The Rise and Fall of Juul

Posted on 02 December 2023 |

Juul Ban: The Rise and Fall of Juul - A Netflix Documentary Review

Vaping and e-cigarettes are among the most controversial and relevant topics in today’s society. They are devices that deliver nicotine and other substances to the user through inhalation of aerosol without burning tobacco. They are marketed as safer alternatives to smoking, as well as practical tools to help smokers quit. However, they also pose significant health and social risks, such as addiction, lung damage, and youth exposure. According to the World Health Organization, there are more than one billion smokers in the world and about 41 million vapers. The vaping industry is expected to grow from $14.05 billion in 2018 to $29.39 billion by 2022. Juil ban is the

Juul Company Foundation

Juul is among the most influential and notorious vaping industry players. This Silicon Valley startup created a sleek and popular e-cigarette brand that dominated the market. Juul was founded in 2015 by two former smokers, James Monsees and Adam Bowen, who wanted to create a better and more satisfying cigarette alternative. Juul’s e-cigarette device is shaped like a USB flash drive. It uses disposable pods that contain nicotine salt, a highly addictive and potent form of nicotine that mimics the sensation of smoking. Juul’s pods come in various flavors, such as mint, mango, and creme brulee, and each pod delivers about 200 puffs, equivalent to a pack of cigarettes. Juul’s pod systems and pods are easy to use, discreet, and appealing, especially to young and non-smokers. Juul’s rise and fall is the subject of a four-part documentary series on Netflix called Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul. The series is based on the book Big Vape: The Incendiary Rise of Juul by Jamie Ducharme, a health correspondent for Time magazine. The series is directed by R.J. Cutler, an Emmy-winning filmmaker who also directed Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry and Belushi. The series tells the story of how Juul became a multibillion-dollar company and then faced a series of scandals and lawsuits that threatened its existence. The series features interviews with former Juul employees, journalists, experts, activists, and users, as well as archival footage and documents. The series was released on Netflix on October 11, 2023.

Topic	Summary
What is the series about?	The series is about the rise and fall of Juul, a Silicon Valley startup that created a famous and influential e-cigarette brand that dominated the vaping market.
What is the source and format of the series?	The series is based on the book Big Vape: The Incendiary Rise of Juul by Jamie Ducharme, a health correspondent for Time magazine. R.J. Cutler, an Emmy-winning filmmaker, directs the series. The series consists of four episodes, each about an hour long.
What are the main themes and topics of the series?	The series covers the history and development of Juul, from its inception to its crisis. The series explores the origins, growth, and impact of Juul, as well as the controversies and challenges it faced, such as accusations of targeting youth, regulatory hurdles, health risks, ethical dilemmas, and public backlash.
What are the main sources and perspectives of the series?	The series features interviews with former Juul employees, journalists, experts, activists, and users, as well as archival footage and documents. The series tries to present a balanced and comprehensive view of Juul but also exposes its flaws and failures.
What is the main message and purpose of the series?	The series aims to inform and educate the viewers about the vaping industry and Juul and to raise awareness and critical thinking about the issues and implications of vaping and e-cigarettes. The series also tries to entertain and engage the viewers with a compelling and dramatic narrative of Juul’s rise and fall.

The Origin and Growth of Juul

The first episode of the series covers the history and development of Juul, from its inception as a spin-off of a vaporizer company called Ploom to its rapid rise as a Silicon Valley unicorn valued at $38 billion. The episode introduces the founders of Juul, James Monsees, and Adam Bowen, who met at Stanford University’s design school, where they worked on a project to create a better and more satisfying alternative to cigarettes. They were both smokers who wanted to quit but found the existing options, such as patches, gums, and e-cigarettes, unsatisfactory and ineffective. They decided to start their own company, Ploom, in 2007 and launched their first product, Pax, in 2012. Pax was a vaporizer that used loose-leaf tobacco and was designed to look like an iPod. Pax was a success and attracted the attention of Japan. Tobacco International, one of the largest tobacco companies in the world, bought a minority stake in Ploom in 2011.

However, Monsees and Bowen wanted more from Pax and wanted to create a more innovative and disruptive product that could challenge the tobacco industry and help smokers quit. They decided to spin off a new company, Juul, in 2015 and focus on developing a new e-cigarette device and pod system that used nicotine salt, a highly addictive and potent form of nicotine that mimics the sensation of smoking. They also hired a team of engineers, designers, marketers, and scientists who shared their vision and passion. They launched Juul in 2015, and it quickly became a hit, especially among young and non-smokers, who were attracted by its sleek design, easy use, and various flavors. Juul’s sales skyrocketed, capturing over 70% of the e-cigarette market share by 2018. Juul also attracted the attention of Altria, one of the largest tobacco companies in the world, which bought a 35% stake in Juul in 2018, valuing the company at $38 billion.

