Olathe School Board passed a resolution to pursue a lawsuit against e-cigarette company JUUL at an Olathe Board of Education meeting on Friday.   

“At a special meeting of the Board of Education, the board voted on a resolution authorizing legal counsel to initiate litigation and file suit against JUUL, manufacturer, distributor, and seller of electronic cigarettes and vaping products,” Superintendent of Olathe School District John Allison said. “This process does not require financial contributions from the district.” 

Olathe District Communication and Media Consultant Cody Kennedy said the lawsuit is about taking a stand against the deception of Juul advertisements and ensuring student safety.

“The Olathe School District is taking action against the vaping epidemic,” Kennedy said. “The top priority of our district is the safety and well-being of its students and staff. Electronic cigarettes and vaping devices pose a significant threat to student health with misleading advertisements targeted toward middle and high school students. It is the district’s responsibility to protect its students.” 

The Olathe District, however, is not the only district considering taking action through litigation.  According to multiple sources including KCTV 5 News, The Goodard school district in the Wichita area is planning on taking legal action as well.  

Districts agree that vaping is overall disruptive to education and harmful to students’ health. According to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of cases of lung injury and deaths associated with e-cigarette use has been upped to 805, with 12 of the 805 being fatalities. Two of those fatalities were in Kansas. 

“Students don’t understand the long-term ramifications of vaping and the amount of addictive chemicals they are inhaling,” Allsion said. “It’s our role to protect our students today and in the future.” 

A copy of the passed resolution can be found here.

We will be following up with more updates and details as this story develops.