Powder River Examiner -

Submitted by Darlynn Williams, County Health Nurse

While the number of youth using cigarettes has decreased in recent years, the number of youth using electronic cigarettes has skyrocketed. The term ‘electronic cigarette’ covers a wide variety of products now on the market. Instead of burning tobacco, e-cigarettes most often use a battery-powered coil to turn a liquid solution into an aerosol that is inhaled by the user. One e-cigarette device, called a JUUL, has become increasingly popular since its launch in 2015.

The JUUL device looks quite similar to a USB flash drive, and can in fact be charged in the USB port of a computer. According to JUUL Labs, all JUULpods contain flavorings and 0.5ml e-liquid with 5% nicotine by weight, which they claim to be the equivalent amount of nicotine as a pack of cigarettes, or 200 puffs. JUUL pods come in five flavors. However, other companies manufacture JUUL-compatible pods in additional flavors such as Blueberry, Silky Strawberry and Caffe Latte. There are also companies that produce JUUL ‘wraps’ or ‘skins’, decals that wrap around the JUUL device and allow JUUL users to customize their device with unique colors and patterns (and may be an appealing way for younger users to disguise their device).

JUUL’s popularity has grown dramatically in the last year, with unit sales increasing more than 600 percent in 2017. According to the most recent data, JUUL sales currently represent 72% of the market share. Not bad for a product that was introduced in 2015.

The number of youth using e-cigarettes, including JUUL, is alarming and raises serious concerns that e-cigarettes could be an entryway to nicotine addiction and use of regular cigarettes for some kids. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug that can have lasting damaging effects on adolescent brain development. Nicotine also impacts the cardiovascular system. The Surgeon General concluded that, “The use of products containing nicotine poses dangers to youth, pregnant women, and fetuses. The use of products containing nicotine in any form among youth, including in e-cigarettes, is unsafe.” Educating youth about the dangers of JUUL and nicotine use is critical because a study from Truth Initiative found that 63 percent of 15-24 year old JUUL users did not know the product always contains nicotine (all pods sold from JUUL do contain nicotine).

JUUL devices and JUULpods are available for sale on JUUL’s website and other online retailers as well as in convenience stores, vape shops, and tobacco retailers. To access JUUL’s website, users must indicate that they are 21 or older by simply clicking on a button. (In Montana it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to purchase or be in possession of tobacco product). A 2018 study found that among surveyed youth JUUL users (ages 12-17), three quarters had purchased a JUUL device from a retail store and half had gotten JUUL from a friend.

Because youth and adolescence are critical periods of growth and development, young people are more susceptible and sensitive to the effects of nicotine and can become addicted faster than adults. Symptoms of addiction can appear within the first weeks of smoking. Talk to your children about the dangers of nicotine, in any form. The long term health consequences of these devices is not known but should NOT be assumed to be harmless.