Electronic cigarettes: you know them, you might use them, and if you do, chances are it’s a JUUL.
Saint Joseph’s University students are no exception to the recent craze over e-cigarettes. Some students have expressed their opinions on The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) statement threatening the sale of JUUL products.
The product’s increase in popularity has raised concerns within the FDA, specifically regarding the alarming use of e-cigarettes among minors. The FDA stated that the issue has reached “an epidemic proportion,” and offered the distributors of JUUL 60 days to prove they can keep their devices out of the hands of minors.
“By working together, we believe we can help adult smokers while preventing access to minors, and we will continue to engage with the FDA to fulfill our mission,” said a JUUL Labs company representative in an email to Business Insider.
JUUL’s disconcerting following has alarmed many college campuses and schools across the country. Just last year, Kent State University banned the use of e-cigarettes from their campus, despite the fact that the majority of students are of legal smoking age.
Saint Joseph’s University sophomore Delaney Flynn sat down to share her thoughts on the ban.
“For college campuses, no one’s even underage. So for them to ban e-cigarettes, it just makes no sense,” said Flynn.
This is understandable, right?
Young people partaking in this new phenomenon should not negatively affect responsible adult smokers. However, there are others who view the issue differently.
“I think it is low-key kind of a good thing. I mean as a person who is extremely addicted to my JUUL, I wish I never had the opportunity to buy it in the first place. I never even smoked cigarettes before, but now I am addicted to nicotine,” said junior Melissa White.
So what is the solution? Should the FDA risk banning e-cigarettes for everyone if it means that young people will stop using them? Should colleges stop the use of these products on their campus?
“The problem isn’t about adults smoking on college campuses or elsewhere. The problem is that young kids are illegally getting their hands on electronic cigarettes. That’s what we should be focusing on,” said Flynn.
