A
A
A
Juul is a type of e-cigarette that is rapidly becoming popular in the vape market. E-cigarettes function by using a battery to transform liquid juice containing nicotine into an inhalable form of vapor. These devices intend to provide a stimulus similar to that of regular cigarette smoking, but without the use of a lighter, the awful smell, and the big mess of ashes. E-cigarettes use a number of mechanisms in their devices to accomplish this, which is what sets one brand or type apart from the next.
Juul is set apart from other types of e-cigarettes because of its compact size and minimal vapor cloud production. Juul is convenient to use and can be used discreetly. The pods designed for Juul are also known to have higher nicotine content than others and are not able to refilled by the user. Juul pods pop on the device and pop off for disposal once there is no juice left.
Read More »
Why Is it Popular?
The largest age groups currently using Juul fall in the middle and high school populations despite the age requirement for purchase. There are a handful of reasons that may explain the popularity of Juul among teens. First, Juul can be less expensive than using other tobacco and nicotine-containing products. Pods do not have to be purchased often, and no extra tools are required to use a Juul. Another reason for the surge in popularity among teenagers is the fact that Juul does not taste or smell unpleasant like cigarettes and other tobacco products. Lastly, teens are inclined to fit in with peers and avoid exclusion by doing the same thing that everyone else is doing. The advertising and marketing of Juul make it sound safe to use, so that is what teens of these ages believe.
Why Is It Not Safe?
The e-liquid formula inside of the Juul pods is patented in hopes of superior quality control. Juul e-liquid formula contains ingredients such as nicotine salts, propylene glycol, benzoic acid, glycerol, and synthetic flavoring. One of the most common claims out there is that Juul is safe to use because it does not contain the carcinogen known as tobacco, like cigarettes and other products. Teens feel that in the absence of tobacco, Juul cannot cause them to develop cancer eventually. However, the truth is that any substance that causes repeated cellular damage to tissue can cause cancer to develop, not just tobacco.
Another misconception about Juul is that malignancy would be the only fatal or terminal concern when it comes to health and long term use. However, this could not be more inaccurate. An individual’s lungs and other organs can only repair themselves from damage to a certain degree. When the ingredients in e-cigarettes like Juul cause excessive damage, the affected tissue and organ can lose its function forever. Every human gets the two lungs that they are born with and cannot sustain life with only one of them functioning.
Nicotine is a substance that is known to be addictive regardless of the method in which it is consumed. Any substance that contains nicotine is addictive, including the Juul e-liquid formula. Most individuals who use nicotine products are not aware of what all it does to their bodies. Nicotine is a toxin that causes hyperstimulation of the gland in the body that produces adrenaline. Adrenaline is a hormone that causes the heart rate to increase, blood pressure to become elevated, and deposition of glucose back into the bloodstream. These secondary conditions that result from the use of nicotine are responsible for taking millions of lives annually.
The Bottom Line
We are nowhere close to knowing and understanding all of the long term effects of using e-cigarettes. However, what we do know should be enough for teenagers to realize that it is not safe. Teens are worried about a temporary sensation of feeling good and fitting in with their friends. However, with continued use of Juul, they should be more concerned about how much they will fit in when they can’t leave home without an oxygen tank, how good they will feel during dialysis or chemotherapy, having to eat meals through a straw for life, or what it is like waiting for a compatible donor heart or kidney.
Millions of individuals who choose not to smoke, vape, drink, or make other unhealthy choices face the challenges of such medical problems every day. Those individuals do not get the opportunity to help prevent their condition or disease and would give anything to trade places with someone who does. The young, healthy teens that are vaping with Juul and other e-cigarette products do have a choice to minimize their risks, and it is time that they make it.
