US: "JUULing" Takes Over The E-Cigarette Industry

Source from:  WMTV 06/04/2018

The FDA said e-cigarettes are becoming "wildly popular with kids."

Curran Murphy is an Operational Manager at X-treme Smoke and Vapor and said the e-cigarette or "vaping" industry is constantly evolving, keeping doctors, smoke shops, and parents on their toes.

The latest development in the industry is the JUUL-- a potent and discreet vape.

"That's the one that looks like a USB drive so its easily hidden, and if it is found by a parent, they don't know what it is necessarily," said Dr. Dan Beardmore, a pediatrician at SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital in Janesville.

"The JUUL is really popular. We sell a ton of the JUUL," Murphy said.

Murphy believes it is the JUUL's sleek design and trendy marketing that has made sales skyrocket. It is especially popular among teens.

"The JUUL is so popular and everybody wants one. All of their friends have one, but we're trying to actually tell everyone what a JUUL is. It's not just for tricks, it's not just for fun, it's strictly for quitting smoking cigarettes."

The JUUL varies from a traditional e-cig or vape because it is a closed-air system that uses nicotine salt. It does not produce nearly as much vapor as more traditional vapes.

"With the salt-based nicotine, it is delivered into your bloodstream a lot faster," explained Murphy. "It's a really high-based nicotine, so, if you've never smoked anything in your life, you don't want to go out and get a JUUL because it has a ton of nicotine."

Murphy said many consumers, especially teens, don't understand that the JUUL isn't meant to be used like other vapes.

"The JUUL is almost the exact same thing as a cigarette. It hits the same way a cigarettes does, its the same amount of vapor as a cigarette has," Murphy explained.

The device is wildly popular with young adults as well. That's why Murphy said his shop strictly checks ID's.

"We have lots of younger kids come in trying to get JUULs."

Dr. Beardmore said kids and teens are finding ways around age restrictions.

"The popularity in the middle school age range is where we have been really surprised," Beardmore said. "You can buy these online without any identification necessary and we know a lot of teenagers get access to their parents purses and credit cards easily."

Although Beardmore said a vape is a better alternative to cigarettes for addicted adults, the high nicotine levels in JUULS pose a threat to teens.

"One in four kids will go on to do something else after a e-cigarette. So they are more likely to smoke cigarettes or marijuana."

The JUUL's USB-like design makes it easy for teens to hide from parents and teachers.

"I'm sure it has been in the schools and a teacher has probably even seen it and not had a clue," said Beardmore.

Beardmore also said these vape devices are new to the market and there haven't been many long-term studies on the effects of them. That's part of the danger, though, he said.

"Many kids are taking them apart and using them in different ways," Beardmore said. Patients have told him that some kids will drip the e-cigarette juice onto a hot coal to consume it.

Beardmore also said if you plan to ask teens about vaping, to be sure to be specific. "If they are using a JUUL they call it JUULing, not vaping."

Some vape juices, or e-juices, do not contain nicotine and are not necessarily a health risk, but those products are not compatible with JUULs. All JUUL pods currently contain nicotine.  Enditem