The Vapes of Wrath

Update: 2024-06-21

Digest

This episode of Planet Money delves into the complex story of the Jewel e-cigarette, a device that became a cultural phenomenon but also sparked a public health crisis. The episode begins with a White House meeting in 2019 where President Trump attempted to address the growing concern over youth vaping. The meeting, however, quickly devolved into a shouting match, highlighting the deep divisions surrounding the issue. The episode then traces the origins of Jewel, a company founded by two Stanford students who saw an opportunity to create a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes. Jewel's success was fueled by its ability to market flavored vape liquids and its operation in a regulatory gray area. As Jewel's popularity soared, so did concerns about its impact on teenagers. The CDC's youth tobacco survey revealed a dramatic increase in e-cigarette use among young people, prompting the FDA to take action. The FDA's initial efforts to ban flavored e-cigarettes were met with resistance from adult vapers, leading to a compromise that ultimately proved ineffective. The episode concludes with a discussion of the rise of disposable vapes, which have become even more popular than Jewel and pose even greater challenges for regulators. The episode highlights the difficulties of regulating new technologies, particularly when they are adopted quickly and widely.

Outlines

00:00:00

The Vaping Wars Begin

This Chapter begins with a White House meeting in 2019 where President Trump attempts to address the growing concern over youth vaping. The meeting, however, quickly devolves into a shouting match, highlighting the deep divisions surrounding the issue. One side argues that vaping is a scourge on society, while the other side emphasizes the potential benefits of vaping as a smoking cessation tool. The meeting ends with Trump expressing his concern about the issue and his desire to find a solution.

00:04:19

The Rise of Jewel

This Chapter explores the origins of Jewel, a company founded by two Stanford students who saw an opportunity to create a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes. Jewel's success was fueled by its ability to market flavored vape liquids and its operation in a regulatory gray area. The episode details how Jewel's marketing strategies, including the "Vaporized" campaign, targeted young people and contributed to the company's rapid growth.

00:12:34

The Backlash

This Chapter examines the backlash against Jewel as concerns about youth vaping grew. The CDC's youth tobacco survey revealed a dramatic increase in e-cigarette use among young people, prompting the FDA to take action. The FDA's initial efforts to ban flavored e-cigarettes were met with resistance from adult vapers, leading to a compromise that ultimately proved ineffective.

00:21:55

The Disposable Vape Boom

This Chapter discusses the rise of disposable vapes, which have become even more popular than Jewel and pose even greater challenges for regulators. The episode highlights the difficulties of regulating new technologies, particularly when they are adopted quickly and widely.

Keywords

Jewel

Jewel is a brand of e-cigarette that became extremely popular in the mid-2010s. It was known for its sleek design, its use of flavored vape liquids, and its aggressive marketing campaigns. Jewel's rise to prominence coincided with a surge in youth vaping, leading to concerns about the company's impact on public health. The FDA eventually took action to regulate Jewel, but the company's success paved the way for a new generation of disposable vapes.

Vaping

Vaping is the act of inhaling vapor produced by an electronic cigarette or similar device. E-cigarettes typically contain nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. Vaping has become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly among young people. However, there are growing concerns about the health effects of vaping, including the potential for addiction, lung damage, and other health problems. The debate over vaping has become a major public health issue, with regulators struggling to balance the potential benefits of vaping as a smoking cessation tool with the risks associated with its use.

FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a federal agency responsible for protecting public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. The FDA has played a key role in regulating the vaping industry, attempting to address concerns about youth vaping and the potential health risks associated with e-cigarettes. However, the FDA has faced challenges in regulating a rapidly evolving industry, with new products and companies emerging constantly.

Public Health

Public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the organized efforts of society. Public health professionals work to identify and address health risks, promote healthy behaviors, and ensure access to quality healthcare. The vaping epidemic has become a major public health concern, prompting public health officials to advocate for stricter regulations and public education campaigns to reduce the risks associated with e-cigarette use.

Nicotine

Nicotine is a highly addictive stimulant found in tobacco plants. It is the primary psychoactive ingredient in cigarettes and other tobacco products, as well as in e-cigarettes. Nicotine is known to cause a range of health problems, including addiction, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. The addictive nature of nicotine has made it a major public health concern, particularly in relation to the growing popularity of vaping among young people.

