Apology from Juul CEO.

[Sazerac]

Here is an article from The Hill where

Juul Labs CEO,  Kevin Burns

apologized to parents of teenagers

in a new documentary for the vaping “epidemic” that has hit high schools across the country.

[Reciprocity]

OK so, that makes everything OK then.

Lining his pockets with cash while he provides a product that seduces a new generation into nicotine addiction.

Oops .... sorry about that folks!

Well done Kev!

 

[jillar]

I'm giving him props for apologizing on tv to parents. We've all done something that was wrong in varying degrees so that he's willing to apologize and probably risk his job for doing so goes a long way in my book.....

[Sazerac]

It is an empty apology,

they continue marketing to children

and now cranking up the nicotine for a new more addictive brew.

These are not decent human beings.

 

Here is a complete article from Vaping Daily, that highlights some of Juuls practices.

I've tried to excerpt the most salient points below

 

Nicotine Salts – A Big, Fat Fad or The Next Hit Thing?

The vaping industry has seen its fair share of innovations.

Like with everything else, some have been flops, but most seem to have stuck around.

Sub-ohm vaping is still going strong, as is high-powered vaping; even squonk devices are making a comeback.

 

Still, it’s sometimes difficult to differentiate between marketing ploys and real innovations,

as is the case with the most recent buzzwords in the vaping world.

Of course, we’re talking about nicotine salts.

 

Although the concept of vaping on something called nicotine salts

(or Nic Salts, as it’s abbreviated)

sounds a tad unappealing, the hype is pretty real.

We have the JUUL to thank for that –

their pods popularized nic salts, being arguably the strongest e-liquids out there

(50 mg nicotine liquids do pack a pretty punch, there’s no doubt about that).

 

Before we go into what nic salts are and what they are not (hint: they’re not crystals, so don’t worry),

let’s check out what vapers who’ve used them have to say about the upsides.

 

Benefits of Using Nicotine Salts:

They deliver more nicotine in a single puff,

which means that most smokers who are using e-cigs to quit can now save a substantial amount on vape juice.

 

Smokers are always searching for that something that’s like smoking, but not exactly it.

Using nic salts provides a sensation similar to smoking, even with small pocket-size devices.

 

In regular vape juice, as nicotine level goes up,

so does the subjective feeling of throat hit.

With nic salts, that sensation is curbed, which means that you can now vape on higher concentrations

without feeling like your throat is on fire.

 

In the last couple of years, vape devices have been growing in size.

 

Vapers who wanted top performance would often opt for larger and bulkier e-cigs.

There’s no need to do that anymore – nicotine salts work great in smaller devices, such as pod systems or small vape pens.

 

There are certainly benefits to using nicotine salts compared to regular e-liquids.

So, how come we haven’t heard about them before? Are they a recent breakthrough? And, what exactly ARE nic salts?

 

What Are Nicotine Salts Exactly?

Most vapers (and smokers, for that matter) never heard of nicotine salts before the recent buzz started.

However, this doesn’t mean that they haven’t been around for a pretty long time.

In fact, an argument can be made that nicotine salts are the only naturally-occurring nicotine out there,

and it would definitely hold water.

 

You see, not only do we not know a lot about nicotine salts (as consumers),

but we’re also woefully uneducated about nicotine itself.

It might come as a surprise to you, but tobacco leaves contain only nicotine salts, and no pure, freebase nicotine.

 

In tobacco leaves, nicotine is present in two distinct forms: diprotonated and monoprotonated.

What this means is that the nicotine bonds with certain acids in the plant to create a much more stable molecule.

When that bonding happens, the result is a nicotine salt.

There are different types of nicotine salts, depending on the acid involved in the whole process (citric, malic, lactic, and so on).

 

However, none of these salts are present in traditional cigarettes or regular vape juice,

which begs the question: how do we get regular nicotine?

 

The Difference Between Freebase Nicotine and Nic Salts?

