Tabitha's Story
Samantha, Texas
It is not my intention to scare you but our story is terrifying. I am a Houston mother of a 16 year old daughter who is currently in her 6th rehabilitation center for nicotine addiction which began at age 14. Imagine my child, if you will, 5 feet tall and 90 lbs. She started vaping ecigarettes (Juuling?) in summer school right before entering high school. Her addiction was rapid and eventually she was vaping the equivalent of 2 packs of cigarettes per day. I’d like to personally thank JUUL ( merchant of death ) for hooking my child to their product, instilling a lifelong addiction disorder that has taken her away from me to recover in Utah, where she has been for over a year. Her attraction to the fruity flavor of mango then led to synthetics, edibles, drinking and marijuana. I caught her vaping blatantly vaping in her bathroom at home, she seemed like it was no big deal and I was overreacting. I Kept finding used pods everywhere in her bedroom Excessive tardiness led to suspensions I Kept finding used pods everywhere in her bedroom
In the never thought I would be writing an opinion piece
My daughter started vaping summer before high school (summer school) 14 years old approx. 90 lbs. 5” tall-can you imagine a small child weighing less than 100 lbs. vaping equivalent to 2 packs cig per day and the impact on her prefrontal cortex? That was my child-now she is in her 6 th rehab facility and has been in Utah over a year. I’d like to personally thank JUUL (merchant of death) for hooking my child immediately on their product and instilling a lifelong addiction disorder. And now a word from our sponsor -JUUL .......
Here is what transpired:
Mango (led to 2 pods per day)
Led to synthetics, edibles, drinking, marijuana. Excessive tardiness led to suspensions I caught her vaping blatantly vaping in her bathroom @ home; she seemed like it was no big deal and I was overreacting.
I Kept finding used pods everywhere in her bedroom. She purchased from a juul dealer at school, would steal other student’s money & pods out of their backpacks and lockers. Started stealing, depressed, defiant, horrible mood, never happy, cutting, not eating, hanging out with the wrong crowd, isolating. Principal was furious with my daughter. I reached out to school numerous times asking for help -she can’t stop vaping asking for resources, etc. My daughter came into my room in the middle of night begging for the nicotine patch; I caught her with cigarettes, and she would beg me to let her smoke; she would consistently ask me to buy her nicotine gum. I completely ignored this and thought she was crazy-now I realize how severe her nicotine withdrawals were (insert JUUL nicotine strength info).
Severe withdrawals. JUUL was her Drug of Choice-mango -she still talks about nicotine rush to this day; Excessive sneezing, bleeding nose mouth; blood everywhere; nosebleeds ; Iron deficiency Hardest thing for her to detox was JUUL (more than drugs and alcohol) when she went to rehab She muggled JUUL into rehab. Relapsed on JUUL
After rehab -she was busted for JUULing at recovery high school. Her drug of choice; she just mentioned nicotine rush last week-she loved it.
Contacted Pave and told Meredith my story; I would tell other people “mark my words-this will be an epidemic” people did not believe me (drug counselors, etc.).
2019: Testified Texas State Senate in Favor of T21. Spoke @ Memorial High School to parents -a kid joined us and spoke about how all of the kids JUUL including himself. Parents mention to me that their child is on honor roll so no big deal if they JUUL; another parent I know says his daughter goes to private school and doesn’t drink at parties- but they all JUUL and that’s ok; other parents think it’s the bad kids that have behavioral problems.
I have followed up with Memorial High School where my daughter went. CRICKETS -NO RESPONSE. Contacted SBISD. CRICKETS NO RESPONSE; told them my daughter went to their school district;
Met with HISD -corporate headquarters (largest school district Texas); spoke about Catch.org & my daughter’s story; HISD implemented Catch my breath (Not sure how many schools, etc.) I have reached out/followed up numerous times with numerous people. CRICKETS- NO RESPONSE; meanwhile, drive by Lamar High School after school and there are tons of adolescents vaping blatantly outside of school. Met with Lizzie Fletcher in person and a staff member; she mentioned that I
could possibly speak at a town hall; Lindsey made a comment “ we all did things when we were teenagers that were not good for us”. I said we weren’t doing tequila shots between classes at school; I mentioned to her that a lot of parents in her district were pissed off about their kids being hooked on JUUL and she could get a lot of votes........haven’t heard from them since. CRICKETS.
Emailed Katy ISD about a function they were having; CRICKETS- NO RESPONSE.
Met with Anti Cancer Hospital-they seemed focused on telling children about the dangers of Tobacco. Kids don’t know tobacco-they know JUUL .....clueless!
Went to DC with Pave and personally went by numerous Texas representatives offices;
My point: I am outraged and infuriated -this product should not be so easily accessible to our children. There are no more drug dealers at schools-there are JUUL dealers. We are talking about CHILDREN -I don’t care about millennials or gen z. There are no cessation plans for CHILDREN. No one is talking about addiction FOR CHILDREN. No one is talking about how it harms brain development IN CHILDREN.
My daughter has been to 6 rehab programs and has been in Utah for over a year. She has severe addiction disorder. My daughter also went to a recovery high school in Houston and attended an alternative peer group. My daughter was diagnosed with asthma (meds-Symbicort, Montelukast & Ventolin)
Fyi-some parents are so proud and supportive and know about this epidemic; however a lot of parents are still naïve and uneducated about the severity of the JUUL product.