“Can I hit that?” I’m sure you’ve heard that question asked numerous times during a night out. Vaping has become so popular with young adults, especially at parties where alcohol is involved as well. Drinking alcohol and hitting the Juul can help achieve the perfect “head high,” which is why it’s so common to see people using both at the same time. This also explains why it is such a hard habit to break because when people are drinking, they are more likely to have less self control. I bet you can name at least one person that owns a Juul and is addicted to nicotine. This trend has recently had an increase of media coverage due to vape users being hospitalized or dying.
One of the main appeals of Juuls is that they are allegedly safe to use. However, this claim has been proven wrong by the gaining cases of illnesses from vaping. Even though vapes don’t contain tar like traditional cigarettes, it has been found that they contain several cancer-containing substances and can cause breathing problems. Juuls vaporize flavored fluids which are then inhaled through the mouth. These fluids contain more nicotine than cigarettes and 10 puffs of a Juul is equal to the same amount of nicotine found in one cigarette. Over 20% of high schoolers have reported using e-cigarettes, with Juuls being a majority of the e-cigarettes used.
Since vaping is so new, the full effects from this phenomenon have yet to been discovered. Vaping can introduce young adults to tobacco as they want to experiment with more smoking products. This could lead them to having a vaping or smoking addiction as they grow older. According to The Recovery Village, the nicotine that is in vapes “rewires the brain in teenagers, making them more susceptible to addiction to drugs or other harmful substances later in life,” so starting at such a young age has been shown to be a slippery slope. Vaping has not been regulated yet which means any substance could be found in vape solution. These toxic chemicals in certain vape brands could increase a user’s chance of having cancer. Vaping or Juuling could create a lifetime of health problems and addiction. A few seconds of having a head rush from hitting a vape is not worth the potential risks.
Now that you’re aware of some of the cons from this new trend, here are some tips on how to stop this bad habit. If you want to quit cold turkey, you need to have a plan implemented in order to be successful. You could have certain rewards and punishments for yourself every time you hit/choose not to hit the Juul so you gradually program your brain to not want to vape. To continue, usually when vaping there is a ritual involved. For example, you might only hit the Juul while at a party or doing homework as a way to de-stress. This routine can be as addictive as nicotine and could be an explanation for why you can’t stop permanently. If you’re aware of your “vaping ritual” then it will be easier to replace with something healthier. According to Quit With Jim, some people simply sip cold water through a straw whenever they have the urge to vape and it helps with their quitting process. Find whatever plan works for you and know even though addiction can be hard to break, there are always others you can to go for help.