Juul V.S. The Rest of the Vaping Community

        The other night, I was tagged in an anti-Juul post. It was a lawfirm offering services to parents wishing to sue Juul for providing their children with nicotine products. The post sounds great for those who hate the concept of a company that has previously been on blast for accused marketing to younger crowds. However, all these attacks on the company are causing a major problem for the rest of the vaping community.


        Let me start this whole post off by explaining how vapers feel about this company:

• Juul popped up out of seemingly nowhere claiming to be the best way to get people off of tobacco products.
• Then they sold their company to a parent company of a major tobacco distributor.

   This doesn't make sense. I have sworn to never give anymore of my money to a company that knowingly puts dangerous and disgusting chemicals into a product they will be massively distributing across the globe. Don't they want their customers to live long enough to purchase more of their product? Why would I trust them to continuously produce a product that was created to make their other products obsolete? Hmmm....


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• The company is constantly creating problems for vape shops (that are usually owned and operated by small business owners).
• Proven fact: Juul has baited and condemned multiple shops under the guise of "not checking ID" and even "not recommending Juul over other products".

   I wish I was kidding, but being apart of numerous vape groups on social media, I see first hand accounts of Juul representatives playing the role of a "secret shopper". They go in and ask about Juul products or say something like "I am trying to quit cigarettes. What do you suggest?" Either way (even if, as it was in one case, the customer looks two steps away from retirement) if the shop in question does not immediately ask for I.D. (law says check if they appear over 21 most shops say over 30), the company is blacklisted from carrying Juul (ooh scary). Same thing happens if they recommend the Renova ZERO rather than immediately kissing up to an overpriced product.

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• The devices comes with disposable, pre-filled cartridges. 
• These cartridges are usually disposed of in the same fashion that cigarette butts are..... on the ground.                                          

       Beyond the litter these cartridges cause, the cost for the customer is outrageous! The device is usually sold in convenience stores for around $50. Then the pods (which are one time use only) come in a four pack for around $20. Makes you wonder how much they are charging wholesale price for the stores carrying their product. Depending on how much you use it, that pack might not even last a week. Considering each cartridge holds less than 1ml of liquid, you are better off getting a refillable pod instead.

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So what is the answer conscientious vapers came up with?

THE REFILLABLE POD SYSTEM!

{Left to Right: Smok Rolo Badge, Vapeccino Stick, Renova ZERO}

     These devices are refillable with an array of flavors to choose from. Nic salt is the most commonly used liquid with pods, however regular vape liquid can be used if high nicotine isn't needed. They come in multiple different shapes, sizes, and colors. Most of the pod devices are small enough for what we call "stealth vaping" (tiny clouds and easier to hide for people at work). Refillable pod devices are a great way to get off cigarettes and cost much less than a Juul in the long run. Just bought my husband a Uwell Caliburn, it's a stick shaped refillable pod, with terrific flavor, and crazy long battery life! Refillables are totally the way to go.


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CONCLUDING....

      No one in the vaping community wants people (let alone minors) to become addicted to nicotine. That's the reason most e-liquids are available without it. Although, it's becoming apparent that nicotine may not be as dangerous as we thought. In fact, some studies are comparing it to caffeine and those types of addictions. I would love to know which of the other 7,000 chemicals in cigarettes I may have been addicted to. That's the biggest reason that vaping isn't a demon that needs vanquished! Above the gum and patches, vaping is the singularly best way to get off of cigarettes. Even people who chew tobacco are finding a way out with these devices.
      There is more to vaping, however, than just getting off tobacco. The whole process can be a fun hobby for some adults. I, personally, love the big clouds to play with and amazing flavors I get from my vape. This community has full competitions for the devices being created. People like to make their own juice and some even make their own mods! I really believe that the hobby is what gets minors curious. Adults are having fun, so it must be cool. The same way teens think drinking alcohol is the coolest thing ever. Teens are just eager to be adults!
      Start teaching them how to pay bills and file taxes and maybe they will slow down a little.


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Back on topic... 

      While I openly display my own distaste for the Juul product and company, I hate to see any brand becoming the blame for child use. Most parents I know do the best they can to keep their children away from nicotine products, but the truth is it only takes one parent to give in or not care. If one teenager in a school has a way to get Juul or any other nicotine product, then the rest of the minors that come in contact with that kid are susceptible to that peer pressure. Much in the same way we were getting cigarettes as young as middle school age, and generations before mine were even younger. If each parent does everything they can to educate their children on the law and the dangers of peer pressure, well they could easily stop a lot of different things from getting into these minors' hands. Demonizing a product that is meant as a therapy to reduce tobacco consumption is harmful to the whole community.

     Now that we have this topic out of the way, I think we are due for some product reviews.
If you have any suggestions or requests, you can leave me a comment or head over to my Facebook page ( @thecloudmermaid ) and let me know there. Who knows, maybe you even make me feel special and hit the like button.



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