Regular, or freebase nicotine, was invented by the tobacco companies back in the 1960s,

and it’s completely unprotonated.

 

In fact, it was Phillip Morris that spearheaded the research in this area

in order to make cigarettes stronger and more addictive.

 

By adding ammonia to the mix, PM ensured an increased potency of their tobacco blends.

If you’ve ever asked yourself where does the nicotine in an e-liquid come from,

there’s your answer – effectively, the whole vaping industry

is capitalizing on the discoveries made decades ago by Big Tobacco.

 

But, why go through all that trouble?

Nicotine salts, while stable and available organically, are not extremely bioavailable.

What this means is that they are not absorbed by the human body as readily,

and their addictive properties can’t compare with those of freebase nicotine.

 

Today, the nicotine that’s found is cigarette smoke is 100% freebase,

stripped of all its protons, and that increases its bioavailability dramatically.

This type of nicotine is also more lipid soluble,

which means that it crosses the blood-brain barrier quite easily, triggering a dopamine release

more effectively than nicotine salts normally would.

 

So, in a nutshell, while nic salts are organic and readily available,

they just weren’t addictive enough,

so the tobacco industry spent millions of dollars ‘improving’ the formula in order to hook more unsuspecting smokers.

 

If that’s the case, how come nicotine salts are coming back?

Do vape juice manufacturers know something that slipped by Phillip Morris’ vast research team? 

 

The study that сonducted on the difference between nic salts and protonated nicotine in aerosol

and how it can affect somebody.

It is a very dry and academic way to say that more studies are needed basically.

 

Why Are Nicotine Salts Gaining Momentum Again?

 

This new nic salt craze started way back in 2015 when PAX (manufacturer of JUUL pod vaping system)

patented a new formula to use in their JUUL pods.

Since PAX was marketing mostly to people looking to quit smoking, they were faced with a problem.

Traditional vaping is similar to smoking, but it’s not exactly like lighting up a cigarette.

The feel is not the same and, more importantly, the amount of nicotine that gets delivered

also falls short of that of combustible cigarettes.

 

Most regular vape juices are available in different nicotine strengths,

but you will rarely find anything that goes over 24 mg.

That’s because freebase nicotine is acidic, and therefore harsh on the throat.

Because of that, it would be almost impossible to vape a 50 mg nic vape juice on a vape device

that delivers a decent amount of vapor.

 

Still, new JUUL salts pods boasted around 59 mg of nicotine,

while providing an almost smooth vaping experience.

In addition to that, nicotine salts in these pods were as bioavailable as freebase nicotine found in combustible cigarettes.

How is that possible?

 

The answer lies in the type of acid that PAX used to create their particular nic salt.

 

We’ve already mentioned that different acids can be bonded to nicotine

and that the result will be a bit different with each one of those.

 

PAX used benzoic acid to create their patented nic salt

and tested it exhaustively to find out if it can rival the bioavailability of freebase nicotine.

 

Their research confirmed that that particular formulation worked great

– maximum concentration of nicotine in blood plasma

and the time needed to achieve it were both comparable to combustible cigarettes.

 

Although PAX was to create a stable nic salt that can be absorbed readily,

their solution had one additional interesting side-effect.

The addition of benzoic acid lowered the pH value of the vapor, resulting in a much smoother vape.

 

Essentially, PAX shot down two birds with a single stone,

creating one of the strongest e-liquids that can be enjoyed without suffering cough fits.

 

Which Devices To Use When Vaping Nicotine Salts?

Nic salts were created for a specific purpose – a strong nicotine hit from small, portable devices.

Pod systems, such as the JUUL, work great for them.

That said, you definitely don’t have to be a JUUL owner to use them.

Any lower-power device and tank setup will do the trick, so if you own a vape pen and an old M2L tank,

you can now put them to good use.

 

Owners of high-powered vape devices (aren’t we all at this point?) shouldn’t despair, though.

While vaping JUUL-type nicotine salts with your Alien 220 and a sub-ohm tank is not advisable,

this doesn’t mean that the process can’t be hacked a bit.

