How to tell if a THC cartridge is real or fake?
· If you have a vape cartridge that you suspect might be counterfeit, go to the manufacturer's website and compare your cartridge with legitimate products. There could be a serial number, QR code, or...
How to avoid the counterfeit vape cartridge epidemic?
· Notice if the vape emits any chemical smells. Initial manufacturing smells are common with any vaporizer, but if the vape is still releasing chemical odors after 30 minutes, that's a huge red flag. Confirm if the battery-life is congruent with the advertised battery-life outlined by the manufacturer.
How can you tell if a vape cartridge is real?
The key to identifying fake pens and cartridges is to understand the materials and ingredients that go into high quality products, as well as red flags that indicate a product is fake. There are four things to consider when you purchase a vape pen: packaging, price, liquids and …
How much THC is in a vape cartridge?
Another way to differentiate the real from the fake is to look at the bottom of the cart for the type of ring it has. Authentic Danks have clear rings while the fake ones have white, ceramic or plastic rings. Still looking at the bottom of the cartridge, you will see a CCELL and a unique code.
How do you know if your vape is real?
Check Your Efest Product Authenticity Efest provide an anti-counterfeit sticker with a 20-digit authentication code on the cell of each battery and on the box of their chargers. Entering this into their website will tell you if it's genuine and how many times the code has been looked up.
How can you tell if vape juice has THC?
Look for lab test results. 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.
What color should THC oil be?
Color most commonly ranges from transparent golden or light brown, to tan or black. Cannabis retailers in California have reported about 40% of their sales are from cannabis oils.
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.
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...
Why is cannabis used in vaping?
Because cannabis is used by so many as a tool to find relief, healing, and comfort, it holds a high potential for malicious abuse. More recently, such abuse comes in the form of fake THC cartridges. In fact, the vaping market shows signs of increasing amounts of counterfeit cartridges—not less—and the implications are massive.
What are fake penpens filled with?
The fake pens are many times filled with pesticides, heavy metals, and other contaminants that the human body does not jive with. None of those things equates to proper, clean, and natural treatment. In June of 2019, California reported a string of hospitalizations related to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, or ARDS.
Do you need to check the labels on cannabis?
Even if you are in a legal cannabis shop, check labels. Manufacturers will have labels on their product. Many—if not all—times, too, lab results are clear and visible. QR codes are becoming common as well, so if the product has one, scan it. It takes a few seconds but can save hours or days in the hospital.
Can fear ruin a market?
Fear can ruin a market. Vaping is beginning to take off, and the last thing that the cannabis world needs are more concerns over health.
Is vaping a good way to smoke marijuana?
Cannabis oil vaping is a milder way for many with lung issues to consume marijuana and reap the benefits of THC and CBD without the harshness that comes from smoking marijuana. The recent news related to vape-related deaths does not instill confidence in vaping.
Is vaping a serious illness?
Vaping cannabis (and nicotine) is at an all-time high in popularity, and without further rigorous testing more issues are bound to arise. It’s not only serious illnesses that are becoming more common.
Do pop up shops have to test vape pens?
Pop-up shops, the report said, don’t require their products to go through any form of testing, testing that could prevent the sales of contaminated pens. California wasn’t the only state that issued a warning against bad vape pens.
How to know if a Peki vaporizer is real?
In the case of a non-disposable vaporizer, Peki recommends subjecting it to a stress-test to determine whether it's real or fake. “The best way to do this is to charge the battery fully, set the temperature to max and switch it on until the battery is depleted — but don't vape while you do this, just keep it switched on.”
What to do if you're unsure about a product?
If you're unsure about a product, ask for the Certificate of Analysis.
Can a fake vape cart be dangerous?
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. “When these metals or lead solderings get exposed to heat while you're heating up your vape, they start off-gassing and creating toxic fumes.”
Can counterfeit vapes harm the public?
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.
Why do people vape?
For many people, vaping is a convenient way of consuming cannabis due to their discrete appearance and smell. Over the years they have become widely popular, with consumers taking the opportunity to smoke while they’re on the go to their next destination, at an event, or even relaxing outside.
What is the bottom portion of a vaporizer?
Modern vaporizers come in many different styles from various manufacturers. They’re designed to be discreet, with many of them taking on a pen-like or USB stick type of design. The bottom portion of the device is usually the battery, and provides the power used to heat the cannabis oil inside to generate the vapor.
Is vaping a problem?
