Most people these days think that e-cigarettes, such as Juuls or vapes, are a suitable alternative to smoking real cigarettes, but they can be just as dangerous.

It took scientists many years to realize that smoking cigarettes was the cause of many diseases. It’s obvious now, with all the warnings, that smoking is bad for you, but back then it was seen as a part of growing up. Most medical books did not have much on the subject, so people were not aware that smoking caused many health problems (i.e. lung disease, asthma, cancer, and heart disease). This is because it contains nicotine. Nicotine is a chemical that is dangerous, not because it causes cancer, but because it is very addictive. It makes you want to smoke more and more, and the more you smoke, the more you damage your health. Anything with nicotine can cause you to grow a dependency and make it very hard to quit. There are more than 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke; 250 of them are known to be harmful, and at least 69 can cause cancer.

When electronic cigarettes first came out, they were meant as a way of letting people smoke in public without offending others. They didn’t smell too bad, and they have different flavors so the smoke would not be too foul smelling. A Juul or a vape pen is just another name for an e-cigarette. It is a sleeker-looking version of an e-cigarette, but just because it seems less dangerous does not mean there is no risk. Juuls and vapes all have nicotine in them, though some do not have a lot, but this does not change the fact that it is still addictive.

Nicotine is absorbed very quickly in the bloodstream, and within ten seconds it reaches your brain and causes the release of adrenaline and energy, which is what makes it addictive. Each Juul pod has 5% nicotine, which is identical to smoking one pack of cigarettes. There are side effects to vaping, such as dry skin, rashes, and bloody-nose issues.

Though it may not seem like much, remember that it took doctors years to realize that smoking a cigarette could cause you to pay the ultimate price, so we may just not now the complete effects of vaping yet, but in a couple of years, it could be discovered that vaping causes a lot of health problems and is no better than smoking a cigarette.

In an interview with our own medical expert Mrs. Berry, she said, “Just because it is flavored does not mean it is good for you.” She also told us how they are more dangerous than they seem, explaining how sharing them can spread diseases such as herpes or foot and mouth disease.

Finally, she warns how the vaping industries are making money off getting you addicted to their product. Buying Juuls, like cigarettes, causes you to waste a lot of money. Juuls are about $35, and to buy the replaceable pods is $16 each. That is a lot of money to be wasting on something that could quite possibly damage your health.

As for Somerset, there is an absolutely zero tolerance policy for anyone caught smoking in school, and there will be very serious consequences.