When his son was 14 years old, a New Jersey father said he began purchasing the high school freshman JUUL products and soon, the teen, like many others in his grade, was vaping incessantly.

The teen began taking more than 200 inhalations a day from the e-cigarette, according to a civil lawsuit, in which the father alleges he was not aware of the health consequences. The teen became addicted to nicotine, which led to daily coughing and vomiting, the lawsuit adds.

The father and son from Voorhees are the lead plaintiffs in a proposed class action lawsuit filed in federal court Tuesday against JUUL Labs that alleges the e-cigarette company has hooked thousands of teens in the Garden State on nicotine due to false advertising, its targeting of young people and from withholding a critical health data. In 2018, then-Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb described teenage vaping as an “epidemic.”

“This is tobacco litigation version 2.0,” said Michael Galpern, the lead attorney in the lawsuit.

The 12-count lawsuit that includes allegations of fraud, failure to warn, violation of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act and unjust enrichment comes as JUUL is under increased scrutiny.

On Monday, the FDA sent a warning letter to JUUL, saying the company unlawfully marketed their product as a healthier option to cigarettes without federal approval.

While the lawsuit focuses on JUUL, it also names Philip Morris and Altria, two of the world’s largest tobacco companies that also sell vaping products.

The FDA warning letter to JUUL comes amidst a difficult time for the vaping industry. In recent weeks, hundreds of people across the country have been hospitalized due to vaping-related illnesses, and six people have died. It is unclear what exactly is causing the illnesses, but health officials have linked it to the vaping of nicotine and THC products.

“(People) have been unquestionably victimized by JUUL’s fraudulent advertising,” Galpern said.

According to the lawsuit, the father said he believed that JUUL products were safe for his adolescent son to use because of the company’s false advertising. The lawsuit claims he was unaware the product contained nicotine.

Galpern described the father as a “educated, caring father,” who was misled, like thousands of others in New Jersey.

A JUUL spokesperson said the father purchased the products for his son, despite their warnings that it was for adults only.

The lawsuit claims his son, who is now 16 , was also not aware the product could be addictive, according to the lawsuit, but he was soon smoking one JUUL pod a day, usually one of their fruit flavors. One pod has a higher concentration of nicotine than an entire pack of cigarettes, the lawsuit says.

JUUL products are known for their flavorful options and their high nicotine content.

The 16-year-old is now addicted to nicotine and is suffering from adverse health effects, including daily coughing and vomiting, according to the lawsuit.

Neither the father nor the son are identified in the lawsuit.

Galpern said the two are a prime example of how JUUL has gotten “thousands” of other young people in New Jersey addicted to nicotine.

In a statement, JUUL derided the lawsuit, saying it “copies and pastes unfounded allegations previously raised in other lawsuits” that they have been defending against.

“This case is without merit and we will defend our mission throughout this process,” the statement said.

The proposed class action lawsuit was filed Tuesday on behalf of all New Jersey residents, including those under 18, who have used, become addicted to or harmed by an Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (EDNS), like JUUL. The company is also facing a class action lawsuit in Florida.

David Noll, a professor at Rutgers Law School who specializes in civil litigation, said the lawsuit is similar to past class action lawsuits against medical or pharmaceutical companies for defect products that often include strenuous and costly litigation.

“It’s bad news for JUUL, but it is not unexpected,” Noll said about the proposed class action lawsuit filed Tuesday.

“It increases the stakes dramatically,” he said.

Created in 2015, JUUL became the top e-cigarette manufacturer in the country. Their slim smoking device, flavorful vaping options and social media presence soon made them the dominant player in the industry, especially among young people. According to the FDA, e-cigarette use by high school students increased 78 percent in 2018.

The company is under intense public and legal pressure after dozens of lawsuits have been filed against the company from across the country alleging it withheld health data and advertised their product in an attractive way that made it seem like a healthy alternative to cigarettes.

Within the last month, four young New Jersey residents have filed federal lawsuits against the company after using the product and becoming addicted to nicotine. The lawsuits include similar allegations that JUUL did not properly warn teens the product contained nicotine and used marketing to lure young people. (JUUL updated their packaging in 2018 to make the nicotine warning more pronounced.)

A Middlesex County teen said he began vaping when he was 16 and was soon smoking two JUUL pods per day, sleeping with it in his hands so he could put it in his mouth right when he woke up.

“He would JUUL during class, at home, while driving, practically anywhere that he could get away with it. He struggled to function without nicotine, and when he tried to quit using the product, he would have mood swings and become irritable,” according to a lawsuit filed in August.

Since 2017, it has been illegal in New Jersey to sell tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to those under 21. However, none of the New Jersey teenagers in the recent lawsuits said they had any problems obtaining JUUL products.

Staff writer Kelly Heyboer contributed to this report.

Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com. Follow on Twitter @monavage. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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