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Juuls are for tools at Bonny Eagle High

BY LEA PILLSBURY   
        Puffs of sweet-smelling smoke drift up from bathroom stalls. One student says, “Look, I just ghosted it.” The words: “You must have rookie lungs,” followed by coughs, can usually give away what students are up to. Juuling on school grounds is the newest trend among teens, and Bonny Eagle High School is no exception.
       Vice Principal Mr. Jason Tarr explains, “It is a huge issue in our school. I have had to spend two days of my week every week for the past two months on punishments for Juuls and vapes, and I have much better things to do than that.”

        Juuling is a new name for the practice of vaping.  A Juul is an aluminum stick that can be easily disguised as a USB port, helping to make it a widespread problem in high schools and universities across the US. 
        According to students, freshmen and sophomores are most often the ones whose whispers fill the hall warning friends to hide their Juul because they may get searched. In order to search a student at the high school, administration must have reasonable suspicion that they are up to something. For instance, if a student is out in their car in the middle of class time, or if another student reports someone to admin.
          “If there is reason for suspicion we have to search them,” Mr. Tarr explains. 

        If a Juul or vape is found during a search, or at the school grounds at all, the punishment is treated just as if someone had tobacco on campus, which entails a two-day suspension.  
         Although this punishment, along with a call to parents, may seem to be enough, students continue to be repeat offenders. Getting a new Juul, getting it taken away, and then repeat. Students are often found Juuling in the bathrooms, or even Juuling in class and blowing the smoke into their shirts as the teacher looks away.
        At this point, it seems as though no matter the punishment, students will continue even though most are aware of the health consequences.  Just one pod of a Juul is equal to the amount of nicotine in a pack of cigarettes, and some students claim to go through 1-2 pods a day. With flavors such as creme brulee and mango, along with its sleek and small design, and thousands of memes centered around it, juul has become “the new cool thing” according to students. Sadly, users do not seem to think about health consequences, but more about fitting in with the latest trends. 

      A senior who did not want to be named explained, “I know it’s bad, but I don’t care. It gives you a good head buzz.”
       A sophomore chimed in, “I need my Juul to get through the day. Without it I get in a bad mood.”
      This goes to show that the amount of nicotine in a Juul is extensive enough to spark addiction. Curtis Pierce, a Bonny Eagle sophomore said, “If I had to stop I couldn’t, I’m definitely addicted.” 

         Juuling is not a cheap habit. The Juul starter kit is sold at the price of $50, and packs of so-called pods are $16 a pack, so it is quite pricey for high school students. You are supposed to be 21 to buy any Juul products, but underage teens still manage to get their hands on them. According to Business Insider, the Juul is the best selling e-cigarette on the market, generating over $224 million in sales within a year.  
           What are the health concerns? According to an interview with Carol Southard, R.N, in Women’s Health Magazine “Nicotine is extremely addictive and it can act as a neurotoxin and alter brain chemistry so the brain doesn't function normally without it. This can be especially harmful for teenagers whose brains are still developing” and “Teenagers who begin with e-cigarettes are more likely to transition to combustible cigarettes, putting them at higher risk for health issues”. In addition to the risk of addiction, Juuling has potential to cause other health problems. Because the Juul in particular has not been out long, experts are relying on previous vape research to convince teens to stop and think before they even start. According to Harvard Health “regular exposure to nicotine can lead to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes, and can increase your heart rate and blood pressure — two factors that can increase your risk for a heart attack.” And according to the US National Library of Medicine, “Nicotine may also impair brain development in adolescents, leading to problems like poor impulse control and attention deficit disorder.” 
          Recently Mrs. Lori Napolitano, principal of Bonny Eagle High School, sent out a letter to parents informing them of what vaping/Juuling is - explaining what vaping is. She felt this letter was important because most parents do not understand what Juuls and vapes are and how unhealthy a habit they can be. She ended the letter by saying: “Please help us keep these out of the hands of our students,” in the hopes that parents can be partners in helping to decrease the problem. As Mr.Tarr said “It is crucial to be educated on what Juuls and vapes are and their health consequences.”
​         So before you #doitforjuul, consider the consequences it may bring in the future. 
​

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