Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP and Baron & Budd File Suit Against JUUL on Behalf of Woodland Joint Unified School District

Posted on April 28, 2020

Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP and Baron & Budd and have filed another lawsuit against JUUL Labs Inc. for its role in creating an e-cigarette epidemic and resurgence in youth nicotine addiction that impedes the learning environments in schools across California. Filed in Yolo County on behalf of Woodland Joint Unified School District, the lawsuit seeks injunctive relief and abatement remedy to combat the epidemic which has severely impacted the school districts by interfering with normal school operations.

With the inclusion of Woodland Joint Unified, the firms now represent 26 school districts serving over 1.143 million students throughout the state.

“School Districts can no longer tolerate the health risks brought upon students or the financial burden associated with a widespread vaping epidemic on campuses,” said Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP Partner Rahul Ravipudi. “This lawsuit affirms Woodland Joint Unified School District’s commitment to the safety of its students. We’re ready to hold JUUL accountable for the damage that has been done as a result of the vaping crisis in these communities.”

The districts are also seeking compensatory damages to provide relief from the districts’ financial losses as a result of students being absent from school, the extensive costs to orchestrate outreach and education programs regarding the risk of vaping, and deploying the enforcement restrictions – such as vape detectors, surveillance systems, and staff to monitor the school’s property in an effort to combat the e-cigarette crisis.

“More and more school districts are seeking relief from the e-cigarette epidemic that continues to infiltrate their campuses. There is a statewide movement across California to hold JUUL accountable for their role in this vaping crisis,” said Baron & Budd Shareholder, John Fiske. “Many school systems are already financially strained and managing this resurgence of youth nicotine addiction is not an expense these districts can easily afford.”

Woodland Joint Unified joins 25 other school districts that have also filed, including Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the nation; San Diego Unified, the second largest district in California; Glendale Unified; Compton Unified; Anaheim Elementary; King City Union; Ceres Unified; Chico Unified; Davis Joint Unified; Poway Unified; Rocklin Unified; Acalanes Union High; Monterey Peninsula Unified; Anaheim Union High; Castro Valley Unified; Campbell Union High; Cajon Valley Union; North Monterey County Unified School District, Pacific Grove Unified School District, Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District, El Dorado Union High School District, Downey Unified School District, Santa Cruz City Schools, Menifee Union School District, and Pajaro Valley Unified School District to take a stand against JUUL’s promotion of dangerous and addictive products.

Read the Business Wire here.

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