Everywhere you turn in college, it seems like someone is Juuling. At a party? Someone’s Juuling. Walking across campus? Someone’s probably Juuling. Taking an exam in Forum? There’s definitely someone Juuling in the back. This seemingly pointless e-cigarette trend is exactly that…pointless.
If you don’t already know, the Juul is described by its inventors as “an attractive alternative to cigarettes.” In other words, it’s an e-cigarette or vape. Contrary to popular belief among middle-schoolers and college students alike, Juuling is not “harmless,” but instead just a less harmful way of accessing nicotine. How the “Juul Labs” company managed to land this audience is baffling, but nonetheless, this audience is equal parts gullible and vulnerable.
The “pods” needed to supply the Juul’s vapor contain the equivalent of one pack of cigarettes in not only puff count, but also nicotine strength. On average, an avid “Juuler” goes through 1-2 pods a day. Each pod costs about $4, sold in a pack of 4 for $15.99. So assuming you go through 2 pods a day, this habit could cost you about $240 per month, and it has the same impact as smoking around 60 packs of cigarettes.
Gum disease, heart disease, lung disease, strokes, and a plethora of cancers become very real concepts once you become engulfed in the notion that Juuling is not harmful. Furthermore, the extremely addictive nature of nicotine will likely drive you to anxiety-ridden withdrawal symptoms if your fix isn’t satisfied when you “need” it to be. Whether you choose to accept it or not, only negative effects can be reaped from Juuling, unless you’re a former cigarette addict, and odds are you aren’t.
So you may feel like you’re pretty sick (sick as in social-status sick, not in reference to the diseases you’re probably bearing on yourself) vaping here, there, and everywhere, but is the mess of money, disease, and addiction really worth the 10 second head rush? Write this article off if you want, but know that this business is living off of your vulnerability.