One of the biggest topics right now in high school parent newsletters everywhere is the Juul. It’s a popular e-cigarette system that looks a lot like a USB flash drive—you may have seen one in your teenager’s room, figuring it contains an essay on The Great Gatsby. Based on Twitter and Instagram posts with the hashtag #doit4juul, students are “juuling” wherever, whenever—in school bathrooms, in libraries and under their desks in class. They’re getting away with it because the device is discreet, the “cloud” can be hidden in a sleeve, and the vapor smells sweet and fruity, unlike cigarette smoke. Among teens, e-cigarettes are more popular than traditional cigarettes, and the Juul brand is currently king.
School administrators are trying to crack down on juuling. One Miami counselor confiscates two Juuls per week. A district in Pennsylvania has banned actual flash drives on campuses in an attempt to get rid of the confusion. A principal in D.C. felt the Juul problem was becoming so bad that he took doors off the bathroom stalls.
What Does It Look Like?
The Juul consists of a long, slim vaporizer and disposable “pods” of nicotine juice. The pods come in flavors such as mango, creme brulee and cucumber. Some call the Juul the “iPhone of vapes” because of its sleek and minimalistic design. It charges on a laptop or other USB port.
How Does It Work?
The device heats the nicotine juice to create vapor, which is inhaled by the user.
Who Is It Intended For?
Juul describes itself as “a mission-driven company seeking to eliminate cigarettes by providing a true alternative for adult smokers.” The company states on its website that Juul is “not appropriate or intended for youth, former smokers, or never smokers.” To purchase Juul products on the official website, JUULvapor.com, you must be 21 and go through an age verification process. In stores, you must be of the legal age to buy a tobacco or nicotine product in your state. But teens are finding ways to get them, such as using fake IDs, buying them on unregulated websites or knowing of a lax gas station attendant.
What Does It Feel Like to Juul?
One anonymous 15-year-old describes it like this:
The first time was in the lunchroom. Everyone else was hitting it and I was like “alright, I want to try that.” I guess I knew there was nicotine in it, but I had no idea that it had so much. When I hit it for the first time it was, like, really crazy. I felt a really big buzz off of barely anything.
It hurt my throat more than anything else I’ve done. I hit it and coughed immediately. At first it was just fun and it was something that you could do anywhere. It’s so easy. Then it just became something I was doing nonstop, but I still felt a buzz. Now, I go crazy if I don’t have it. I don’t even feel a buzz anymore.
Jack Waxman, a high school senior in New York who’s working to spread awareness about the dangers of teenage Juul usage, says he’s seen friends all go down the same path: First, they’re attracted by the “fun flavors” and enticed by the head-rush. But then, after using the Juul for a while, they feel no rush at all. “They use the device to make their body feel normal again, just like any smoker,” Waxman says. He’s seen people “struggle to make it thirty minutes without taking a hit.”
How Much Nicotine Does It Contain?
Each pod has about the same amount of nicotine as a pack of cigarettes, or 200 puffs. Specifically, the nicotine concentration is 59 mg/mL per pod, which can be more than double that of other vaping products. It gives users a strong, fast punch.
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