How to Spot Fake Vape Products

Since 2019, companies and governments have been working hard to get counterfeit products off the shelves. But even then, some fakes still make it onto the shelves.

So we decided to teach you how to spot fake vape products.

Table Of Contents

1. How to Spot Fake Vape Products
2. How to Spot a Fake Puff Bar
3. How to Tell if Juul Pods Are Fake
4. Conclusion

How to Spot Fake Vape Products

Fake vape carts are a primary concern among consumers who want to keep vaping but don’t feel safe buying from just any dispensary or vape shop.

While vape regulations continue to evolve, even though some are a significant obstacle to new businesses, many new regulations are intended to protect the consumer. But not all counterfeit carts and knockoff products can be kept off the street solely relying on regulations to do so.

It’s up to vape shops like yours and ours to keep an eye out for fake carts and protect our customers.

But how to spot fake vape products?

First off, we’ll need to understand what a fake vape product is.

Fake carts are products that licensed suppliers do not sell. So if you have a license to commercialize vape products, that’s one step that’s taken care of.

A second definition for counterfeit carts is items that don’t have the required lab tests to ensure product safety.

Fake carts are characterized by contaminant content, a lack of safety testing, inaccurate product dosing, and unwanted additive content.

An additive caused the most notorious safety hazard related to vaping. The additive is called Vitamin E Acetate and is used as a cutting agent by counterfeit carts. It was found back in 2019 by the CDC in fake THC and nicotine carts. It appears to be that Vitamin E Acetate was the cause for lung injuries that caused many people across the country to fall ill.

Vitamin E Acetate is an additive that would NOT be present in real carts.

The problem that arose a couple of years ago was highly due to the illegal status of THC carts and the lack of regulations around vaping altogether.

While this explains the importance of keeping an eye out for fake carts and how dangerous fake cart effects can be, it does not say much about spotting counterfeit vape products.

Here’s how:

If you’re consuming cannabis vape carts with THC content, some people suggest that real vape carts will keep THC levels above 70%. This is a fair enough assumption, but it would be difficult to find a counterfeit that displays the actual amount of THC it contains. So it’s not the best way to spot a fake.

Pricing should be the first indicator to pay attention to when trying to spot a fake cart. Simultaneously, not the most accurate, suspiciously low pricing should tell you a lot about a product.

We are not suggesting you pay an excessive amount for a product as a consumer or as a retailer buying wholesale prices. Still, pricing sitting under industry standards should be enough to raise an eyebrow. Make sure you are paying a price that makes sense by market prices.

The way that most people use to spot counterfeits is by analyzing the packaging closely. Typos, low-quality graphics, and the use of other trademarks on the label are enough to spot a fake.

Some fake carts use trademarked brands like cartoons, candy brands (skittles, fruit loops, etc.) to attract customers. But none of these brands want their names on a vape cart, which is enough to be suspicious about a product that does have them.

The color and thickness of the vape juice can also differentiate fake carts from actual carts. But this requires a level of expertise that most people don’t have, aside from the fact that there are many different types of vape juices, all with different consistencies and color tones.

If spotting a fake cart sounds too tricky, then you can always take precautions that mitigate the risk of purchasing fake and counterfeits. The best way to do so is by purchasing your stock from licensed vape shops or dispensaries.

If this still sounds too confusing, here’s a list of specific things that vape labels for original products should have:

• Product identity: If you’re purchasing a vape cartridge, then the primary label must say “vape cartridge.”
• Each state has a universal symbol for cannabis if you’re purchasing cannabis vape products.
• The label must have a net weight or volume.
• Look for the manufacturer’s name and contact information.
• Products must display a manufacturing or packaging date.
• If you’re purchasing cannabis products, there should be a government warning statement on the label.
• UID number you can run authenticity on.
• Batch or lot number
• Instructions for use
• List of all ingredients
• On the other hand, are you still wondering what fake carts look like? These are the types of things that you don’t want to find on a product label because it usually means the product is a counterfeit:
• Cartoons or imagery of other trademarks, specifically, imagery that may attract children.
• Vape labels making unconfirmed health claims are a giveaway.

Besides analyzing the label carefully, you may also reduce the risk of running into fake carts by verifying the dispensary license. Most dispensaries are required to display their license. But this will vary depending on the state you reside in.

Of course, this only applies if you’re a consumer and not a retailer looking for wholesale deals.

Another environmental factor you can use to avoid counterfeit is choosing to do business only with established brands. As a retailer, this is almost foolproof if you’re working directly with the brand. As a B2C customer, it reduces uncertainty, but knockoff products will remain a risk.

Look for products that are third-party lab tested. It’s also a good idea if you find brands that display their lab test results. A certificate of analysis will show all the ingredients found in the product.

Because we know you’re looking for particular ways to spot fake vape products, we also decided to include a couple of sections for popular branded items.

How to Spot a Fake Puff Bar

Puff bars are one of the most popular products on the market. So we’ve decided to do a quick guide on how to spot a fake puff bar:

The best and easiest way is to scratch off the label on the back of the pack. This should show a Puff Bar authentication code that you can enter on the official Puff Bar website for verification.

Another quick way to differentiate fake Puff Bars vs. genuine Puff Bars used to be that new batches of products came with a “Kado” imprint on every bar and wrapper. If you couldn’t find the imprint, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your product is fake. It could just mean that you’re purchasing an earlier batch.

However, there are now counterfeits in the market with the Kado imprint as well, so the best way to verify the product remains the Puff Bar authentication code.

Puff Bars also have a blue LED light on the bottom of every device that turns on with every hit on the vape. If the light is another color other than blue, then you might have a counterfeit on your hands.

How to Tell if Juul Pods Are Fake

Distinguishing real vs. fake Juul pods is a bit trickier than the process with a Puff Bar. You’ll be able to find a batch code on the back of the Juul pod packaging. The number is between 6-12 characters, but unless you can run it by a batch number you know is authentic, that won’t tell you too much.

The best way to spot real vs. fake Juul pods is by visually inspecting the packaging and product. Here are a few tips:

1. Inspect the font and make sure it complies with the JUUL font.
2. Fakes are usually sloppy in design, leaving callouts unaligned and out of focus.
3. Colors on a fake do not look as lovely and high-quality as an original JUUL box print.
4. The top of a fake JUUL box has four dots. The original has the JUUL logo instead.
5. If you can see fluffy cotton instead of neatly arranged cotton by looking inside your JUUL pod, then you have a fake on your hands.

The best way to tell if your JUUL pods are fake is by comparing packaging and product side by side with the one you know to be original.

Conclusion

Learning how to spot fake vape products can take some time, but a standard set of rules should point you in the right direction. While it’s not always easy to spot a counterfeit product, it IS possible. But before having to doubt your product orders, the best and most reliable way to prevent purchasing copies is by ordering from a trustworthy supplier, regardless of whether you’re buying for personal use or retail purposes.