According to an e-cigarette nicotine addictions study, New Jersey teens report higher e-cig usage when they are using JUUL brand products.

The study surveyed 4,183 students attending public high school in New Jersey. In addition to questions which aimed to measure e-cigarette use, the 2018 survey also included JUUL-specific questions. According to study results, students reported higher usage of e-cigarettes when the brand JUUL was specified. Among certain groups, the usage for e-cigarettes doubled when JUUL use was a specified metric.

“We’ve suspected that the brand JUUL contributed to the increase of e-cigarette use among teens, but I think we were surprised at the extent of the brand’s popularity among young people,” said Mary Hrywna, coauthor of the study and assistant professor at the Center for Tobacco Studies and the Rutgers School of Public Health.

JUUL was recently hit with a lawsuit from the Massachusetts attorney general over a similar issue. The complaint alleges that a yearlong investigation into the e-cigarette company revealed the shocking target of their initial advertising campaign – young, underage customers. The advertisements allegedly utilized attractive models and youth-targeted themes to entice young consumers into purchasing and using their products.

The recent New Jersey e-cigarette nicotine addictions study notes that these insights could help shape future policies to protect America’s youth from harmful nicotine addictions.

“Policymakers must understand how certain brands have driven e-cigarette use and carve out policies that address restrictions by age and location as well the high nicotine concentrations in these products if we hope to reduce these prevalence rates,” Hrywna concluded.

E-Cigarette Nicotine Addictions in Teenagers

Teenagers may start using e-cigarettes for a variety of reasons including peer pressure. Although many vape flavors have been banned, past availability of the products may have also driven young users to purchase e-cigarettes. They may not even know that the products contain nicotine, a highly addictive chemical. Unfortunately, this chemical can have lasting consequences.

In the short term, nicotine causes increased levels of dopamine – the brain chemical responsible for pleasure and happiness. When this effect wears off, teenagers may try using their JUUL again to keep the feeling going. After a while, the brain may be addicted to nicotine.

Unfortunately, e-cigarette nicotine addictions may be even harder to kick based on the high levels of nicotine released by the vapes. The National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens notes that traditional cigarettes contain only 10 mg of nicotine – with only 1 or 2 mg of nicotine being inhaled by the user. In contrast, vapes provide much more nicotine.

Nicotine addictions can be hard to overcome due to the intense withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting nicotine usage. Withdrawal symptoms and their severity will vary, but common side effects may include irritability, brain fog, sleep problems, increased appetite, cravings, and more.

Young users, especially teenagers who got hooked on e-cigarettes while underage, may not have understood the risks of using the products. By relying on advertisements, peer pressure, and word of mouth, teenagers may have become unknowingly addicted to nicotine – only realizing their mistake after the consequences set in.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.