Release of e-cigarette with twice the nicotine has gained popularity among Cal students

A new vapor is in the air and spreading through Cal High like a wildfire.

The new e-cigarette called Juul has caught the attention of many Cal students.

With the new release of this e-cig – which contains more than twice the amount of nicotine than the standard e-cigarette – police and teachers have been cracking down on students left and right.

“I have students coming in my office weekly for vaping,” said San Ramon police Officer Jeff Kim, Cal’s on-campus School Resource Officer. “It’s illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to vape and is illegal for everyone to smoke on campus.”

But many students on campus own a Juul. It’s easy for teens to buy e-cigs online because there is no real regulation. Deliveries are just left at the door 95 percent of the time, according to a 2014 article in Time magazine.

Many students are drawn to vaping devices because they are designed to look discreet: compact and inconspicuous.

Huffington Post reports that some devices such as Cloud 2.0 and microG are vape pens that are marketed as unnoticeable.

Additionally, most e-cigs come in many flavors, such as Miint (menthol), Fruut (peaches, grapes and berries), Tabaac (American tobacco) and Coco Miint (chocolate and peppermint).

Unlike normal vape pens, Juul’s vapor is less noticeable.

In fact, e-cigarette companies promote their products by claiming the Juul vapor is more discreet.

With the slick design, many flavors, and its ability to be easily disguised, students are more likely to be intrigued by it.

“I have three friends that got suspended for smoking Juul on campus,” an anonymous senior said.

A 2016 survey conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than one-third of 17,000 high school and middle school students polled have tried e-cigarettes.

No one can tell what is in the liquid vapor of e-cigs just by looking at them.

According to Huffington Post, vaping devices are compatible with marijuana, THC liquids, cocaine and other drugs.

The liquid is unidentifiable by the naked eye, and it creates a danger for users who may not be completely aware of what’s inside Juul.

“Vaping can cause popcorn lungs,” said Kim.

The name popcorn lungs may sound comical, but it’s actually a serious condition.

According to the American Lung Association’s website, microwave popcorn used to have a chemical in it called diacetyl, which causes bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as popcorn lung.

Although diacetyl was removed from microwave popcorn decades ago, this chemical is commonly found in e-cigarettes, according to the ALA website.

Popcorn lung is a serious lung disease that causes scarring of tiny hair sacs in the lungs and potentially cause airways to become narrow, according to the ALA website. Side effects include coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.