Cartridges that contain exorbitant levels of pesticides are a big problem in the illegal vape market. When the oil is vaporized and inhaled, these pesticides will invade your body and cause health problems. In order to avoid this, it’s important to purchase cannabis products from reputable brands that properly test their products, screen for pesticides, and make their results available to see.
What to consider when buying a vape pen?
There are four things to consider when you purchase a vape pen: packaging, price, liquids and hardware.
How to tell if a package is fake?
Look for signs of fake packaging — check for missing labels, spelling and grammatical mistakes.
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.
What are the ingredients in a vape pen?
Liquid ingredients. High quality THC vape pens will contain cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes that are fully disclosed and safe to use. Also, quality cannabis oils tend to be thick with a strong, clear gold color; avoid oils that appear to be watery thin, artificially colored, or very dark.
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.
Is pop culture packaging imposter?
Products that use characters from pop culture on their packages without licensing permissions are also likely imposters. Also, beware of packaging with spelling and blatant grammatical errors.
Can you use counterfeit THC vapes?
It’s important for cannabis consumers to be aware of the risks so they can avoid using counterfeit THC vape products altogether.
What is a vape pen cartridge?
A cartridge for a vape pen is a cartridge filled with THC or CBD liquid oil. It varies depending on the oil it’s used with. These cartridges can come in various forms but they generally look the same. They also work the same throughout different cartridges.
How to tell if a ccell cartridge is real?
The best way to identify a fake CCELL cartridge is to check the bottom of the cart. A real CCELL cartridge has clear prints of the CCELL logo and alphanumeric code while the fake one has larger and unclear prints. Also, fake CCELL cartridges are made with a white plastic ring at the bottom of the 510 threading, unlike the original one that is made with a clearer ring.
What is the difference between herbicides and pesticides?
Herbicides are just like pesticides. The only difference is that herbicides are used to kill unwanted plants and weeds. Just like pesticides, marijuana products nowadays have big problems with herbicides like Acrolein. Studies have shown that inhaled Acrolein is highly toxic and can cause respiratory distress.
Why is the vape market so bad?
The vape market is even worse due to its unregulated nature. This exposes users to health risks whenever they buy and use fake vape cartridges while enriching the pockets of the fraudulent manufacturers.
What is 510 threaded?
Vape cartridges are usually 510 threaded meaning they generally have a universal fitting. They either get screwed onto the threading or attach magnetically.
Is Mario Carts the same as Exotic Carts?
Mario Carts are in the same category as Exotic carts. There is no background information about the company, and its products have failed pesticide tests. With no official information about Mario, we can consider them untrustworthy so you should think twice before buying this cartridge.
How to get a real heavy hitter cartridge?
However, the best way to get a real Heavy Hitters Cartridge is to buy from an authorized reseller. Luckily, the official manufacturer has a list of authorized retailers on its website. Buying from the black market will only expose you to fake Heavy Hitters carts that contain harmful substances and elements like pesticides and lead.
What does it mean when a THC cartridge is counterfeit?
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 much does a THC cartridge cost?
THC products are not particularly cheap, so if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Legitimate THC cartridges usually start at around $80 per cartridge, so any cartridge being sold that is significantly less than $80 is usually a huge red flag pointing towards counterfeit.
Is a THC cartridge legal?
Licensed dispensaries have products that are all legally tested to assure your safety. Any THC cartridge that is bought illegally or even online will most likely not have been tested. THC cartridges are required by law to have a license number on their packaging. This license number assured that the product is legal, tested, and safe for use. Any product that does not have this unique should not be used and thrown out immediately. A product that fails to have a license number is a product that is not part of the legal market. If a cartridge lacks this proof of quality, toss it.
Is it safe to buy cartridges from a dispensary?
Any cartridge that isn’t bought from a licensed dispensary has a high risk of being dangerously faulty or contaminated. Even seemingly harmless additives can result in dire consequences when heated and combined with other ingredients. Licensed dispensaries have products that are all legally tested to assure your safety.
Can you buy contaminated cartridges online?
These contaminated cartridges are generally bought online and sold for much cheaper than authentic THC cartridges. In order to keep yourself safe from faulty cartridges, make sure that you know what to look out for when buying your next cart.
Is a cartridge fake?
Packages that have popular cartoon characters or superheroes on them are generally a clue that the cartridge is fake. Most, if not all, legit cartridges have packaging that is simple, uncluttered, and easy to read.
Is it safe to use a fake cartridge?
Fake cartridges are generally filled with pesticides or heavy metals can cause serious and sometimes debilitating or life-threatening long term health issues. If the lab results do not include pesticide screening, then your cartridge is not safe to use.