We’ve all heard the growing debate surrounding the act of Juuling and whether it’s causing any sufficient harm to those doing it. However, after recent allegations from a young man and his family who claim that the Juul is what caused him to be hospitalized, the buzz has gotten sufficiently louder around the idea that Juuling isn’t as innocent as we think it is.
Most people are familiar with what a Juul is, since it’s by far the most popular brand of e-cigarettes — so much so that users of the USB lookalike have turned “Juuling” into a verb. Juuling is the term used for when a person is using a Juul.
Juuls are small and sleek vapes that can be easily hidden from parents and teachers, which is why many Juul users are underage high school students. One teenager in particular may have fallen victim to Juul’s ugly side effects. The suburban teen, Adam Hergenreder, is currently being hospitalized and fighting to breathe due to a lung infection his parents say Juul is responsible for.
“My lungs feel like they're being crushed by 20 pounds,” Hergenreder said in an interview with ABC News. https://abc7chicago.com
The family took Hergenreder to the hospital after sudden symptoms accompanied by two days of uncontrollable vomiting. Although Hergenreder’s lungs are expected to recover, he will have to undergo months of therapy.
Many SU students feel that the side effects of Juul aren’t being discussed enough. SU junior Katelyn Day is beginning to fear for her classmates after recent news stories around vaping, Juuling in particular, have flooded the media.
“It worries me that so many young people are vaping and Juuling, but know little about the side effects that may come from doing so. I used to Juul, but then stopped after my throat began to hurt. I don’t know if it was a direct correlation to Juuling, but when I quit, I noticed my throat didn’t hurt as much.”
Like Day, many people feel anxious toward the idea that there is little research conducted around the side effects that may derive from vaping, specifically Juuling. The best thing we can do is take what we already know and use it to our advantage. There is ample research that reveals using tobacco products is harmful, and although Juul Labs, Inc. claims to not use tobacco in its products, there is still a wide usage of nicotine, which is known to be a harmful and addicting drug.
Juul should be used for what it was created and intended for, which was to help those already addicted to nicotine quit using it. Instead, young people are using it as a means to fit in with the current trend, which is so widely seen throughout schools and campuses.
Cliché as it may be, just because everyone’s doing it doesn’t mean you have to as well. Next time you pick up a Juul, consider the consequences, and decide if it's worth rolling the dice.
By MELANIE RAIBLE
Editorial editor
Featured photos from LILI SAMS/MASHABLE, Facebook and GIPHY.COM.