Here’s how Juuls work. For $15, juulers—or people who use Juuls—purchase four tiny “pods” filled with a liquid. The liquid, called “juice,” contains nicotine, flavoring, and other chemicals.
The Juul heats up the juice in the pod to create a vapor, which is what juulers inhale. The nicotine is what makes them come back for more.
Nicotine is the chemical in cigarettes that makes people addicted, and Juuls deliver a lot of it: Each pod contains as much nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes.
Nicotine is a powerful drug that changes your brain. Your body becomes accustomed to a regular dose: Take it away and you’ll feel sick. You’ll get headaches, and you might have difficulty sleeping. Chances are you’ll feel restless and anxious.
What happens when juulers can’t quit? No one knows. E-cigarettes have been around for only about 15 years, so it’s hard to predict the long-term dangers. According to most scientists, e-cigarettes are less dangerous than tobacco cigarettes, but the chemicals in e-cigarettes may cause cancer.