Sounding alarm on controversial new e-cigarette Juul
Tiny liquid cartridge packs as much nicotine as full pack of cigarettes
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WPVI) -- Anti-smoking activists are sounding the alarm about a new e-cigarette that's all the rage with middle and high schoolers.
Juul is slim, small, and looks more like a computer flash drive, making it easy to hide and bring into schools.
In less than 2 years, Juul has grabbed 50% of the electronic cigarette market.
It's widely advertised at convenience and corner stores.
With flavors like mango and fruit medley, 63% of Juul users don't realize it contains nicotine, which can harm an adolescent's developing brain.
But the Truth Initiative says it is powerfully addictive.
"This little pod, that you stick in, like that, has all the nicotine of an entire pack of cigarettes," said Robin Koval, president and CEO of Truth Initiative.
The FDA has promised action soon on Juul, but the group says parents need to educate kids about it now.
With the lightning popularity of products like Juul, Truth Initiative worries that the hard-fought success of reducing smoking rates among young people will be lost.
Philadelphia has the higher youth smoking rate of major U.S. cities.
