For the Gazette

PORTAGE COUNTY — County health officials are getting the word out about the perceived dangers of “juuling”.

Considered the latest vaping craze, “JUUL” is a new type of e-cigarette that has recently become popular among youth and is notorious for its high nicotine content. According to the JUUL website, each JUULpod is designed to contain 5 percent nicotine at the time of manufacture, which is approximately equivalent to one pack of cigarettes, or, 200 puffs.

Portage County Health and Human Services warn that arguably more concerning are the ways that JUUL is appealing to youth.

“With flavors such as cool mint, fruit medley, and mango, it can be hard to resist the urge to try this product. Additionally, YouTube tutorials about “hiding your JUUL in school” should be concerning to parents and teachers alike.” claimed one official.

Legally, the purchase, possession, and use of JUUL is illegal for minors under 18 and the JUUL website, where you can purchase products, requires the purchaser to be 21 years of age. However, despite the legality of owning and using JUUL, minors are still finding ways to access and use this product.

Due to JUUL’s sleek design, it’s difficult for parents and teachers to know what JUUL is just by looking at it (JUUL’s design resembles a flash drive, and is even chargeable in a computer USB port).

Despite the alarming increase in popularity of JUUL, the Wisconsin Wins program, which launched in 2002, offers a comprehensive approach to prevent youth access to tobacco products, such as JUUL.

Tobacco sale compliance checks are performed annually at tobacco retailers with underage youth. Each time a clerk checks an ID and refuses to sell to a minor, they are helping to prevent a possible addiction to tobacco.