Is Juul Bad For You?
The side effects are damaging.
getty Smoking has always been addictive and epidemic, and that includes in younger generations. But now, with Juul, there’s another option out there versus traditional cigarettes. But is it a better option? Is Juul bad for you?
“Over the course of the last year, the number of high school students using tobacco products increased by about 38 percent, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found,” says Dr. Ryan Neinstein. “In 2018, nearly 21 percent of high school students, or 3 million, vaped, many using the Juul.”
Rather than adults trying to quit smoking, young people who have never picked up a cigarette are now using Juul in record numbers.
According to Dr. Neintein, “Nicotine is a highly addictive substance and can cause immediate harmful side effects in young people’s developing brains and bodies.” There is also some evidence that nicotine exposure may prime the developing brain to become more sensitive to substance use disorders later.
Trying to quit nicotine can lead to serious withdrawal symptoms, including nervousness, restlessness, anxiety, sleepiness, and fatigue. But there are also other adverse effects of juuling and nicotine.
1. Premature aging
Dr. Neinstein warns, “Given the dryness that occurs in the skin as a response to the skin’s nicotine receptors being activated, we are now seeing earlier evidence of wrinkling and aging than would have been predicted based on genetics and sun exposure.”
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2. Skin issues
The adverse effects of tobacco on the skin are well known, but the role of nicotine is more controversial. A single JuulPod is about five percent nicotine, which is the same amount of nicotine found in a pack of cigarettes.
“We have all seen the yellowing of nails and teeth in chronic smokers along with early and deep wrinkling of the face,” Dr. Neinstein advises.
3. Health concerns
According to Dr. Neinstein, “Nicotine has been studied recently given the rise of vaping, and the verdict is coming in that just like tobacco, it can have many disastrous effects on the body’s organs and skin.”
4. Impaired immune system
Studies have shown that early degenerative changes in the lungs and cardiovascular system are common in young people. And as Dr. Neinstein says, “This manifests with reduced immunity, frequent colds, chronic cough, and shortness of breath.”
Aly Walansky is a NY-based lifestyles writer. Her work appears in dozens of digital and print publications regularly. Visit her on Twitter or email her at alywalansky@gmail.com.