The price of cool: a Teenager, a Juul and Nicotine Addiction
This flashdrive like device helped longtime smokers quit smoking cigarettes,
however letting teenagers who has never smoked become addicted to
nicotine, taking at least three to four hits daily. The food and Drug administration
had restricted certain flavored e-cigarettes pods to customers under 18.
A teenager by the name of Matt (17), talks about his juul and nicotine addiction
and how it would interrupt his school and life events. With spending excessive
amounts on buying pods and juuls, being extremely dependent and rely on his
juul to make him calmer even if it gave him head rushes. The FDA will also hold
a public hearing addressing the problems about teenage nicotine addiction.
Juuls were purposely targeting younger teenage customers, and have officially
announced to stop marketing promotions and stop selling certain flavors except
tobacco, menthol and mint.
A juul pod contains an equal amount as a pack of cigarettes, benefitting smokers
who quit smoking to start the usage of juul and nicotine. However, since juuls are
majorly impacting teenagers, affecting their growth and brains that are still
developing. It can ruin and control their attention and learning and have
possibly long term effects. Certain popular flavors can also produce chemicals
that irritate airways and lungs, having an effect on heart and arteries.
Matt spent $100 to uber to a local store that sold juuls when he was out on
vacation without vaping for 2 days, spending mostly all his money on it. He
also stated that many of his athlete friends and him noticed that they would
get out of breath easily and only lowered their performance.
How did juul lure teenagers in the first place? How did it target teenagers
specifically?
Could the FDA have done more to address this issue or restrict juuls from
selling in stores?
Why are they only banning stores not to sell certain popular flavors? How is
that going to solve a addiction from teenagers?
sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/16/health/vaping-juul-teens-addiction-nicotine.html
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/5/1/17286638/juul-vaping-e-cigarette
sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/16/health/vaping-juul-teens-addiction-nicotine.html
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/5/1/17286638/juul-vaping-e-cigarette
10 comments:
I think juul definitely targeted teenagers with their fruity flavors. Vapes had been pretty popular among teenagers previously, but the juul was made more convenient and compact. I think it was also a “trend” almost. Once some people had the juul, their friends wanted it and so did their friends friends and so on. I don’t think the FDA could of done much more because either way teenagers today are buying them illegally, and they are the only ones who can chose to stop because they will always find a way to get their hands on one. I don’t think by banning certain flavors all of a sudden teenagers nicotine addiction will go away, but I think overtime, people will be less interested in trying it or buying pods as often.
Nearly every kid has taken some sort of health class that informs them of the detrimental effects of nicotine in cigarettes. Yet somehow when put into a different container, nicotine suddenly become's acceptable. Nicotine itself does not lead to cancer like cigarettes do but it has "powerful addictive properties" and can "irritate bronchial pathways and raise heart rates"(New York Times). I think that even if they stop selling most flavors and restricting access to teenagers, kids will find a way to get it illegally. Since nicotine is very addictive there is an added incentive for people to go to further lengths to get it. Not only will juuling inhibit brain development but it will probably be a gateway drug like weed for kids to get comfortable doing more powerful drugs later in life.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/16/health/vaping-juul-nicotine-quit-smokers.html
JUULs have made vaping seem more simple, casual, and benign. Flavors are a bonus, but I think the small and simple design of the JUUL is what is most attractive to teens. The FDA's efforts to curb juuling through taking flavors off the market are respectable, but the active ingredient of nicotine is ultimately what keeps teenagers coming back to the JUUL, no matter the flavor. Teenagers are definitely a focus of the company, but JUUL probably doesn't care who its consumers are. It is ultimately the teenagers' choice to vape, so I think they are more responsible for their own health.
E-cigarettes, vapes, and JUULs have, for a long time, marketed themselves as "healthier than tobacco." They probably are, but there seems to be this perception that it's just water vapor -- which it isn't. Chemicals found in vape pens range from arsenic, nicotine, propylene, to formaldehyde. Flavorings contain additional chemicals such as diacetyl, which cause bronchiolitis obliterans, an irreversable lung disease also known as "popcorn lung," according to the American Lung Association. Vapes are not benign, but flavorings, and chic packaging makes vaping look "cool." I believe this past May, the FDA issued a warning to vape companies that packaged e-cigarette liquids to look like candies and juice boxes because they were misleading to kids. There is a deliberate targeting of youth by the vape companies, and I think the FDA should have full regulatory rights over vapes. Currently, the FDA has jurisdiction over "tobacco products," and it's currently attempting to extend jurisdiction over vape products as it relates to nicotine and tobacco. However, when it comes the development of nicotine free e-liquids, the FDA may not have the rights of regulation.
I don't think its ethical for vape companies to target minors, but at the same time, I think they are a helpful tool that allows tobacco smokers quit. I think that banning flavorings is a step in the right direction.
https://www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/pressannouncements/ucm605507.htm
https://www.lung.org/about-us/blog/2016/07/popcorn-lung-risk-ecigs.html
Juul’s have made it a lot easier to smoke anywhere. Juul’s are very accessible for kids these days to just use and hide it from there parents or adults in general. This vaping product is very addictive and will make kids go to extreme lengths to get it even if it has been banned from stores. In my opinion the fda can’t stop kids from vaping and using nicotine even if they stop selling certain flavors. If they want to prevent teenagers from smoking they would have to stop everyone of ALL ages from doing it. In the end if they did this it will only be an overall positive affect on health.
I think that especially at this age, teenagers are very curious and want to explore new things. I think some people vape in order to escape smoking, but some do so as well because of social pressures. Many teenagers see people in their friend groups vape, and decide to vape as well in order to fit in.
I don’t think removing flavors will stop the use of vaping. I think what draws people towards vaping is the nicotine itself and not the actual flavors. Many vapers’ brains have been reprogrammed by the nicotine to keep coming back for more. Even if they remove the popular flavors, I think the nicotine will still attract current vapers to vape more.
Yea, I agree with what was said about the accessibility and appeal of Juuls for kids nowadays. Nicotine has always been known to be addicting but with this new design and the types that it brings people are attracted to it. I don't think that people will be able to stop the large wave and amount that are already out there. People will find a way to access smoking through one way or another. Like cigarettes in the past, the youth will always find a way to access it. I know that it was designed to help smokers of nicotine but the appeal to children is clear and dangerous. At this time I feel most people can just move to the next substance or device and that it will be difficult to ban Juul like devices from the public.
Yea, I agree with what was said about the accessibility and appeal of Juuls for kids nowadays. Nicotine has always been known to be addicting but with this new design and the types that it brings people are attracted to it. I don't think that people will be able to stop the large wave and amount that are already out there. People will find a way to access smoking through one way or another. Like cigarettes in the past, the youth will always find a way to access it. I know that it was designed to help smokers of nicotine but the appeal to children is clear and dangerous. At this time I feel most people can just move to the next substance or device and that it will be difficult to ban Juul like devices from the public.
I believe the rise of Juuls has the potential to be extremely dangerous. There is that age-old argument about the "gateway" drug and the Juul could be that for many teenagers as they grow into adults. If not leading into more drug use, the nicotine in Juuls can lead addiction which can develop in other areas of life. Another argument against Juuls that has already been mentioned is the notion they are healthier than regular cigarettes. Whether this is true or not sometimes does not matter. Someone hooked on Juuls can ignore the scientific answers and believe that they aren't detrimental to their health based on a popular misconception. This belief enables them to continue a dangerous and addictive lifestyle and it is easy to use this as a way to reason more usage of Juuls.
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