Too juul for school: habit spreads

Dorrie Gaeng, Editor-in-Chief

Vaping and juuling have become a social phenomenon, characterizing student activity both in and outside of school. According to an anonymous pen-and-paper survey of 241 students in select English classes, 32 percent of the student body has tried vaping or juuling.

“I started juuling when my friend at work began using it. I bought one from her because I thought it was cool and the flavors were nice,” an anonymous junior said.

Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol (vapor) that is produced by an e-cigarette or similar device. Vapes attract teenagers of all ages with an enticing array of flavors, including crème brulee, mango and mint. But recently, the juul has become more popular, for it contains a higher percent of nicotine than most vapes and is more easily concealed.

The survey found that 50 percent of students who have tried vapes or juuls have also used these products in school. This does not surprise health teacher Laura Braly.

”I’ve even seen students vaping behind vending machines while teachers are watching,” Braly said.

The Juul does not emit as much vapor as a traditional vape and has a flash drive shape, making it easy to disguise from educators. Although students have admitted to vaping all over the school, the survey revealed the most common place to vape or juul is the bathroom. As a result, the bathroom doors are now locked open.

Braly cautions students against the detrimental health effects of vaping and juuling. She said that nicotine has known negative effects on one’s circulatory system, not to mention all the unknown chemicals in Juuls.

“You could be inhaling [materials] that are carcinogenic. There is no regulatory body, at this point, that is in charge of determining whether or not the chemicals you’re vaping are safe,” Braly said.

But students who juul often overlook these dangers and point to how benign the juul is compared to other products.

”Juuls may not be good for the lungs, but they are not nearly as bad as cigarettes and other products,” said an anonymous senior.