When the popular vaping device Juul first came out, there was a lot of confusion about what was actually in it and how safe it was. The product completely took off and before long, kids started using it. Due largely in part by the fun, fruity flavors of the pods themselves, a popular misconception was created that there were no health risks for using the product.
What many didn’t know at the time was that the pods contain the amount of nicotine that is in a full pack of traditional cigarettes. Thus, many young people that had never used nicotine before began getting hooked on the products. Now the CEO of Juul, Kevin Burns, is making a surprising statement about the company, according to Business Insider .
Although the original purpose of the Juul was to help adult smokers quit the habit, it’s been highly misused. In an interview on Thursday, Burns actually warned against the products and revealed that he doesn’t use them himself. Burns emphasized that people who aren’t currently smokers that are trying to quit should not use the product.
“Don’t vape. Don’t use Juul. Don’t start using nicotine if you don’t have a preexisting relationship with nicotine. Don’t use the product,” he said.
While the vape giant doesn’t promote the use of their products by minors, they’ve been accused of using marketing that appeals to the younger generation. The flavors themselves, for example mango, cool mint and fruit medley, have attracted youth with their tasty sounding names and visually appealing packaging.
The company has been under fire a lot lately as more and more reports continue to emerge that suggest the use of the Juul could be linked to seizures and other health problems. The FDA has been trying for years to restrict the sales of these product and potentially even remove the fruity flavored pods from the shelves.
Juul CEO tells non-smokers not to vape or use his company’s product https://t.co/sGE1lXCrLE pic.twitter.com/VzJJSrLF5A
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 29, 2019
While Burns doesn’t think people should pick up the habit of vaping unnecessarily, he does believe that those that do want to ditch cigarettes should have the option to vape instead.
He pointed out that there are “1 billion adult smokers worldwide who should have the opportunity to switch to vapor products if they so desire.”
Of course, one of the primary concerns with Juul products is that because they are so new, medical professionals don’t yet really know how they will effect the body, and particularly the lungs, long term.
