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As e-cigarettes gain popularity among teens, teachers and public health advocates are trying to keep up and attempting to slow the vaping trend.

Some schools are responding by suspending and drug-testing students who vape on campus.

鈥淲e鈥檙e losing a battle and to me, it鈥檚 predatory,鈥� one principal The New York Times. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no way you鈥檙e going to suspend your way out of this.鈥�

E-cigarettes are touted as a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes, but the liquid used in them generally contains nicotine. Critics say the , which range from fruit medley and mango to cr猫me br没l茅e, appeal to kids. Despite the innocent-sounding names, the flavorings themselves may cause , and some e-cigarettes have been found to and other metals. Additionally, indicates that young people who use e-cigarettes are more likely to turn to traditional cigarettes later.

The attention comes as several public health advocacy groups, including the Truth Initiative and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, against the Food and Drug Administration last month challenging the agency鈥檚 decision to delay full regulation of e-cigarettes and similar products until 2022. Leaving the products unregulated make kids vulnerable and deprives the public of information, .

A 2016 revealed that teen and young adult use of electronic cigarettes was increasing at 鈥渁n alarming rate,鈥� making them the most common form of tobacco use among youth in the U.S. Use of e-cigarettes increased 900 percent among high school students from 2011 to 2015. In the report, the surgeon general called e-cigarette use a 鈥渕ajor public health concern.鈥� A 2017 University of Michigan found that 19 percent of 12th graders had vaped in the past year.

The latest fad in vaping is Juul, an e-cigarette that looks more like a new tech toy than a cigarette.

The Juul device, which resembles a USB flash drive and can be charged in a laptop, became a problem in schools when students were using them and charging them on school computers. Because Juul doesn鈥檛 create a large cloud of smoke like other tobacco products, students use it in class, and their teachers don鈥檛 even realize what the Juul is.

Some schools are banning flash drives and Juuls to avoid confusion, along with educating parents and staff about the devices.

Many e-cigarette companies, , say their products are designed to provide a safer alternative to smoking for older adults who want to quit. A spokesperson for Juul Labs told 麻豆精品 that the company is 鈥渋nvesting significantly to combat teenage use.鈥�

But a released Wednesday by the , a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending tobacco use, found that about 8 percent of respondents ages 15鈥�24 had used a Juul device in the past 30 days. The report also reveals that almost two-thirds of young people using Juul devices did not know that the liquid contains nicotine. In fact, one Juul pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes, according to the Juul Labs鈥� company .

That鈥檚 alarming because nicotine is highly addictive, making young people more vulnerable to later cigarette use and other addictions, Truth Initiative CEO Robin Koval told 麻豆精品.

In addition to the sleek design and candy-like flavors, Juul has become a fashion accessory of sorts, inspiring , , and even . Koval also said Juul isn鈥檛 hard for students to get from websites like Ebay and even from the Juul website. The official site has an age verification tool, but kids can work around it, she said.

鈥淭his is a 100 percent 21st century marketing campaign, and it鈥檚 happening in the networks young people use,鈥� Koval said.

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