Juul Isn’t Cool

By: Trivika Komatireddy

         

Imagine hanging out with your friends and suddenly seeing them pull out vape pens, asking you if you want to try. Would you do it? Do you think it’s cool, fun, or maybe even harmless? If you’re like the majority of teens, you may not realise that vaping is a risky issue today. Between the abundant flavors and sleek look, many people get caught up in it, and even worse, think that it’s harmless! But they couldn’t be more mistaken, because vaping is toxic for the body. It has cancer-causing chemicals and numerous other negative consequences, and several young people are damaging their well-being by trying it. The number of people that vape continues to grow while we keep thinking that it’s okay.

          The number of kids that vape has gone up a lot in the past few years. Five hundred thousand middle schoolers vaped in 2016. Thirty-seven percent of high schoolers have tried vaping before. And if that’s not bad enough, almost twenty-one percent of kids have vaped recently! Now compare that to the eleven percent last year. Most of these kids don’t even realise that vaping isn’t good for you, and that you can get addicted to it. Currently, over one-third of high school seniors say that they use vaping products. The number of kids that vape is increasing rapidly, and we really need to do something about it. Numerous studies show that if a teenager uses vaping products now, they will end trying regular tobacco cigarettes. Studies also show one out of five eighth graders that use tobacco cigarettes started with vaping. We need to take action and realise vaping is bad for us.

The way vape pens look often lead teens and kids to think that vaping is cool and fun. The contemporary look lures students into thinking vaping is okay. They are often marketed in a way that targets the youth by introducing a large variety of flavors. Almost one-third of kids who vape say that they tried it because of all the flavors that are available, such as mint, candy, fruit, and chocolate. Packaging on vapes does little to show all of the negative impacts. The covering says only five percent is nicotine, which leads students to think that the remaining ninety-five is just water. They don’t realise how harmful it really is. Twenty-five percent of teens who vape say that it’s just flavoring. The modern look, colorful and animated wrappers, and the flavors make vaping very appealing for kids.

Many kids don’t even realise what they are doing when they vape. They often don’t realise that vaping liquid contains nicotine and other harmful chemicals. The majority of teens thinks that vaping is okay just because it’s better than regular cigarettes. It’s not just flavoring; it’s destructive to your health. Although vaping may not be as bad as smoking regular cigarettes, it’s definitely not good for you. Vaping “juice” can contain nicotine, diacetyl, and formaldehyde. Nicotine can escalate your blood pressure and boost your adrenaline, making you more prone to heart attacks. Nicotine also makes vaping very addicting, and enduring the agonizing withdrawal symptoms, the symptoms you feel after not vaping for a while, is difficult.  It can also affect your brain, attention, and memory. Diacetyl is a familiar harmful chemical that can give you diseases, such as popcorn lung. Formaldehyde, a chemical commonly used in building materials, can be found in some brands of vapes! Exposing yourself to chemicals that we don’t fully know the long term effects of is dangerous.

Vaping is clearly very dangerous, risky, and can lead to horrible consequences.  Don’t let marketing and packaging lure you into a trap. The flavors and modern look might seem okay at first glance but can seriously harm your health. We need to realise that vaping is a big issue currently, and then take the steps we need to prevent teens and kids from getting addicted. Vaping is not cool and definitely not fun if you know the long term effects of it. Let’s wake up and save today’s youth from addiction.