As the FDA cracks down on JUUL in the midst of a vaping illness epidemic, CivicScience studied JUUL and other e-cigarette use. 

While JUUL is trying to reestablish its marketing product messaging as a way to eliminate cigarettes, the study shows that Gen Z has adopted JUUL at a significantly higher rate than any other generation, likely for reasons other than quitting smoking.

Overall, 8% of Americans 18 and older have already tried JUUL e-cigarettes, and another 2% plan to.

And to JUUL’s credit, many Americans who have tried (or intend to try) its products are indeed cigarette smokers, but more than half of those who use JUUL products are not.

In fact, only 38% of those surveyed about vaping e-cigarettes at large said they vape to quit smoking.

When age comes into focus, it’s clear JUUL e-cigarettes are being used by people who haven’t spent decades smoking. In fact, Generation Z has tried JUUL at a 600% higher rate than Americans aged 55 and above, and nearly 20% of Generation Z has positive things to say about the experience.

JUUL is a man’s world. Men have tried – or intend to try – JUUL at a higher rate than women.

City-dwellers are more likely to have tried or intend to try JUUL than suburbanites and rural Americans, but only slightly so.

Overall, Americans are very to somewhat concerned about the recent spike in vaping-related illnesses in the US.

Cutting this by age, Gen Z adults are the least concerned about this, yet the most likely to have tried JUUL.

While it’s not clear that JUUL’s products have caused these illnesses, it’s worth stating that the results are concerning considering the vaping demographic especially since JUUL’s CEO said in a statement that their product was not meant for non-smokers and has unknown health risks.

America’s youth are the prime users of the product, whether it’s being marketed that way or not.