As is their nature, teenagers will always find a way to do what they want, including smoking, drinking, and other risky activities that go directly against their parents' wishes. And unfortunately, with the ongoing development of technology for every need, one device is making it very easy for kids to get potentially dangerous doses of nicotine right inside their classrooms.
What looks like a USB flash drive is a vaping device called the JUUL, and it's so inconspicuous that you can plug it into a computer for charging. While intended to help adults kick cigarettes, "juuling" is becoming a popular trend among teens. The small devices, which deliver nicotine and come with kid-friendly flavors like creme brulee, mango, and fruit medley, can be easily concealed inside a hand and even discretely used behind teachers' backs.
The rise of "gadgets like Juul, which can fool teachers and be brought to school, demands the FDA smoke out dangerous e-cigs and their mystery chemicals before more New York kids get hooked," Senator Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, said in a statement in October.
The devices also don't come with zero-nicotine options. Doctors say teenagers using the device and other e-cigarettes may be under the impression that what they're doing is safe, but that it's a misconception.
"Because it's so addictive, when kids start using nicotine by any means, they're going to get a good chance that they'll get addicted to it and start smoking," Dr. Steven Masters, a family practice physician at Knoxville's Summit Medical Group said of the nicotine in Juul pods. "That's a very real possibility."
So, parents, if you've noticed your kids carrying around what appears to be a USB flash drive, you might want to take a closer look at it. Learn more about the dangers associated with "juuling" in the video below.
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