by Arden Nguyen
On October 30, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) sued the e-cigarette company Juul on the basis of financial damages. The lawsuit asserts that funds initially intended for educational purposes have had to be spent on counseling and other measures against vaping instead.
As Superintendent Austin Beutner explained, “We are taking this step to hold Juul accountable for the role it has played in creating an epidemic that affects the health of our students, disrupts student learning and is taking money away from our core mission — educating students.”
Other concerns the LAUSD has about vaping include decreased attendance, incidents of violence and the inability to use school bathrooms. Over 30% of the district’s student population has used e-cigarettes, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
In response to ongoing criticism, Juul has promised to halt advertisements as well as the sale of certain flavors in the United States. However, as cases of vaping-related illness and even death continue to increase nationwide, these actions may not be enough.
Recognizing the consequences vaping can have not only on students’ health but also their education, the LAUSD has taken a serious step to combat the vaping epidemic. But they aren’t the first to do so. Lately, other school districts in several states have taken legal action against vaping, and it seems the LAUSD has followed suit.
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