Dear Parents,
Recently, you may have seen a news segment in KWQC TV6 or an article in the North Scott Press about the increase in “vaping” and “Juuling” among teens in the Quad Cities. For those unfamiliar with the terms, “vapes” and “Juuls” are types of electronic cigarettes that have recently become popular among middle school and high school students. Administrators at local high schools have estimated that 50 – 70% of their students have tried or are using Juuls.
Many people are under the impression that e-cigarettes are not harmful. While it is true that some “vapes” contain flavored water, they also contain many other harmful chemicals. A recent study stated that even these vapes contain diacetyl, a chemical that may cause “popcorn lung,” an irreversible condition that causes damage to the lungs and consistent coughing.
What are Juuls? Juuls are a brand of e-cigarette that contain high levels of nicotine. They are easy to conceal from parents, teachers, and school administrators as they look like flash drives for the computer and are odorless. One Juul “pod” contains 200 puffs, or the equivalent of a pack of 20 cigarettes. Just like a pack of cigarettes, it may take someone a day or a week to finish one. However, one student reported having a friend who goes through three pods every single day. Can you imagine? That’s the equivalent of smoking three packs of cigarettes a day. And just like cigarettes, Juuls can cause cancer. While the original vapes were designed to help people quit smoking, recent studies show that vaping and Juuling actually increase one’s likelihood of smoking cigarettes in those who had never smoked before.
Juuls have become attractive to students not only for the nicotine high, but also because they come in many flavors. Juuls are even able to be personalized, as with Iphone cases, making them pieces to show off and collect. Videos of teens doing tricks showing off different ways to blow the Juul smoke have arisen on social media and Twitter hashtags of “#Juulchallenge” are creating a game and popular topic of conversation among friends.
While we have not seen the numbers of students caught smoking vapes and Juuls in the magnitude cited by other local school officials, we are not immune to this epidemic at Assumption High School. Without question, our students are curious about this practice that has become so commonplace within their age group. Many have certainly tried these products, and some have surely fallen to the reality of regular use.
We as school officials and educators must work to assure that our families are informed about the dangers of these products. Studies show that “even good kids” are smoking Juuls on a regular basis because many feel like its “no big deal.” At Assumption, we are working at educating students with regard to the dangers of vaping and Juuling. We also hope, as the first educators of your child, that you will take the time to have a talk with your child about this. Below, I will link a few additional resources regarding vaping and juuling. Hopefully, this can be an opportunity for an open discussion with your student about healthy life choices. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Warmest regards,
Kelly Bush
Information from the CDC on e-cigarettes:
Popcorn lung:
https://www.lung.org/about-us/blog/2016/07/popcorn-lung-risk-ecigs.html
2 min. video explaining the Juul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NERcIsZXX3I
