Zachary Oestreicher

Mrs. Feldman
Written Expression
10/18/18
JUUL: The Undiagnosed Epidemic

JUUL, the new E-cigarette that is sweeping the world by storm is the tobacco companies’

new way for teens to get involved with nicotine. As someone who has used a lot of prescription

medication that helps me function throughout my life, adding a recreational drug without having

any idea of reaction, would be dangerous. Since teens’ minds and nervous systems are easily

moldable, they seem to be more impressionable to chemical habits like JUULing, drinking and

using drugs. Having teens start to get hooked on something that will seriously affect their mental

and physical health is a gateway into our generation’s newest smokers.

The idea started as a way for adult cigarette smokers to gravitate towards JUULing, but

this trend took a turn for the worse. JUUL started being used by teenagers and young adults from

the ages of 13-25 who have been exposed to e-cigarettes through older siblings, friends and

going to parties. When you go to a high school party, people drink, do drugs and now they`re

JUULing. But since parents and doctors have no proof of the negative side effects of JUULing

teenagers will continue to bring up, “There`s no evidence to prove that JUULing is bad for you”.

A teen quoted in Today continues, “She also told her mom she found ‘Juuling’ fun and pretty —

she liked blowing smoke rings with the vapor — and her friends were doing it.” Which is

becoming a social divide in that if you don't JUUL then you’re out of the loop with your friends.

At a lot of schools “Juuling in the bathroom” has become so widespread among young

people, some school administrators are warning parents about the dangers of e-cigarettes,

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including the brand called Juul.” JUULing has become more of a social act, like when groups of

teenagers go into school bathrooms to take hits.

Medical evidence points out that “The nicotine cartridge inserted into the Juul gives

about 200 puffs, about as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes, according to the product's

website. In five weeks, that's about 100 cigarettes.”​ ​A single JUUL pod is equivalent to a whole

pack of cigarettes, in only five weeks that equals 100 cigarettes. If you were to only consume 10

pods a month over the course of the year, you will have smoked roughly 1,040 cigarettes. That's

only if you use 10 pods but the majority of teenagers are using way more than 10 a month which

means they are digesting an exponential amount of JUUL pods. It all depends on how hooked

they are to the JUUL if it is an everyday routine then people are using and buying more and

more.

There is evidence vaping may lead to more dangerous drug use.

“Adolescents who vape are more likely to smoke traditional cigarettes in

the future compared to their non-vaping counterparts. Thus, vaping can be a
gateway to smoking conventional cigarettes. Vaping can also release vapors that
can be inhaled by bystanders, causing harm to others.” (Kher)

Smokers have been labeled as nasty, smelly, and even statistically less educated. Based

on a graph 30% of people who aren't college educated still smoke now. Less than 10% of people

with college degrees smoke cigarettes. The data shows in 1940 that the smoking rates were

almost equal for both groups.

People who do JUUL justify their addiction by saying that JUULing relieves stress, gives

you a buzz, and claim that there is no proof to see the deathly side effects. The chemicals used in

JUULs have not been tested long-term to see if there are any side-effects. Since there has been

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no real evidence that JUULing is dangerous, parents and doctors have nothing to show teens who

are using the JUUL. If the FDA were to ban JUUL then all of the heavy adult smokers will have

no way to move away from cigarettes.

“JUUL was founded by former smokers, James and Adam, with the goal of
improving the lives of the world's one billion adult smokers. We envision a world
where fewer people use cigarettes, and where people who smoke cigarettes have
the tools to reduce or eliminate their consumption entirely, should they so desire.”
(JUUL.com)
The idea of the JUUL was to have adult smokers switch over to the JUUL so that they wouldn't

be putting harmful toxins into their bodies. Since JUUL is a brand new product science can

hopefully take out the negative aspects of the vape.

I sat down with a co-worker of mine, Tracy Heiland. Tracy started smoking cigarettes

when she was 16! Tracy continued to smoke cigarettes for 25 more years; at 41 she finally broke

off of cigarettes and transitioned to JUULing. She has been off of cigarettes for a month straight,

that sounds like not a lot, but these nicotine addictions follow you throughout your life and are

very tough to break. Tracy says that she is more energetic and less cranky, and saves time and

money. She likes how she does not smell like cigarettes, her family is also extremely proud and

happy that she finally stopped. But, don't get it wrong, even though this is a happy ending, some

people fall victim to many diseases such as Langerhans cell histiocytosis, Peripheral Artery

Disease, oral cancer, nicotine dependence, and most known lung cancer. Next time you think

about picking up a JUUL or cigarettes think about what long-term effect it could have your body,

life, and future!

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 Works Cited

“Checkup Newsroom.” ​Juul, Other E-Cigarettes Called an "Epidemic" by FDA Chief​,

www.checkupnewsroom.com/juuling-new-vaping-method-exposes-teens-to-a-pack-a-day-of-cig
arettes/.

“E-Cigarettes Such as Juul Are Popular among Teenagers-Are They Harmful?” ​Tufts Now,​ 1
Oct. 2018,

now.tufts.edu/articles/e-cigarettes-such-juul-are-popular-among-teenagers-are-they-harmful.

Google Search​, Google,

www.google.com/search?q=smoking%2Bdiseases&oq=smoking%2Bd&aqs=chrome.5.69i57j0l5
.9896j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8​:

https://trends.collegeboard.org/education-pays/figures-tables/smoking-rates-education-level-194

0-2008

https://www.today.com/health/what-juuling-teen-e-cigarette-trend-worries-doctors-t126062

Kreiter, Suzanne. “'Juuling': The Most Widespread Phenomenon You've Never Heard of - The

Boston Globe.” ​BostonGlobe.com​, 16 Nov. 2017,

www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/11/15/where-teenagers-are-high-school-bathrooms-vaping/IJ

6xYWWlOTKqsUGTTlw4UO/story.html.

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