how can you tell if a vape is fake

• Packaging. Look for signals that a product is fake by inspecting the packaging. If information about the brand’s location, contact or ingredients is absent, consider that a red flag.
• Price. One of the biggest red flags to low-quality and fake vape pens and products is the low price point. ...
• Liquid ingredients. High quality THC vape pens will contain cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes that are fully disclosed and safe to use.
• Vape pen hardware. The key to safe vape pen hardware is making sure the device doesn’t overheat. Again, price is a signal to the quality of a pen.

How do you spot fake vape products?

One of the easiest ways to fool a consumer is to display a fake product in authentic looking packaging. Brands such as Dank Vapes, Heavy Hitters, and Brass Knuckles, have a serious counterfeiting issue to contend with. You can go to Amazon and purchase decent packaging for less than $0.10 per box!

How to tell if a vape cartridge is real?

This is also the case if there is a bubble that moves to the top when you turn the cartridge upside down. In genuine cartridges, the bubble will remain still. Fourthly, if the vape cartridge seems incredibly cheap and too good to be true, it absolutely is! Real concentrate is expensive.

Are there fake vape pens?

There is a long line of fake vape pens on offer as well. Counterfeit pens are usually made with batteries that don’t function properly or are downright dangerous. These batteries may fail to heat the liquid, or else the amount of vapor produced is negligible. If the heating element overheats, the liquid combusts instead of vaporizing.

How can you tell if a cartridge is fake?

In general, the oil density should be thick with a strong, clear gold coloring. Cartridges with orange or dark colored oil are extremely likely to be faked. If I Bought a Fake Cartridge – What the Hell Have I Been Smoking? Your guess is as good as ours sadly! You could honestly be smoking one of a dozen things.

How can you tell a fake fume vape?

Another way to know if you have a genuine FUME vape product is to take a puff from it and see if a blue light is present at the bottom of the vape device, again if you do not see a blue light then its most probably a FAKE.

What happens if you smoke a fake cartridge?

Lab testing of Pirzada's patient's cartridge revealed that it tested positive for not just THC, but also vitamin E. If inhaled, oils like Vitamin E can cause lipoid pneumonitis, a rare condition that results from fat particles being inhaled into the lungs, says Pirzada.

How can you tell the difference between real and fake carts?

Any THC cartridge that has a burnt flavor, a metal aftertaste, or that makes you cringe is a good sign that the cartridge is counterfeit. These “off-flavors” should not be present and may indicate that it has contaminants or other additives that are causing a bad reaction when heated up into vapor.

How do fake carts make u feel?

For the record, smoking fake vape cartridges could make you severely ill. Symptoms of mild or acute poisoning include weakness, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and joint soreness among other things. If you have any doubt as to the legitimacy of a vape cartridge, don't buy it!

What brands are fake carts?

The Top Ten Vape Brands To Watch Out For…{1} TKO Extracts. TKO was one of the original counterfeits we covered back in May 2019. ... {2} Cookies Carts. Cookies should come as no surprise. ... {3} West Coast Cure. ... {4} Dabwoods. ... {5} Dank. ... {6} 710 Kingpen. ... {7} Brass Knuckles. ... {8} Cali Plug.More items...

What is in a fake disposable vape?

In the US, this includes 4.5% of the adult population. But the rise in vaping has led to a trade in fake e-liquids – the mix of water, glycerol, propylene glycol, flavours and (usually) nicotine used to create the vapour of e-cigarettes.

What color should a cart be?

In most cases, the best color for cartridge oil is a transparent hue of light yellow or amber color, close to the shades of lemonade to honey. Some vape oils, particularly delta 8 THC cartridges, are as clear and colorless as water.

What can Vapes look like?

Some are made to look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Larger devices such as tank systems do not resemble other tobacco products. And some resemble pens, USB sticks, and other everyday items.

Do dispensaries sell fake carts?

Not available in legal dispensaries only street dealers sell them. That should be a clear fake brand/cart sign.

What is the bubble test for carts?

The bubble test simply requires you to flip your pen upside down and note if the air bubble in the cartridge moves to the top of the cart too quickly. And that's how to know if your medical marijuana vape cartridge has been cut with harmful ingredients. It's that simple.

How can you tell if distillate is real?

High quality distillate should be fully translucent and not cloudy in any way. If you can look through your distillate and clearly see what's on the other side, then it's usually safe to say you are dealing with a product that has minimal lipids, waxes or impurities.

What does vaping vitamin E taste like?

He called his thickener products (not just the ones that involved vitamin E acetate) “a revolution to the cannabis industry.” “It had no taste, smell, odor, and blended perfectly. It appeared to be the perfect solution to a health-conscious client base who wanted to stay away from chemicals,” Jones tells Inverse.

Why are there so many fake vape pens?

According to Winston Peki, cannabis expert and founder of Herbonaut.com, low-quality vape pens are cheap and easy to produce. “Most imitation products are sourced directly from China with little to no regard for quality control,” said Peki.

What are the problems with counterfeit products?

Counterfeit pre-filled vape carts can lead to serious long-term health effects. “One problem with fake vaporizer products is that they can contain low-quality metals or lead soldering in or directly around their heating elements or coils,” explained Peki.

How can you tell if a vape is real or fake?

Guadagnino urges consumers to purchase their products from reputable, regulated dispensaries that offer lab-tested vapes and vape carts. “To go the extra step, ask for the Certificate of Analysis that every dispensary in a regulated market should be able to make available to you,” he said.

Tips for avoiding other fake cannabis products

While fake cannabis vape cartridges are the main focus of bootleggers on the black market, there are also rip-offs of popular flower, edible, and topical cannabis brand names too.

