A Colorado man has filed suit in federal court against JUUL, the manufacturer of e-cigarettes, for a nicotine addiction he says he developed from vaping as a teenager.

Mohammed Aldawoodi, 19, alleges that JUUL and Pax Labs used “attractive young people” in advertisements and hired social media “influencers” with large followings of minors in order to market their product, which the suit claims “deliver[s] nicotine to the blood stream at the same rate as combustible cigarettes.”

As of Oct. 23, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment had tallied 11 instances of vaping-related lung illness, nearly two-thirds of which involved consuming nicotine. That tracks with the percentage nationally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC warns that “adults addicted to nicotine using e-cigarettes should weigh all risks and benefits and consider utilizing FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapies.”

Aldawoodi’s lawsuit cites nicotine addiction, fear of future health consequences and “diminished enjoyment of life” as the consequences of JUUL’s negligence.

“When warning of safety and risks of JUUL, defendants negligently and/or fraudulently represented to plaintiff and the public in general, that JUUL did not create a high risk of nicotine addiction in adolescents,” the complaint read. 

JUUL did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment.

CPR notes three previous lawsuits against the company – two in Florida alleging wrongful death and addiction leading to seizures, and the third accusing JUUL of endangering students.