Cigarettes were a huge issue in the past. Most people hadn’t known that cigarettes were bad for them, so they’d smoke on a regular basis. The foul smoke filled lungs, streets, and even some homes. E-cigarettes have been around for longer than most people think. A lot of people now are smoking E-cigarettes, because ever since they came out around 2003, they are thought to be better than normal cigarettes. Just recently, the number of electronic cigarettes have reached into an epidemic, according to the FDA.

            Juuls hit the market not too long ago. Teens and young adults have gotten their hands on the device. They are in the shapes of USB drives. They are chargeable and even can be put into a computer posing as the real thing. These machines do have traces of nicotine and other substances that a cigarette has. Making them illegal for those under 18. Still, many teens are able to obtain the Juuls. Deputy Wollcott stated, “Friends over 18” give the teens their Juuls. They then “sell it for profit” to other people wanting the devices.

            Peer pressure and the media are huge influences on students. In most cases, they don’t want to lose their friendship. So some people choose to smoke whether they want to or not. “They do it because their friends do it,” said Deputy Wollcott.

            Even with all the negative influences on teens, it is still possible to stay tobacco free. Deputy Wollcott decided to stay smoke-free though his entire family had smoked. “I chose not (to smoke)”.