The Relationship Between Juul Dependence and Perceived Addiction

A recent study collecting data from a large, southwestern college in the US, aimed the determine the relationship between the participants’' self-reported addiction and measured JUUL dependence.

Diane Caruana

July 21, 2020

The study titled, “Addiction vs. Dependence: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Young Adult JUUL Users,” gathered data from 595 college students via a cross-sectional online survey, and 51 other students in-person interviews, between March-April 2019. The researchers aimed to determine whether the participants who used Juul regularly viewed the dependence as an addiction, whilst looking out for other substance use behaviour patterns.

“Participants who had a higher JUUL dependence were more likely to report addiction to several substances/products, including nicotine, JUULs, cigarettes, other e-cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana. Interview participants minimized JUUL addiction by comparing JUUL to other socially acceptable addictions and describing JUUL addiction as a habit. Interview participants suggested addiction to nicotine was more stigmatizing than JUUL,” read the study Abstract.

To this effect, concluded the researchers, social construction of self-reported addictions may be affecting the perceptions of young adults’ views of their dependence to JUUL.

The “cool” factor is the main motivator for teens to vape

Another recent study highlighting the social aspect of teen vaping was conducted by the University of Michigan. Unsurprisingly, this particular paper indicated that as was the case with cigarette smoking in the past, the main motivator behind teen vaping is the “cool” factor derived from using e-cigarettes, and of course it is widely known that Juul is considered the coolest kid on the block.

The researchers of the Michigan study, found that nearly two-thirds of the study participants teens said that the social aspects of vaping is what drives them to use Juul and other electronic devices. Less than 5% of the participants mentioned the availability of fruity flavours drives as a motivator.

“The message about the dangers of smoking tobacco was just getting through, and then vaping came along and we may now have a whole new generation addicted to nicotine,” said study author Tammy Chang. Published in JAMA Pediatrics, the MyVoice study responses were gathered via a text-message survey from teens and young adults between the ages of 14 and 24.