In recent years, e-cigarettes have become increasingly popular, especially among teens and young adults. Many people argue that e-cigarettes would help you quit smoking, but that wasn’t the main reason why people were turning to e-cigarettes. It’s become a trendy, pop-culture fad aimed at the younger generation. And when teens see their peers doing it, they want to do it too, which means even more people get hooked.
But e-cigarettes aren’t healthy. And for minors, they aren’t legal, either. A study on teens and addiction indicates 75% of teens who try smoking in high school continue to smoke through adulthood. So, what spurred this sudden explosion of smokers? And why is it a concern?
Types of E-Cigarettes
E-cigarette is a pretty broad term that includes the e-pipe, rechargeable and disposable e-cigarettes, and the e-cigar. Vapes are also popular, including large and medium tank devices and JUUL pods. You can buy vape juice in over 400 different flavors, which makes them even more enticing to the younger generation. It’s like candy you breathe, and having options creates the impulse to try them all.
Effects of Smoking E-Cigarettes
Producers originally marketed e-cigarettes as a healthy, safe alternative to smoking. But that’s not true at all. The liquid “vape juice” used in e-cigarettes is toxic and can do long-term damage to the body. The nicotine contained within is dangerous to a developing adolescent brain, and sometimes people use e-cigarettes to inhale other types of drugs, like cannabis.
Smoking is dangerous. Not just because of the risk of lung cancer, but also because of the damage it does to a developing mind. When a teen or young adult has nicotine in their system, it can alter their brain. It has long-lasting effects on concentration, learning capacity, and impulse control. It also increases your inclination towards addiction to other substances.
The Current Pandemic
Cigarette smoking was finally coming down. But under the guise of lending a helping hand, e-cigarettes came along and drove addiction sky-high. JUUL Labs Inc. is a good example of this charade.
The JUUL pod is one of the most popular types of e-cigarette. It’s smaller than the palm of your hand, shaped like a teardrop and comes in a range of colors.
JUUL marketed it as being harmless, tasty, and trendy. But that’s not the worst part. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform dug into JUUL Labs to get the low-down on the infamous JUUL pod and uncovered some shocking news.
JUUL intentionally targeted children and teens with their marketing, recruiting kids as young as 8 into their campaign. They weren’t just targeting any child, either, they were targeting your child.
As much as this is horrible as a principal, it’s also illegal. The legal smoking age is a minimum of 18 in the US, with Texas setting their smoking age at 21 as of September 1st of this year. That means that the children who are already hooked on nicotine are going outside of the law to satisfy a craving that they never should have developed.
When the CDC conducted surveys about the use of e-cigarettes between 2013 and 2014, they found that 13.6% of young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 used e-cigarettes. The same survey was conducted in high schools and middle schools in 2014, and again in 2015.
In 2014, 13.4% of high school students and 3.9% of middle school students admitted to vaping. By 2015, those numbers had risen to 16% of high school students and 5.3% of middle school students. Use of e-cigarettes by young adults ages 18-24 surpassed that of ages 25 and up in 2014.
Youth nicotine addiction is on the rise, and your child could be one of the ones affected.
If your child is suffering from addiction or you have experienced health complications as a result of vaping, we can help. A consultation with one of our qualified attorneys is completely free. JUUL Labs deserves to pay for what they did to your family. Schedule a consultation today.
