NYC comes for your Juul flavored pods

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082019vape.jpg "src =" http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_arts_john/082019vape.jpg "width =" 640 "height =" 427 "/><br /><i> (Aleksandr Yu / Shutterstock)</i></div> <p> </span></p> <p>Grant Fuhrman, a freshman at a private high school in New York, worries about his classmates. He estimates that about a quarter of them are hooked to Juul. They do it in the classroom, exhaling in their sleeves or their backpacks. They blow clouds in the bathrooms. They circulate memories on Instagram and elsewhere, such as this petition to remove the toilets Juul Rooms, which would be quite funny, if it is that Fuhrman says know a student of 5 years, Juuls.</p> <p>"It's totally endemic," proclaims the 14-year-old. "Smoking is what your parents or grandparents are doing, Vaping is the new thing on the hip." Indeed, more than 3 million high school students reportedly used electronic cigarettes in 2018, a surprising increase of 78% over the previous year. </p> <p>We find ourselves in a SoHo pocket park, where Fuhrman's mother helps organize a rally in front of the headquarters of 6th Avenue in Juul, with about a dozen other members of PAVE (Parents Against Vaping E-Cigarettes) .</p> <p>The group was formed by a trio of worried mothers from Manhattan who feared that their teenage sons would be drawn into the phenomenon. This summer, they testified before the Congress about Juul's allegedly misleading marketing practices, claiming that the company had used Big Tobacco-style practices to perpetuate "the most serious public health crisis of adolescents that the country has been facing for years. decades. " (Juul is 35% owned by the manufacturer of Marlboro, Altria.)</p> <p>At the center of their concerns, a bill in the City Council would ban the sale of cigarettes and flavored electronic pods in the five boroughs. The bill has attracted 21 co-sponsors since its introduction earlier this year. It does not yet have a hearing date, but is currently following the legislative process, according to President Corey Johnson, himself a recent convert from Juul. </p> <p>"Flavored electronic cigarettes allow a generation of children to consume nicotine without tobacco," said a spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio at Gothamist. "It is time we said enough, and we do our part to protect the health and safety of our children."</p> <p>Mark Levine, the main sponsor of the bill, said the bill only focuses on the flavors "we know how to hook children", adding that "no one is talking about a general ban on vaping". In fact, some localities <em>are</em> begins to talk about such drastic measures, after San Francisco took the unprecedented initiative to ban all the city's vows earlier this summer. </p> <p>Although the municipal council act is not limited to a total ban, it could have costly consequences for the vape sector, a $ 2.5 billion company in the United States. For Juul, this would prevent them from selling the popular mint pods in the stores. Other e-cigs suppliers, who sell aromas like bubble gum or chocolate cake, will see the vast majority of their stock be banned. A defender of the vape compared the proposal to "Armageddon". </p> <p><center></p> <blockquote class=

Earlier in the morning, Parents Against Vaping E-Cigarettes (PAVe) held a rally in front of the Juul's Soho headquarters to call for the ban on flavored pods, including mint. Angry vape advocates showed up and interrupted pic.twitter.com/DrrgCAvM4S

– Jake Offenhartz (@jangelooff) August 20, 2019

After the press conferences, a press representative from Juul led the reporters to a handful of "money changers" – people who could talk about the impact that the bill would have on their lives.

Michael Bowers, owner of two vape shops in Westchester, said that many of his older customers were attracted to the flavors in order to escape the smell and taste of cigarettes. Greg Conley, president of the American Vaping Association, called the proposal "modern prohibition," similar to the laws against marijuana.

The pro-vape crowd is stationed at the edge of the rally, sometimes arguing over their opponents. When Meredith Berkman, co-founder of PAVE, spoke about opinions related to a recent wave of "vapotage" hospitalizations, a member of a consumer rights group called Vaping Legion interrupted to blame the unregulated THC cartridges.

"We do not even know what these kids are eating," Berkman said. "We do not want our children to be human guinea pigs." The Center for Disease Control notes that Juuls contain very high levels of nicotine, which is not itself a carcinogen, but can still harm young brains. The aerosol used by Juul and other electronic e-cigarette manufacturers also contains harmful ingredients, although much less than traditional fuel cigarettes.

Juul has been saying for years that his steam products are aimed exclusively at helping adult smokers get rid of this habit. They admit that "flavored products that appeal to adults may also appeal to young people", but are committed to taking a series of initiatives to address this problem. The menthol-free and tobacco-free flavors such as Mango and Creme are no longer available in retail stores, for example, and the company has closed its accounts on Facebook and Instagram ("Children are marketing with memes , "says Fuhrman.)

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the company said that they had never sold their products to young people. "We do not want or need new users without nicotine.Our market is made up of more than one billion adult smokers worldwide who should have the opportunity to switch to steam – based products. they want it, "said the spokesman.

Children and parents say that it is not enough. "Everyone starts with flavored pods," notes Phillip Fuhrman, Grant's 16-year-old brother, who claims to have become addicted to mint, before his mother finds her hiding place and forces her to leave. . "Nicotine weaning is so difficult to bear."

According to Fuhrman, as long as flavored pods are available to adults, underage children will find a way to get their hands on it: "When you tell a teenager not to do something, it just makes them want to do more. "

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