Teens Using Juuls

Teens are juuling more than ever even though they know the health risks.

Wikimedia

Teens are juuling more than ever even though they know the health risks.

The popularity of Juuls are increasing dramatically. Some people Juul because they think it is cool or their friend told them to try it, but then they become very addicted to it very fast and some may ask why or how. Well, it is because in these Juuls there is nicotine and it is very addicting because it gives the brain a good feeling releasing dopamine and when the brain does enjoyable things, it likes to repeat them like habits.

There is about .65% nicotine in a cigarette and many people cannot quit that. Imagine multiplying that by twenty; that is 13 grams of nicotine that are in one Juul pod. It takes about 12 years to develop lung cancer with cigarettes. Now what about the Juul? If a Juul is smoked fifteen times or more a month, someone could get lung cancer in about two years. Now, that is crazy. Many schools have seen an increase in Juuls being used at schools whether that be in the bathroom, in the halls or on school grounds.

According to Truth Initiative, a campaign inspiring tobacco free lives, about twenty percent of middle schoolers use a Juul and about 56% of high schools use them too, but zero to none get caught. Why is that? People are so good at hiding things they don’t want people to see, but they have to be because if they were open about it, that means more people would know then it would start to go out of control and people would not care anymore, just like cell phones. They are used so commonly in the high schools that many teachers gave up on trying to control them.

One of the main issues to consider with Juuling is that because of peer pressure, which causes students to give in or because of depression, which causes students to give up, people oftentimes decide to try something dramatic. Then it becomes so addicting, it is a craving. So often, students start trying other drugs such as drinking, badges and boulders. Teens use these things uncontrollably so it is so hard to maintain who is doing what, when and why.

Teens will often start to go crazy if they do not get their addiction satisfied. All drugs give users unhealthy appetites and anger, and oftentimes students will start to treat people different. Sometimes, they will stop eating as much because nicotine fills them up and ruins their eating schedule and they can lose things over it, like friends or something that they liked, but sold for money to buy drugs.

Jack Waxman, a 17-year-old student from another school said ¨Since I started Juuling I haven’t been able to stop. I have stolen money from my friends and my parents to solve my crave for nicotine.¨

Juuling, or trying any new drug due to peer pressure or depression, is never a good idea. Think before you let nicotine control your life.