Juul’s design was inspired by Apple’s products and aimed to create a simple, elegant, and user-friendly device that could fit in a pocket or a hand. Juul’s technology was based on a patented system that used a heating element, a battery, and a pod that contained nicotine salt, propylene glycol, glycerin, and flavorings. Juul’s nicotine formula was derived from a patent that Monsees and Bowen acquired from a Chinese chemist, who discovered that adding benzoic acid to nicotine could lower its pH and make it more absorbable and satisfying. Juul’s pods contained 5% nicotine by weight, equivalent to about 59 milligrams of nicotine per milliliter of liquid, or about 10 times more than the average e-cigarette. The marketing strategy was to create a viral and social media buzz and target young and trendy consumers influenced by celebrities, influencers, and peers. Juul’s ads featured attractive and happy people, using slogans such as “Juul: The satisfying alternative to cigarettes” and “Make the switch”. Juul also distributed free samples, coupons, and sponsored events and parties, where Juul devices and pods were given away.

The episode also discusses some of the positive and negative impacts of Juul’s popularity, such as its potential to help smokers quit, its appeal to young and non-smokers, and its role in creating a new generation of nicotine addicts. The episode features interviews with former smokers who claim that Juul helped them quit smoking, interviews with experts and researchers who argue that Juul could be a harm-reduction tool and that it could save millions of lives by preventing smoking-related diseases and deaths, and interviews with young and non-smokers who admit that they started using Juul because of its flavor, design, and social appeal and that they became addicted to nicotine and experienced withdrawal symptoms, cravings, and mood swings. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of high school students who reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days increased from 1.5% in 2011 to 27.5% in 2019.

The Controversies and Challenges of Juul

The second and third episodes of the series focus on the various scandals and problems that Juul faced, both internally and externally, as it became a dominant player in the vaping industry. The episodes reveal how Juul’s rapid growth and success came at a high cost and how Juul’s culture and values changed over time from being a mission-driven and customer-focused company to a profit-driven and shareholder-focused one. The episodes also expose how Juul’s actions and decisions led to accusations, investigations, regulations, and lawsuits that threatened its reputation and survival. The episodes explain some of the major issues that Juul had to deal with, such as

Targeting youth: Juul was accused of deliberately marketing its products to underage and non-smoking consumers, primarily through its use of social media, influencers, flavors, and events. Juul was also accused of failing to verify the age and identity of its online customers and of selling its products in places where minors could easily access them, such as convenience stores and gas stations. Juul was also accused of using deceptive and misleading claims, such as implying that its products were safer than cigarettes or that they could help smokers quit, without providing sufficient evidence or approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Juul was also accused of copying the tactics and strategies of the tobacco industry, such as creating a loyal and addicted customer base and influencing public opinion and policymakers. Juul faced a backlash from parents, teachers, schools, health organizations, media, and lawmakers, who demanded that Juul stop targeting youth and that it take responsibility for the youth vaping epidemic.
Regulatory hurdles: Juul faced many challenges and uncertainties from the regulatory authorities, both in the US and abroad, who tried to control and limit the sale and use of e-cigarettes. Juul had to comply with changing rules and standards, such as submitting applications and reports, conducting studies and tests, and labeling and packaging its products. Juul also had to deal with bans and restrictions on its products, such as flavors, nicotine levels, and device types, in various states and countries, such as California, New York, Massachusetts, India, China, and Brazil. Juul also had to face competition and opposition from the tobacco industry, which tried to protect its market share and influence, and from the vaping industry, which tried to differentiate itself from Juul and distance itself from its controversies.
Health risks: Juul faced a lot of concerns and questions about the safety and quality of its products and the potential short-term and long-term effects of its use on the health of its users and the public. Juul had to deal with reports and cases of lung injuries, illnesses, and deaths that were linked to vaping, especially in 2019, when a mysterious outbreak of vaping-related lung injury (EVALI) occurred, affecting more than 2,800 people and killing 68. Juul had to deal with investigations and lawsuits from the FDA, the CDC, the FTC, the DOJ, and various state and local authorities, who tried to determine the causes and sources of the outbreak and the role and responsibility of Juul and other vaping companies. Juul also had to deal with studies and research that suggested that its products could cause or worsen various health problems, such as nicotine addiction, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and brain development.
Ethical dilemmas: Juul faced a lot of conflicts and contradictions between its stated mission and vision and its actual practices and outcomes. Juul had to deal with its products' moral and social implications and the trade-offs and compromises it made to achieve its goals and growth. Juul faced criticism and scrutiny from its former employees, customers, partners, and investors, who felt betrayed, deceived, or exploited by Juul and questioned its integrity and values. Juul also had to deal with the internal and external pressures and tensions that affected its culture, leadership, and direction.

