Be Cool, Don't Juul

The Gallatin County Health Department banned using electronic vape products indoors on Oct. 25. Vaping in these areas now qualifies as a misdemeanor and can earn its perpetrator fines between $25 and $500, depending on the circumstances. The ban has been added to the Clean Indoor Air Act (CIAA), a policy that seeks to eliminate all smoking within enclosed public places and workplaces. The CIAA is intended to protect both public and individual health through promoting toxin-free air.

There has been a great deal of public backlash against the new ban, particularly from vape shop owners who claim that their product is dependent upon a “try before you buy” policy. Curiously, purveyors of cigarettes don’t seem to have the right to speak out in the same way.

Despite the fact that they contain an addictive substance, e-cigarettes are becoming more accepted in American society. They’re seen as a healthier, less addictive form of smoking that doesn’t hurt anyone in the vicinity. That false portrayal is precisely why they are so dangerous, particularly in the college community.

MSU has a tobacco-free policy that prevents all forms of smoking in accordance with the CIAA. This policy prohibits the use and sale of tobacco anywhere on MSU campus. However, this policy only appears to apply to physical tobacco products. While cigarettes are a rare sight, vapes seem to be on every corner.

Vapes, particularly the popular brand known as JUULs, contain a double hit of danger: a public persona of harmlessness alongside a “cool” design.

Vapes do have fewer toxic chemicals than cigarettes, but that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement. It’s important to note that many vapes contain toxins like antifreeze or formaldehyde, as well as carcinogens. However, the greatest hazard of vapes is not their chemical content, but their astoundingly high levels of nicotine. One JUUL pod is the equivalent of an entire pack of cigarettes.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, vaping is becoming an epidemic among American teenagers, whose developing brains are more vulnerable to nicotine and its harmful side effects. The higher levels of nicotine in vapes and their secondhand vapors could prove even more destructive than cigarettes.

Young adults see vapes as a fashionable way to get their fix. The millennial generation has been coached thoroughly on the dangers of cigarettes, but there are no PSAs or drawn-out health class lectures about vapes. Instead, in a classic example of the bandwagon effect, young adults see everyone vaping without any blatant negative consequences, and they start doing it, too.

The association of vapes with celebrities like Logic and Katy Perry helps boost their “cool” factor while reducing attention to the science regarding their dangers. In addition, the sleek, flash-drive-like design of JUULs and their variety of flavors make them more appealing to young adults craving societal approval and attention.  

In short, the Gallatin County Health Department’s ban is a step in the right direction. However, there’s a long way to go before the dangers of e-cigarettes are truly recognized. In the meantime, let’s counteract the societal view on vapes through making smoking bad for you again.