Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul is a four-part docuseries on Netflix that chronicles the meteoric rise and subsequent downfall of the e-cigarette company Juul. The series features interviews with key players in the Juul story, including former employees, regulators, and public health experts.
The story of Juul is the tale of a company that plummeted to 5% of its market value in a very short time.
Hailing from Silicon Valley, Juul created a company that offered the perfect cigarette substitute, appearing to be a harmless remedy. In the United States, the company experienced rapid growth, but what helped adults quit smoking resulted in thousands of young people becoming addicted to vaping. Furthermore, the company made decisions that contributed to a public health issue.
“Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul” is a documentary about a technology company from Silicon Valley that introduced a porduct to the market, without sufficient safeguards, thereby sparking a public debate. The invention of the e-cigarette was a revolution: a product that was supposed to put an end to the harmful effects of tobacco, seemingly harmless, and promising millions in profits to investors while improving the quality of life of smokers. However, things are not always black and white, and this is the story of a company that prioritized profits above all else.
About the documentary
In the late 1950s, tobacco companies began researching how to create something equally addictive but without causing cancer. This idea became the Holy Grail for tobacco companies.
In the early mid aughts, Silicon Valley companies entered the scene, always true to their motto of moving fast, and break things. With the intention of sparking innovation, and generating profits as quickly as possible. “Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul” is a good example of one such start-ups that, which by moving too fast and without allowing time to measure consequences, ultimately sank due to their own velocity and temerity.
It is a well-researched piece and a phenomenal exercise in contemplation for those who wish to understand how the system works, how strings are pulled in the world of technology, health, and the economy.
While “Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul” carries a strong opinion, it is overall very interesting and valuable, providing many unknown facts. As a documentary, it is interesting, and manages to engage, delving into the inner workings of a technological start-up and examining how the company was formed, the marketing studies applied, the eager investors, and its approach to the world. With all that said, it is worth mentioning that the docu-series also explores the consequences.
Our Opinion
Another great documentary from Netflix, this time focusing on e-cigarettes and their consequences. Above all, it provides an insider’s analysis of how a company, selling technology and venturing into health, became a victim of its own ambition.
Enjoy!
Release Date
Osctober 11, 2023
