Florida

‘I'm Hooked': South Florida Teen Warns of E-Cig Addiction

A South Florida teen is joining dozens of others who are trying to get e-cigarettes banned from stores so other kids don't have to go through the same troubles as them.

Bailey Legacki has tried quitting but it didn't work. The 18-year-old says without her e-cigarette Juul she is cranky and anxious.

"I'm hooked," Legacki told NBC 6 on Monday. "In an hour I would probably hit it 40 times, 50 times. I can go through a pod a day."

It started three years ago at a party. Bailey says she didn't even know what it was but after the buzz hit, she was left helpless. And now she's trying to be helpful.

Bailey reached out to Steven Hammer, a lawyer in Fort Lauderdale who has filed legislation on behalf of hundreds of teens trying to stop the sale of e-cigarettes in Florida.

"We've got too many kids across this country that are getting addicted to a product that is deadly addictive, and it's as addictive as heroin and cocaine and people don't realize that," Hammer said.

He filed the first case in April, has traveled to Washington, and says he gets calls every day of kids similar to Bailey.

"It is something I want to quit, and something I want off the streets and off the market. It’s not right," Legacki said.

E-cigarette companies have said they are trying to help smokers with their products by offering a safer solution. Hammer says he doesn't buy it and says if that's the case, then they should only be on the market as a prescription only.

Contact Us