 

You can easily buy or make a lower concentration nicotine salt (around 18 mg)

and enjoy a reasonably smooth vaping experience and decent clouds,

all thanks to the fact that nic salts deliver less of a throat hit than regular vape juices.

 

Are Nicotine Salts Bad For You?

The persistent mainstream hysteria around vaping has taken its toll even on us,

so it’s only natural that we’re all wondering are nic salts safe at this point.

 

The truth is, they are as safe as freebase nicotine 

(which is relatively safe, if we don’t account for its addictive properties),

so, from a pure health and well-being oriented standpoint, there’s no extra reason for concern.

 

However, there are still a few points we’d like to stress here:

Nic salts are potentially more addictive – just by virtue of higher concentration,

these salts might be more addictive than regular vape juice.

That’s because they lead to higher nicotine blood content in a shorter amount of time,

triggering neurochemical reactions faster.

 

Effects of benzoic acid still under investigation

 – although arguably not extremely toxic to humans,

benzoic acid (used to create smooth nic salt vape juices) might still be a reason for concern. 

 

Some studies suggest that it can trigger coughing, while others state that it can cause pseudoallergic reactions.

As of now, we have no data on inhalation exposure, which something we hope will change in the near future.

 

Perceived harmfulness of nic salts 

– as always, the media might use this opportunity to pounce on vaping once again,

arguing that the manufacturers are ‘spiking’ vape juice to make it more addictive

(spins of this sort are not all that uncommon for our industry).

With the FDA’s recent announcement about reducing nicotine content in analog cigarettes,

this scenario is not totally unimaginable.

 

Shifting away from vaping being possibly harmful,

the FDA is now focusing on the effects of nicotine addiction and what can be done about it.

Aside from the benzoic acid, there is nothing inherently more addictive about nicotine salts.

 

We do expect with the recent shirt from the FDA

that we will be hearing more said about the effects of nicotine salts and addiction to them.

More studies are surely needed, but only time will tell if the government decides a crackdown on nic salts will happen.

the article

continues HERE

Published: March 1, 2018 Updated: April 5, 2019

 

Edited July 15, 2019 by Sazerac

[Reciprocity]

I'm wondering if they are breeding a new generation of people who will be SO addicted to high levels of nicotine that they may be unable to quit even if they want to at some point later on? Boy oh boy .... that would suck big time!

[Doreensfree]

Disgrace !!!!......these kids lungs are not even fully developed yet ....God knows what problems will rise later on .....so he thinks a sorry will make any difference to all the health issues later on ...Pillock.....

[notsmokinjo]

Doubly glad to be an Aussie after reading all this. Vapes have even stricter laws here than cigarettes...completely illegal in some states. I did have the discussion with the kid, basically she thinks it's even more stupid than smoking and smoking is about as stupid as you can get.

 

So they argue there product is a quit device, then how the hell do they justify making it more addictive...turn it up fellas, do they really think we're that stupid not to see it for what it is, a mad scramble to hang onto their dying cash cow.

[NADA]

 

Juul knew exactly who they were targeting from DAY ONE.

 

 

Disgraceful and criminal.  I hope some day soon this Burns guy is convicted of attempted murder. There really is no other way to look at what this campaign was aiming to do.

[jillar]

According to the tv program last night, Juul shut down their social media accounts and pulled their original ad after about six months. Was damage done, yes of course, and they acknowledged that by shutting down the accounts. They also pulled certain flavors that were appealing to youth off the market.

Let's not forget that we can blame the tobacco and vaping companies all we want but where are the parents in all this? And what about the store owners who are selling these products?

Unfortunately according to the tv program last night, you can purchase this stuff off EBay so that should be banned as well.

 

[NADA]

I refuse to be an apologist for these ruthless predators.  Juul started this deceitful social media campaign and realized it had become so entrenched in youth culture they could afford to pull away.

