E-Cigarettes Shaped Like USB Drives: How to Spot Your Teen With One

February 20, 2020 | Firm News

Recognizing a vaping device may not be as easy as you would think. Some are disguised as pens and other everyday items. New e-cigarettes that are very popular among youth are shaped like USB drives, known as JUUL devices. The JUUL has become a sensation due to its portability, discreteness, and the fact that it can be easily hidden from both parents and teachers while in plain sight. Unfortunately, people have been dying from vaping and juul lawsuits have risen.

USB drives look like juul 

What Do JUUL Devices Look Like? 

The e-cigarette manufactured by JUUL Labs is designed to look like a USB drive, and can fit inside the palm of your hand. They can even be plugged into the USB port on a computer to charge. There are no buttons or switches, just disposable snap-on nicotine juice cartridges called “pods,” making them difficult to catch. The devices come in black, gray, or silver, but they can be customized with one of the hundreds of “skins” or decals that are available online.

A JUUL works by converting liquid nicotine into an aerosol that the user then inhales. They’re battery-operated and intend to provide a similar stimulus to that of smoking regular cigarettes. The vapor cloud they produce is very small and dissipates quickly, so parents and teachers are usually unable to detect them. Especially if your teen is in their room, or when at school, blowing the vapor into their sweater or backpack while a teacher isn’t paying attention. Some schools have banned the use of flash drives, so that teachers or administrators are able to spot JUUL devices. 

Signs that Your Teen May be JUULing 

Finding Unfamiliar Items

Be on the lookout for and examine items shaped like USB drives, even if they are not a solid color, and for disposable pods. The pods have a see-through piece where you can see the nicotine juice, or e-juice, unless it is empty. You may also find 30mL dropper bottles of Nicotine Salts E-Liquids to refill the cartridges. The cartridge oils can leave behind a sticky residue. JUUL charging docks plug into a USB port, then the device is set on the magnetic dock to charge. These can plug into any USB port, such as on a phone adapter, computer, or PlayStation. 

Behavioral Changes

JUULing can result in mood swings, impulsivity, agitation, secretiveness, memory loss, inability to concentrate and anxiety. In an attempt to conceal their activities, your teen may also be noticeably aware of where their backpack, and possibly car keys, are at all times. 

Physical Changes

You may catch subtle whiffs of fruity odors, since many teens who JUUL vape fruity-flavored e-juice. Your teen may also have a frequent cough and begin having trouble breathing while playing sports or during other physical activities. Nicotine can also produce changes in the brain, which may result in poor performance in athletic or academic performance. Nicotine can cause nausea or vomiting, then eventually suppress appetite, possibly leading to weight loss. 

Online Purchases

Parents should pay attention to any online purchases by their teen or packages that arrive in the mail for them. While the legal age is 18 in some states and 21 in others, for purchasing a JUUL device, many kids are able to order them through websites. Typically, by simply checking a box to verify they are of the legal age. 

If you have discovered your teen has a JUUL device, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created a tip sheet for parents on how to speak with their child about vaping. 

How We Can Help

Our mass tort lawyer‘s goal is to hold e-cigarette companies like JUUL accountable for their marketing practices towards children, and any harm they cause. If you or your child has developed an injury from JUULing, contact the Dunken Law Firm. We can discuss your options for compensation in a free consultation.