

Source: Fox5 DC