Big Vape The Rise and Fall of Juul Review: The latest Netflix documentary, Big Vape The Rise and Fall of Juul released on October 11, 2023. Developed and Directed by R.J Cutler, the limited docuseries is based on the book of the same name by Jamie Ducharme. The series is co-executive produced by Rachel Rapkin and Sam Jacobs.
The series takes us through a detailed and analytical reason behind the progressive downfall of Juul, the vaping device which became a raging new item among the masses. From celebrities to common people, everyone was using it, however, the company inevitably started to face the consequences of their careless marketing. With a total of four episodes, the approximate runtime is around 45-50 minutes for each episode.
-Big Vape The Rise and Fall of Juul Review Contains No Spoilers-
The initial intention behind engineering the product was based on a good cause, to help people from their smoking addiction. Co-founders of the product, Adam Bowen and James Monsees, are gifted engineers who designed a product that would provide similar sensations to cigarettes with half the fatal health consequences. Moreover, they did not just want to create a replacement for a cigarette but a tech device that broke barriers.
However, soon after they gradually started to focus more on the profits and their drive to turn the product into a billion-dollar industry. James and Adam soon forgot that the device is not another electronic invention like an iPhone, but a smoking device that should contain regulations. The marketing team started to focus more on the youth which went against their own principal. Without any restrictions, teenagers started to heavily depend on the device and became a sensational social device.
The series is a 101 textbook cautionary tale about what not to marketing-wise while launching a new device. The most astounding aspect of it is that there is so much less research behind the long-term uses of Juul and other vaping products that there is no answer to our questions. The product was launched with no precautionary terms and conditions for the health consequences. As much as the fault is of the company, the government too failed to step up and protect the citizens.
Apart from showcasing a disastrous marketing scheme, it is also a classic story of how one becomes the very thing they want to stop. They did not just cause a lot of teens to become highly addicted to Juul, they also tied up with Altria, one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of tobacco, cigarettes, and related products. Juul went from replacing tobacco companies to joining hands with them is not surprising yet just a repetition of history.
The creators have very skillfully laid out the stories from both sides, giving us a neutral view of the situation. Better regulations from the company before launching the product were absolutely necessary. But it also makes us question whether that would stop teenagers from acquiring the device. The series is precise, informative and intricately detailed about the situations that most of the audience might be unaware of.
Big Vape The Rise and Fall of Juul Review: Final Thoughts
The documentary is definitely an interesting watch and a view into the world of tobacco and cigarettes. With just four episodes it precisely lays out the story of how Juul started and how it gradually fell. It also provides a view into the world of innovations and how much less regulations they have while launching a new product. There is no set of terms and conditions or proper research before selling anything, which is one of the major concerns being pointed out in the docuseries. The show will help the audience become more aware of the situations without indulging themselves in them blindly.
Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul is now streaming on Netflix. Did you watch the series yet? Let us kow in the comments below!