Unhealthy trend takes over teenage demographic

Edgy trends constantly target the teenage demographic. Among these is a recent success for the addictive nicotine industry known as Juuls. Rather than the Marlboro packs, high school students have started purchasing boxes of Juul pods, or having their 18-year-old friends buy a pack for them.
Juuls are a form of e-cigarette that deliver a heavy dose of nicotine to the largely young userbase. One pod has the equivalent to about a pack of cigarettes worth of the very addictive chemical that makes cigarettes taboo.
First released in 2015, the popularity of Juuls has increased exponentially as more and more marketing has informed the public of the product’s eight different flavored pods. From mango to crème Brulee, the flavors attract a young audience who want to seem “cool” to their friends.
Teens are purchasing and using these chrome-colored devices at social events, but the USB resembling gadgets are also becoming prominent during everyday activities. In the classroom and the bathrooms, high schoolers are taking advantage of their limited freedoms to indulge in this unhealthy indulgence.
The nicotine in the product gives the user a “buzz” that lasts anywhere from 10 seconds to two minutes. This includes a head rush or heart rate increase that works to draw in the user for another puff. It has become socially acceptable and desirable to own a Juul because of this sensation.
Although this buzz is desired by users, long-time Juul owners may be immune to the sensation yet still crave the feeling of hitting the forbidden version of a teenager’s toy. They may not feel anything, but the slight burn in the person’s throat is enough to keep them coming back for more.
The user base is not limited to teenagers, but the company is under investigation for its youth-targeted marketing tactics and is rumored to be in the process of eliminating its flavored pods. This action will result in the sale of only tobacco cartridges which is desired to deter the younger owners from such severe use of the product.
Other products can also be found in the nicotine market and are used by the teenage demographic. Smoks and Suorins are two examples of the nicotine-based vapes that kids are attracted to. These items are not as common as Juuls, but just as addictive.
Using nicotine vaporizers other than Juuls has its benefits. The juice for these products is typically around $20 and can last the user for a month or longer. Juul pods, which come in a pack of four, are anywhere from 13 to 20 dollars with each pod lasting only a few days.
The Omaha area is not immune to this epidemic. The product can be seen within the halls of your own school. A user can easily hide the product from parents and teachers in order to carry out this angsty habit.
Overall, Juuls are taking over teenage habits. The product presents itself as taboo to the older generations, but teens are taking advantage of the simplicity of this harmful drug. In conclusion, juuls are for fools, but this socially accepted product has an unstoppable presence.