CNBC's New Vaping Documentary Offers Compelling View Of Disturbing Phenomenon

Article from Forbes.com
CNBC's New Vaping Documentary Offers Compelling View Of Disturbing Phenomenon

Next to cannabis, vaping is one of the fastest-growing markets, estimated to pull in $9 billion before the end of the year. Generating this type of revenue, it's no surprise that last December tobacco giant Altria, wanting to get in on the action, announced it acquired a 35 percent stake in Juul, the leading e-cigarette manufacturer, for $12.8 billion.


According to a new CNBC documentary on vaping entitled "Vaporized:America's e-Cigarette Addiction," teenagers comprise 20 to 25 percent of users.

Yet there are controversies that swirl around this booming space. Foremost among them is the alarming surge in usage among teenagers. Last fall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ordered the top makers of popular vaping devices, which included Juul, to stop selling to minors or else. Although keeping e-cigs out of the reach of young people might be viewed as a sensible measure to employ, there are proponents who claim stricter regulation could cost the lives of many adult cigarette smokers who use e-cigarettes to help them quit.

It's a polarizing debate that's explored in a compelling new CNBC documentary, "Vaporized: America's E-Cigarette Addiction, which premiered on the cable network on July 15, at 10 pm ET/PT. And, judging by the voices from both sides of the spectrum, the divide between critics and champions does not seem like it'll be bridged any time soon.

With CNBC's Carl Quintanilla at the reporting helm, the documentary affords viewers a rare inside glimpse at Juul where executives sound off on this market's meteoric growth. They also discuss their company's reputation for making the most popular vaping products among adolescents. Do they feel culpable behind the troubling statistic cited in the documentary that 20 to 25 percent of teenagers vape? Noting how he is the parent of a millennial, Juul CEO Kevin Burns expresses remorse over the rampant use of his company's products among young people; but it's a sentiment that former FDA chief Scott Gottlieb can't help but find disingenuous.

In one absorbing segment, arguably the highlight of the documentary, Quintanilla gently probes several young people, both past and current users, who freely share their stories of how and why they began to vape. They offer reasons that are hardly revelatory given the callow vulnerabilities and foibles of this demographic—peer pressure and social media. There’s also another powerful incentive—Juul’s diverse array of enticing flavors, which make the taste far more palatable than the acrid coarseness of tobacco. As in the case of tobacco, Juul products do indeed contain nicotine, "an addictive chemical," according to the company website.

Quintanilla also talks to parents and school leaders who have mobilized a campaign to fight vaping's explosive growth among teens. Although their efforts are clearly sincere and well-intentioned, it remains to be seen whether they will succeed or not. Perhaps CNBC can do a follow-up in a year’s time.

Also covered is the vaping epidemic in West Virginia where a correlation is drawn between the usage of e-cigarettes and the state bearing the stigma of having the nation’s highest adult smoking rate in the country. Conversely, there’s an interesting segment in London that discusses the pro-vaping climate in the UK where the government openly advocates e-cigarettes as a way to stop adult smoking. On a bizarre note, the mystery of e-cigarettes’ long-term effects offer a strange panacea as Quintanilla is told by a researcher that smokers should still vape to avoid the certain dangers of cigarettes.

For those curious to learn more about the vaping phenomenon, “Vaporized: America’s e-Cigarette Addiction” is a riveting, thoughtfully executed guide that will take them into the heart of an issue wildly in flux. It is not to be missed.