The episodes also analyze some of the responses and actions that Juul took to address these challenges, such as:

Changing its leadership: Juul replaced its co-founder and CEO, Kevin Burns, with a former executive of Altria, K.C. Crosthwaite, in 2019 in an attempt to restore trust and credibility and to improve its relationship with the regulators and the public. Juul also hired and fired several other executives and managers who had different backgrounds and experiences and tried to implement various strategies and policies.
Reforming its policies: Juul changed and updated its policies and procedures to comply with the regulations and respond to stakeholders' demands and expectations. Juul stopped selling its flavored pods in the US, except for tobacco and menthol and reduced its nicotine levels in some of its international markets. Juul also suspended its advertising and social media campaigns and enhanced its age verification and online sales systems. Juul also increased its investment and involvement in research and development and launched new products and initiatives, such as Juul C1, a Bluetooth-enabled device that could track and limit the user’s consumption, and Juul Labs, a subsidiary that could focus on scientific and regulatory affairs.
Apologizing to the public: Juul issued several statements and messages, expressing regret and remorse for its mistakes and failures and its commitment and dedication to its mission and vision. Juul also participated in various hearings and interviews, trying to explain and defend its actions and decisions and demonstrating its accountability and transparency. Juul also collaborated with multiple organizations and groups, such as parents, teachers, schools, health professionals, and researchers, who could help it understand and address the issues and impacts of vaping and e-cigarettes.
Cooperating with authorities: Juul cooperated and complied with the authorities, who conducted investigations and inquiries into its products and practices and imposed sanctions and penalties on its violations and infractions. Juul also settled and resolved several lawsuits and claims filed by various parties, such as consumers, employees, competitors, and governments, who sought compensation and justice for the damages and harms caused by Juul and its products.

What You Can Learn?

We've learned a lot from watching the series, and it changed and confirmed some of our views on vaping and e-cigarettes. Besides the history of Juul, which is also interesting, we learned about the positive and negative impacts of the vaping industry's popularity, the regulatory and legal landscape, and the role and responsibility of the authorities and stakeholders.

Vaping and e-cigarettes are complex and controversial topics, and there are no simple or definitive answers or solutions. Vaping and e-cigarettes have some benefits and risks, and they can help or harm different people in different ways. Vaping and e-cigarettes are not inherently good or bad but rather depend on how they are used, regulated, and perceived. Moreover, vaping and e-cigarettes are evolving and dynamic, and they will continue to change and influence our health and society in the future.

F.A.Q. about Juul company:

Besides summarising the movie, we've created the F.A.Q. section. If you still have questions about Juul company, check the questions and answers below.

What is a Juul?

A Juul is a type of e-cigarette that uses a device shaped like a USB flash drive and pods that contain nicotine salt and flavorings. It was created by Juul Labs, which spun off from another vaporizer company called Ploom in 2015.

Who owns Juul?

Juul is owned by two main entities: Altria and Juul Labs. Altria is one of the largest tobacco companies in the world, and it acquired a 35% stake in Juul for $12.8 billion in 2018. Juul Labs is the company that spun off from Pax Labs in 2015, and it was co-founded by James Monsees and Adam Bowen, who are also Juul's chief product officer and chief technology officer, respectively. Juul Labs owns 65% of Juul and is headquartered in San Francisco.

Why is Juul banned?

Juul is banned in the US because the FDA did not approve its application to continue selling its e-cigarette products. The FDA said Juul did not provide enough data to show that its products were safe and beneficial for public health. The FDA also said Juul had conflicting and insufficient toxicology data for its products. The FDA issued the ban in June 2022 and ordered Juul to stop selling and distributing its products and remove them from the market. Juul appealed the decision, and the FDA started a secondary review of its data, which is still ongoing. Meanwhile, Juul products remain on the market until the FDA decides.

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