Flavored Vapes

Flavored vapes are e-cigarettes that contain flavorings in addition to nicotine and other chemicals. Flavored vapes have been particularly popular among young people, as the flavors can make vaping more appealing and less harsh. However, there are concerns that flavored vapes may be more addictive and may encourage young people to start vaping. The FDA has taken steps to regulate flavored vapes, but the industry continues to innovate and produce new flavors, making it difficult for regulators to keep up.

Disposable Vapes

Disposable vapes are e-cigarettes that are designed to be used once and then discarded. They are typically pre-filled with nicotine and flavorings and do not require charging or refilling. Disposable vapes have become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly among young people. They are often marketed with bright colors and appealing flavors, and they are relatively inexpensive. However, disposable vapes are often unregulated, and there are concerns about the quality of the ingredients and the potential health risks associated with their use.

Youth Vaping

Youth vaping refers to the use of e-cigarettes by children and adolescents. It has become a major public health concern, as young people are particularly vulnerable to the addictive effects of nicotine. The rise of youth vaping has been attributed to a number of factors, including the availability of flavored vapes, the marketing of e-cigarettes to young people, and the perception that vaping is less harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes. The FDA has taken steps to address youth vaping, but the problem persists, and new challenges continue to emerge.

Regulation

Regulation refers to the process of establishing rules and guidelines to govern the behavior of individuals, businesses, and other entities. In the context of the vaping industry, regulation is essential to protect public health and to ensure that e-cigarettes are safe and effective. However, regulating a rapidly evolving industry like vaping can be challenging, as new products and companies emerge constantly. Regulators must strike a balance between protecting public health and promoting innovation.

Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley is a region in the southern San Francisco Bay Area of California that is home to a large number of technology companies. It is known for its entrepreneurial culture, its high concentration of venture capital, and its role in the development of many of the world's most innovative technologies. The story of Jewel, the e-cigarette company featured in this episode, begins in Silicon Valley, highlighting the role of technology and innovation in the rise of the vaping industry.

Q&A

What was the main goal of the White House meeting on vaping in 2019?
The meeting was intended to address the growing concern over youth vaping, but it quickly devolved into a shouting match, highlighting the deep divisions surrounding the issue.
How did Jewel become so successful?
Jewel's success was fueled by its ability to market flavored vape liquids and its operation in a regulatory gray area. The company's marketing strategies, including the "Vaporized" campaign, targeted young people and contributed to its rapid growth.
What was the FDA's initial response to the rise of youth vaping?
The FDA initially attempted to ban flavored e-cigarettes, but this effort was met with resistance from adult vapers. The FDA ultimately compromised, but this solution proved ineffective.
What are the challenges of regulating the vaping industry?
Regulating a rapidly evolving industry like vaping is challenging, as new products and companies emerge constantly. Regulators must strike a balance between protecting public health and promoting innovation.
What is the significance of the rise of disposable vapes?
The rise of disposable vapes has made the problem of youth vaping even more difficult to address. Disposable vapes are often unregulated, and they are marketed with bright colors and appealing flavors, making them particularly attractive to young people.
What is the moral of the story of Jewel?
The story of Jewel highlights the challenges of regulating new technologies, particularly when they are adopted quickly and widely. Regulators must be proactive in addressing potential risks, as it can be difficult to put the genie back in the bottle once a new technology has become widely adopted.

Show Notes

When the vape brand Juul first hit the market back in 2015, e-cigarettes were in a kind of regulatory limbo. At the time, the rules that governed tobacco cigarettes did not explicitly apply to e-cigarettes. Then Juul blew up, fueled a public health crisis over teen vaping, and inspired a regulatory crackdown. But when the government finally stepped in to solve the problem of youth vaping, it may have actually made things worse.

Today's episode is a collaboration with the new podcast series "Backfired: the Vaping Wars." You can listen to the full series at audible.com/Backfired.

This episode was hosted by Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi and Leon Neyfakh. It was produced by Emma Peaslee and edited by Jess Jiang with help from Annie Brown. It was fact checked by Sofia Shchukina and engineered by Cena Loffredo. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.

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