Written by Michelle Dankwah
The JUUL has recently become a commonly known device to teenagers and young adults, but for the few uneducated ones, a JUUL is a fancy word for electronic cigarette. On our own campus I’ve been seeing them more and more. Physically, they look like flash drives, discreet and small which makes them easy to carry and use in public. They have only been around for about 2 years but have become so popular among young people. Furthermore, the concept of vaping has become cool and trendy in the past few years. While it may appear super cool and enjoyable to some people, it is still questionable as to why most teenagers use the JUUL. Many teenagers start to use this device for recreation while others do it due to peer pressure in order to fit in with their friends. Many also believe it is safer than smoking. In addition, teens have been attracted to it by the variety of “vape juice” used in the JUUL which include, mango and mint. (Mango was just recently banned, on the basis of it being more “flavorful”). The JUUL has proven to be addictive. Say you buy it just to try it out and see if you like it, after you finish the pod in maybe a week the nicotine in it can drive you back to the product. A big part of why most teens continue is because they like the sensation. The sensation is described as a head rush. But is this worth the cost? The JUUL is actually quite expensive. The entire cost of the “starter pack” is $50 this contains, the JUUL, the charger, and 4 pods. Now this might not seem unreasonable but due to the fact that most kids are underage they have to buy it from someone who can add their own charge for purchasing it. Besides from a literal cost there is also the factor of the health risks. The JUUL has no smoke but that doesn’t make it easier on the lungs, it still contains many harmful carcinogens that increase the risk of getting cancer. So with all this information… Are they in or out?