JUULibition

Abstract

For most daily smokers there is a sense in long term health benefits from switching over to electronic cigarettes. New technological advances in the e-cig field make it for easier, cooler and more respectful public smoking. Vaping systems, e-cigarettes and JUULs are becoming the standard form of healthier decision making. Electronic cigarettes of one form or another are incentivized to use due to is practicality, "safety" and sleek designs. JUULs are the e-cigs of the year as they look like a USB thumb drive, charge on USB power and emit a taste of ones own preference, ranging from strawberry to mint and anything in between. Users prefer using for the taste and how it is more accepted throughout society, but it is putting the user at equal or higher risks. Through the use of empirical data and studies we can infer the use of electronic cigarettes put users at higher risks, yet it is still a growing field with 3.7% of American adult populations "vaping" in 2014. 12.6% of the adult population in America have stated to have tried an e-cigarette at least once in their life. Equating to more than 9 million adults using e-cigarettes regularly in the United States. Electric cigarettes can cause more harm than good due to the incentives they give smokers. The accessibility and ease of use of e-cigs may lead to increased consumption over time. E-cigs are marketed as a healthy alternative to smoking, so consumers are incentivized to smoke more. This leads to my research questions: are e-cigs and comparable products valuable substitutes for smokers? As well as will users make a decisions on which product to use through neoclassical or behavioral economical theories? Considering the effects e-cigs have on a users, relative to tobacco cigarettes, I hope to find that these e-cigs are a safer substitute, therefore also leading to a behavioral theory.