Juul is a type of e-cigarette that contains 20 cigarettes worth of nicotine and recently has become a big problem among teens. Juuls are small and charged in a USB port, making it easy for teens to conceal and hide from authority figures.

According to a Truth Initiative® survey in April 2018, “of 1,000 teens between 12 and 17 years old, almost one-fifth of middle and high school students have seen a Juul used in school.”

Unfortunately, most youth are unaware of the health implications associated with Juuling, and even those that are aware do not see immediate danger.  This is hazardous to teen health because many adolescents do not realize how difficult it is to break an addiction, especially one to nicotine.  

With that said, nicotine is a highly addictive chemical and most teens do not know the risks of using a Juul.  A Juul causes teens to inhale chemicals that harm the developing adolescent brain.  Another popular theory out there is that it is a gateway drug to other drugs and addictive behaviors.  

Originally, the Juul was created to assist people addicted to smoking to kick the habit.  It was believed that Juuling was a healthier alternative to smoking cigarettes.  Most e-cigarettes contain toxic metals like cadmium and beryllium, as well as metallic elements like nickel and chromium.  Along with this, using a Juul has also been linked to increasing the risk of heart attack.

Recently, California supported a new ban on the selling of flavored tobacco products, including vaping liquids packaged as candies, juice boxes, and menthol cigarettes. San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the ban last year. It is to take effect in April.  More states need to get on board with this approach before Juuling gets out of control.

Canada banned the sale of menthol cigarettes in 2017 and a similar measure for the European Union will take effect in 2020. The United States is lagging behind other nations in regulating menthol cigarettes.

Now more than ever, teens need to be educated about addiction, negative side-effects, and health risks of Juuling in order to address this nationwide epidemic.