 

 

There are blame and accountability factors that can be cast far and wide.  But the lion's share of the responsibility rests with the manufacturers who make a product that serves no other purpose than to get people (mostly young ones) addicted to nicotine.  

[Sazerac]

'they' do the same with sugar.

Caffeine is another ubiquitous addictive substance.

Once you understand about addiction, you are enabled to be free of it, 

all of it,

if you choose to be.

 

 

 

[Sazerac]

More LIES just like Big Tobacco from Juul and some CNN Tele

 

(CNN)A Juul representative repeatedly told a ninth-grade classroom that the company's e-cigarette

was "totally safe" before showing underage students the device,

according to two teenagers who testified under oath to Congress on Wednesday.

The comments came at the first of two hearings organized by the House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy

to "examine [Juul's] responsibility for the youth nicotine addiction epidemic."

Company executives, including Juul's co-founder, will testify on Thursday.

One of the teens who testified on Wednesday, 17-year-old Caleb Mintz,

said a Juul representative spoke to his class as part a "mental health [and] addiction seminar" where teachers were asked to leave the room.

The representative mentioned his connection to Juul, Mintz said,

and the comments on e-cigarette safety were met with a "sigh of relief" among his classmates who were already vaping.

'Very disturbing behavior, to say the least'

In a statement, Juul said the presentation was part of a "short-lived Education and Youth Prevention Program

which was ended in September 2018 after its purpose -- to educate youth on the dangers of nicotine addiction -- was clearly misconstrued."

[notsmokinjo]

^^ how the hell!!!!!!

[Boo]

22 hours ago, Sazerac said:

More LIES just like Big Tobacco from Juul and some CNN Tele

 

(CNN)A Juul representative repeatedly told a ninth-grade classroom that the company's e-cigarette

was "totally safe" before showing underage students the device,

according to two teenagers who testified under oath to Congress on Wednesday.

The comments came at the first of two hearings organized by the House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy

to "examine [Juul's] responsibility for the youth nicotine addiction epidemic."

Company executives, including Juul's co-founder, will testify on Thursday.

One of the teens who testified on Wednesday, 17-year-old Caleb Mintz,

said a Juul representative spoke to his class as part a "mental health [and] addiction seminar" where teachers were asked to leave the room.

The representative mentioned his connection to Juul, Mintz said,

and the comments on e-cigarette safety were met with a "sigh of relief" among his classmates who were already vaping.

'Very disturbing behavior, to say the least'

In a statement, Juul said the presentation was part of a "short-lived Education and Youth Prevention Program

which was ended in September 2018 after its purpose -- to educate youth on the dangers of nicotine addiction -- was clearly misconstrued."

 

What kind of school has marketing guys or "brand ambassadors" coming in to make a sales pitch under the guise of a seminar?

 

And when asked to leave, the teachers left the room?

 

What the f**k?

 

I wouldn't expect any less from the Juul guys.  They're vultures that market addictive poison to young people, so while I still consider them to be human garbage, I'm not surprised by their behavior.

 

However, I would like to think that school administrators and teachers are looking out for their students best interests.  They failed the test in this case.

[Doreensfree]

How the hell this was allowed to happen beggars belief.....

This would never happen here.....it's not advertised at all......

Their lungs are still developing.....who knows what lasting damage is being done ...DISGRACE !!!!!

[garry mhudson]

Total BS. People should be held responsible this time around. Like, didn't we go through this before? We need to bring pressure on our locally elected officials (like they care) to do something about this crap.

[breath]

I remember debating about this topic 8 years ago. In those days it was starting to get traction vaping.

Most of us were vehemently opposed to vaping. I believe we were right.

 

Remember! Vaping has nothing to do with what this board stands for or FREEDOM.....

 

"Juuling" never heard of this word before.

Thought it was when two men had a pistol fight at dawn.

Profit always reinvents itself....unfortunately.

NOVE- NOT ONE VAPE EVER.

Edited December 31, 2019 by breath