Let me Juul in peace
Sure, it may be bad for you. Alright, it may lead to nicotine dependency and addiction. OK, it is more harmful for you and one Juul pod contains the same amount of nicotine as a pack of cigarettes.
But these are all risks I’m willing to take.
The use of e-cigarettes and vaping has skyrocketed since they first hit the market, and Juul is by far the most profitable brand. Juul Labs has made more than $1 billion in 2018 alone, which has surpassed all e-cigarettes and tobacco brands.
I bought my Juul in December 2018, and I’ve been using it every day since. I wouldn’t quite call it an addiction, but it’s something I enjoy doing.
Now, it seems like the world is against me.
Left and right, I see social media posts about Juuling and about people who Juul. I see the signs all over my campus that say you’re not supposed to use e-cigarettes and I see the flavors available to purchase in stores become very limited.
If you are interested in picking up a quick addiction, it’s gonna cost you both time and money. I’ve only had two of the flavors made by Juul because the rest are only sold in smoke shops or online.
The reasoning for this stems from the finger of blame among teen nicotine usage being pointed at Juul. Many people, both above and below 18, have started vaping in the past few years.
The obvious solution, from the geniuses on Capitol Hill, was to not allow gas stations and other places of businesses to sell flavored Juul pods unless the store only sells to people over 21.
If you wish to purchase the fruit-flavored Juul pods at a smoke shop, you have to find a smoke shop and pray they have them. If you want to purchase them online, be prepared to pay an extra $7 for shipping on each order.
Both of these seemed like ridiculous options, so I opted for the mint flavor, which is available at many gas stations. It’s not great, but it tastes smooth and has a very discreet smell that doesn’t make it seem like you’re doing much of anything at all.
But then comes the bureaucracy of it in schools.
In 2016, right before I enrolled at Florida Gulf Coast University, I saw that FGCU had recently become a smoke-free campus. The motto is “Eagles care for clean air.”
When using my Juul, there’s no smoke involved. There’s some vapor involved, but absolutely no smoke.
According to toxicologist Maciej Goniewicz, there are over 60 known carcinogens in cigarette smoke, while “in vapor, we find just a few of these, at much lower levels.”
No chance of starting a fire. No smell of cigarettes. No need for ashtrays. No need for designated smoking areas. No second-hand smoke.
But for some reason, I’m not able to use my Juul.
I cannot use it in my class. I cannot use it on the grass. I cannot use it with my spouse. I cannot use it in my house.
And that’s bullshit.
Juuls were made to be discrete and able to use anywhere. And by putting restrictions on this, it infringes my rights.
I’m not harming anyone by doing it, and I’m not causing any effect to the environment around me. Sure, I’m hurting myself by using it, but don’t we all have our guilty pleasures?
Some people have eating problems, but there’s no restrictions on where and what you can eat.
As a responsible 21-year-old adult, I should be able to have the freedom to do as I please as long as it does not harm others. I should be able to eat and drink what I want, and I should be able to choose my form of recreation and hobbies.
If I want to fill my time with bowling, let me roll in peace. If I take up a hobby in stamp collecting, don’t restrict my rights to collect stamps.
I’m responsible enough to admit I have a problem, and I’m responsible enough to deal with the consequences of what I’m putting in my body. Don’t restrict my rights, and please, just let me Juul in peace.
