The use of e-cigarettes has become heavily criticized in recent news due to reported injuries and deaths which have opened up a debate on exactly how dangerous vaping is.
It is important to discuss the difference between vape, e-cigarettes and Juul.
Vaping is a term for using an e-cigarette which is where water and nicotine are heated to create a vapor which is inhaled.
Juul is a specific company that produces a unique kind of e-cigarette that looks like a USB and comes in a variety of flavors.
Juuling has become so popular among young people in the US.
Originally intended to help people quit smoking Juul usage has increased by 900 percent in young people since 2011, according to a 2015 report by the US Surgeon General.
Many of these vapers had never smoked traditional cigarettes prior to vaping.
Another reason Juuling has become so widespread is the common misconception that vaping is healthier than smoking.
While vaping does not contain tobacco or any of the other 7000 chemicals found in cigarettes, most e-cigarettes still have nicotine.
According to John Hopkins, there are many e-cigarette cartridges containing more nicotine in them than a real cigarette.
Over the years, we have heard the word nicotine used often in conversations as a means to end smoking.
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, just as addictive as heroin and cocaine.
Some health risks from nicotine usage include higher blood pressure and raised adrenaline levels, which greatly increases the risk of a heart attack.
Nicotine also rewires the brain making it more susceptible to potential future addiction.
The concern for doctors now is that the tool that was originally meant to help people quit smoking is now the path that will lead young people to start smoking tobacco cigarettes.
The tobacco industry has been declining since the 1970s, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.
It seems e-cigarette companies might start replacing the tobacco giants like Phillip Morris, British American Tobacco, Imperial Brands, Japan Tobacco International and China Tobacco.
The five companies making up Big Tobacco industry profit over tens of billions of dollars every year.
Juul is owned by Phillip Morris. Phillip Morris has stated to the public they intend to start taking their tobacco products off the shelves, including the popular Marlboro, but it is unknown when that will happen.
This opens up another aspect of vaping that could be dangerous.
The fact that, even though e-cigarettes have less toxic chemicals than actual cigarettes, scientists and doctors still do not know all of the exact substances in them and whether they might be toxic or not.
It is important to be aware that, as of this month, there have been 1604 lung injuries and 34 deaths reported to the CDC.
The cause of death is still unknown, but these patients are from all over the US and all have a history of e-cigarette use.
We do not have all the answers regarding vaping but with the information we do have, we can determine this is not a harmless hobby.
If you are concerned about your health or others around you, whether it pertains to vaping habits, make an appointment with IWU Health Services.
We are a student body who takes care of each other.