Bottom line

Counterfeit cannabis vapes and other items wreak havoc not only on public health, but also on the public perception of cannabis and its safety. Thorough regulatory measures can help to phase out unwanted imitation products and the damage they cause.

How to avoid fake vape cartridges?

The very first thing you must do is ensure that you are buying a dispensary tested product. Licensed, legal dispensaries have reputations to uphold, so they only deal with trusted suppliers. Secondly, your cartridge is possibly fake if the packaging displays the THC content.

What is the difference between fake cartridges and real vape cartridges?

First and foremost, real vape cartridges contain high-quality concentrate oil with a THC content of over 70% in some cases. These liquids contain terpenes, cannabinoids, flavonoids, and come from organically grown marijuana or hemp.

What does a vape pen do?

Instead, the vape pen heats the flower or concentrate to a specific temperature and causes the liquid to turn into vapor. At that point, users can inhale the vapor and get the benefit of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids without lung irritation. Vape pens have become incredibly popular.

How many fake cartridges fail?

After a few months of testing, only around 1 in 200 cartridges fail. It is great that there is rigorous testing in place, but as you can guess, fake cartridges have no such hoops to jump through. If you end up with a fake cartridge, it could contain practically anything.

What happens if you buy a fake bag?

When you buy a fake bag, the worst that will happen is that the handle breaks or the zip doesn’t function properly. When you buy fake vape cartridges, you could seriously damage your health. Last time we checked, buying a fake handbag didn’t result in the inhalation of carcinogenic substances!

What happens if a pen overheats?

If the heating element overheats, the liquid combusts instead of vaporizing. In other cases, the low-grade materials surrounding the cartridge releases poisonous fumes. On occasion, the pens leak, and if you’re really unlucky, the pen could explode and cause serious injury.

Is there a counterfeit vape pen?

According to several well-known vape pen makers, counterfeits have been flooding the market for at least six years. If you believe that avoiding the black market keeps you safe, think again. Even in California, unlicensed stores are selling fake vape cartridges and pens by the hundred.

What are the diluents in vape cartridges?

You will find many diluents in vape cartridges, such as medium-chain triglycerides, or MCT oil, propylene glycol, and vegetable glycerin, to name a few. Unscrupulous folks add them to manipulate consistency for easier vaping, or to lower prices with cheaper ingredients. These cutting agents are likely responsible for vaping related illnesses, particularly Vitamin E acetate, or tocopherol-acetate, a new thickener.

Do licensed products have lab results?

Licensed products undergo rigorous laboratory testing. Always ask for the product’s Certificate of Analysis, or COA. Some fakes even provide fake laboratory results, photoshopped to fool consumers. Licensed stores have the duty to check with the laboratory itself to verify these results. Some neglect to do this, and occasionally these fakes end up on legal shelves. You can check with the laboratory yourself.

What is the CDC warning about e-cigarettes?

In fact, the CDC in 2019 issued a warning to e-cigarette users about an outbreak of lung injuries associated with both fake THC vape products and nicotine products. Nicknamed EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury), this unfortunate outbreak has brought the risks of using unregulated cannabis products to the forefront.

What are counterfeiters selling?

Counterfeiters have been selling fake designer clothing, accessories, and jewelry for decades. Thanks to the internet, the Dark Web, and nefarious websites, it’s easier than ever to find impostor products, and reputable vaping and cannabis brands are no stranger to these crimes.

Does a vape cart have THC?

Any legal vape cart sold at a dispensary is required to have a label showing the total amount of THC. Some dispensaries also provide total terpenes, cannabinoids, as well as a statement letting consumers know that no Vitamin E acetate was found.

Aspire

Since entering the market in 2013, Aspire have continued to produce premium vape products that utilise among the best technology and designs. Subsequently, many copies of their vape products are being manufactured and distributed to unsuspecting retailers and consumers.

VOOPOO

As a leading brand in the vape industry, VOOPOO have also become susceptible to counterfeit versions of their products. To protect their customers against fraudulent products, VOOPOO now have a robust authenticity check system in place.

Geekvape

Geekvape is another top brand on the market with an array of enviable vape products to choose from. As such, a number of retailers and consumers are coming across forged Geekvape products from dishonest sellers. In particular, Geekvape’s Geek Bar disposable vape device has seen an influx of fake replicas due to its extensive popularity.

SMOK

SMOK is among one of the most recognisable e-cigarette brands in the industry, known for their boundary-breaking vape technology. Due to this, several of its products have been illegitimately reproduced.

Uwell

Since launching in 2015, Uwell have released a series of futuristic vape products with consumer care at the forefront of their designs. Uwell’s strong reputation has unfortunately led to an increase of fake product replicas circulating around the market.

Vaporesso

Vaporesso is famed for its diverse collection of vape kits and hardware which combine contemporary designs with reliable performance. As a highly-regarded brand, Vaporesso has also been targeted for product forgery.

OXVA

OXVA is a top vape brand renowned for their premium vape products catered towards all experience levels. As one of the biggest names in the industry, a number of their products have also become subject to counterfeiting.

Health Risks of Vape Cartridges

Generally, human lives and our environment are exposed to real dangers whenever adulterated and counterfeit products hit the supply chain. This is usually because of the harmful compounds and substandard materials they are made with.

Fake Cartridges and the Black Market

The black market is constantly flooded with fake carts and fake counterfeit vapes and the lack of regulation seems to worsen the situation. Funny enough, these counterfeit cartridges are designed and well packaged that most consumers would hardly be able to differentiate them from the authentic ones.

How to Make Sure You Get Real Stuff

The best way to ensure that you get the real stuff when buying vape cartridges is to be very cautious. Always look for pointers mentioned in this guide whenever you want to make a purchase. Most importantly, buying from the black market is not safe because you face a higher risk of getting fake vape cartridges.