So what are these things? Juuls are a new type of e-cigarette, also known as a “vape,” and they have rapidly become popular on high school and college campuses because they don’t look like a vape.
Juul e-cigarettes are small devices that can be easily hidden, mistaken for a flash drive, or disguised as a Sharpie pen. They can be recharged with a computer. The vapor also smells like perfume.
The principal of Newton South High School posted information about e-cigarettes, including the Juul device, for parents on October 31, showing examples of how the Juul e-cigarette can be disguised.
Another style looks like a ballpoint pen:
The letter also warns parents that the vapor is unsafe and harmful to young people when mixed with liquid nicotine or THC:
We know that nicotine exposure during adolescence can cause addiction and can harm the developing brain. The use of the devices on school grounds is both against school policy and against city ordinance. Students caught using or in possession of these devices are subject to school discipline.”
Juuls require pods, which come in a 4-pack. One pod is equivalent to one pack of cigarettes in puff-count and nicotine strength. Juul users commonly smoke the equivalent of 2 packs of cigarettes in a day.
The Juul is also easy for teenagers to get. It costs about $50 for the starter kit, and the age verification process online is not complicated.
Source: Growing concern about ‘juuling’ among teens in local schools