“Take a hit, and you’ll see,” senior Sean Lee said as he explained why he believes JUULs, a brand-name e-cigarette, have recently gained prominence among students at Glenbrook North.

According to the JUUL Vapor website, JUULs are extremely slim, and they resemble a flash drive. In addition, they are easy to charge because they magnetically connect to a small USB, which can then readily be plugged into a computer.

JUULs are battery-operated and have five nicotine-based flavors. One JUULpod, the cartridge containing the nicotine liquid, contains 200 puffs and has a concentration of nicotine that is equivalent to a pack of cigarettes. 

Students caught using a JUUL or in possession of a JUUL on school grounds will receive punishment in accordance with the District 225 smoking policy, which may include a six-hour Saturday detention.

Junior Matthew Mueller said he has noticed the increased usage of JUULs at GBN.

“Many people [use JUULs] in the SAC,” said Mueller. “People just go into the corner and blow the smoke into their shirts, so you can’t really see it.”

Mueller said he has seen underage students repeatedly trying to sell JUULs in school to minors, which is illegal under Illinois law.

According to Jeanette Jordan, associate dean of students, there were a total of approximately six “vape infractions,” which includes students found with vaping devices and accessories, in the first semester of this year alone.

Junior Mitchell Wilson said high school students also use JUULs frequently to get a “buzz” in school.

“[I heard JUULs] make you feel good … and also have a better taste than regular e-cigarettes,” Wilson said.

Doug Arenberg, associate professor of medicine in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of Michigan, said conventional e-cigarettes contain less nicotine than one JUULpod.

However, he said the health effects of e-cigarettes are largely debated, and there is no evidence to prove that conventional e-cigarettes are healthier than JUULs.

Arenberg said the repeated advertising of e-cigarettes through the media prompts minors to try them, and with the development of the JUUL, nicotine intake among teenagers will only increase.

Lee said JUUL use has been accepted as a norm, thus encouraging more students to succumb to peer pressure to fit in.

“So many people have [JUULs] now, that it’s not special to see someone have one,” said Lee. “ … [They have] definitely become a trend.”