Amid Vaping Controversy, Juul Use Rises Among Teens, Young Adults In 2019
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – Despite the ongoing controversies surrounding Juul e-cigarettes, a new study says the number of people using the San Francisco-based company's vaping products has been rising.
According to a study published Tuesday from anti-tobacco advocacy group Truth Initiative, the percentage of teens and young adults ages 15-34 who have used Juul more than doubled, from 6 percent in 2018 to almost 14 percent in 2019.
Among Juul users, those who used the device at least 10 out of the last 30 days increased from 26.1 percent in 2018 to 37.6 percent last year.
"As evidenced by these new findings, years of progress in the fight against youth tobacco have been reversed with millions of teens, most of whom were not smokers, now using a high nicotine tobacco product," Robin Koval, the group's president, said in a statement (.pdf).
Earlier this month, a study from UCSF found the company's products deliver significantly more nicotine to the blood per puff compared to competing e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes.
Last year, Juul became the subject of lawsuits and increased scrutiny from regulators due to the significant rise in teenage vaping. The company has responded by halting sales of flavors popular with teens, such as mint, mango, crème, fruit and cucumber.
The study was published in the journal JAMA Pedatrics.