People vow to never use disposable vapes again after discovering how they’re produced
- The production of Elf Bars shows factory workers assembling with bare hands
- SEE MORE: Online debate sparked over McDonald’s workers not wearing gloves
People have vowed to never use a disposable vape again after seeing how they are produced.
The video, posted on Youtube by Ryan Horace from Pairyosi Vape – a disposable vape manufacturer in China – has people questioning the standard of hygiene behind the production, with some totally ruling out re-buying the product.
In the footage, viewers are introduced to the computer design of the vape label and packaging, before the wiring is constructed in bulk and the electrical testing is carried out.
A production line is then shown assembling the products and inserting them into their casings, before a worker then connects the mouthpiece to the top.
It is this very moment that has people reeling with discomfort; leading many to comment on the lack of hygiene practices during the process.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=I_Mebdfhm5A%3Frel%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26start%3D17%26hl%3Den-US
A factory worker uses his bare hands to attach the mouthpiece to the rest of the vape – putting off vapers from buying any more
Some users, after watching the video, insist that they are swearing off the disposable vapes for good.
One commenter, @sumatra6738, said: ‘Well, that doesn’t look very appetizing, how they attach the mouthpieces without gloves, see 0:28.
‘That was definitely the last one I bought after seeing that. (gag).’
Equally appalled, @diverse_nugget9707 wrote: ‘That’s nasty no gloves when putting the top on that you breathe in through – no thanks stay away from vapes all together.’
Other users who are worried about the environment were quick to notice and point out the detrimental amount of plastic used to create the vapes.
A concerned user @choysum9030 asked: ‘Do all these just end up in the landfill?’
Another, @mattnorman4007, wrote: ‘All that’s gonna be in the bin bruh.’
User @0ate5y said: ‘It’s kinda wasteful when you consider what goes into them, battery etc. Just get chucked.’
Another scene from the video shows a different worker handling the components of the vape without using gloves
Concerned environmentalists have commented on how much plastic has been used to make each vape and will eventually ‘go into landfill’ following its use
On Pairyosi Vape’s website, the company declares itself ‘one of the leading manufacturers of electronic cigarettes in the world based in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.’
Regarding its ‘strict quality control,’ the manufacturer boasts of various international certifications such as European (RoHS, CE) and American (UL, FCC) certifications to assure its customers of its clean and controlled production environments.
The reactions to the uploaded video come in light of the current controversy surrounding the electronic, chemical-based smoking products.
Disposable vapes have amassed a great deal of attention in the UK recently – with many government associations, health experts and councils calling for them to be banned due to the environmental and social issues caused by their use.
Around 1.3 million vapes are thrown away by users a week, making them a regular and obvious item of litter seen on the streets every day.
A crowd of Youtube commenters displayed both disgust and concern below the video at how the vapes are mass-produced.
Everything you need to know about vaping: From the chemicals in your e-cigarette to the risks to heart health – and what the NHS says about safety
It’s seen as a ‘safer’ alternative to smoking, but this month federally funded American month suggests that vapers are at the same risk of heart disease as cigarette users.
One glance at social media will show a glimpse into Gen Z’s latest obsession with the eclectically flavoured smoking substitutes.
A scroll through TikTok will offer accounts from vendors advertising a selection of the ‘bars’ on offer, with the ‘vapinguk’ tag amassing some 54,600 views; peanuts compared to the 2.2 billion views under ‘#vaping’ and 16.6 million under ‘#vapingtricks’.
Moreover, a recent report from Action On Smoking And Health (ASH) found that this year, 7 per cent of 11-17 year olds were current users compared to 3.3 per cent in 2021 and 4.1 per cent in 2020.
Meanwhile, next month sees the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), set up to ‘develop and promote the £1bn vaping industry’, hosting a forum and awards dinner.
Here, FEMAIL lists everything you need to know about the e-cigarette phenomenon, including health risks and other factors to consider.
What are e-cigarettes?
The NHS defines an e-cigarette as a ‘device that allows you to inhale nicotine in a vapour rather than smoke’.
Many take up vaping to quit smoking altogether, or to moderate their habit because they see e-cigarettes as less harmful.
E-cigarettes are safer in that they don’t burn tobacco, nor produce tar or carbon monoxide, but rather heat a liquid which contains nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine, and various flavourings.
There are different types and selections of these, including vape pens, bars and others, which include rechargeable or disposable models.
Are vapes ‘better’ than smoking?
The US has in particular seen a push back on vaping due to health-risk worries.
British health agencies have not been so stringent with their advice. According to the NHS, while the act is ‘not completely risk-free’, it poses a ‘small fraction of the risk of smoking cigarettes’, adding that longer term effects are not yet clear.
Meanwhile, a 2020 blog post from the UK Health Security Agency suggested more research is needed and continued into the practice.
It also said: ‘Our advice remains that people who smoke are better to switch completely to vaping but if you have never been a smoker, don’t start to vape.’
While concerns have been posed over the harm nicotine in vapes may cause, the NHS says most of the harm from smoking comes from the ‘thousands of other chemicals in tobacco smoke, many of which are toxic’ and advises that nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) has been used widely for many years.
However, while e-cigarettes are often marketed as healthy alternatives to typical cigarettes – they contain many harmful chemicals of their own.
E-liquids contain nitrosamines, which have been linked to cancer, while flavored vapes often include diacetyl, an irritant that’s been linked to the deadly condition ‘popcorn lung’.
What are the health risks of vaping?
Vaping was previously billed as a safer alternative to cigarettes, which dramatically raise the risk of lung cancer, heart disease and other chronic conditions.
But evidence in recent years suggest the electronic alternatives cause similar damage in the body.
A recent US study found vaping and smoking cause people’s heart rates to spike 15 minutes after use and put the body in ‘fight or flight’ mode.
Both groups also suffered a constricted brachial artery, which is the major blood vessel supplying blood to the arms and hands.
High blood pressure and constricted arteries can deprive the heart of oxygen-rich blood and, over time, increase the risk of heart disease.
In a second study, researchers carried out a series of cardiovascular tests after getting participants to run on a treadmill for 90 minutes.
Those who smoked or vaped performed significantly worse on all metrics, including how quickly heart rate recovered after exercise and how hard the heart had to work at peak levels.
Lead author of the study Dr Christina Hughey, from the University of Wisconsin, said: ‘The exercise performance of those who vaped was not significantly different than people who used combustible cigarettes, even though they had vaped for fewer years than the people who smoked and were much younger.’
Co-lead author Matthew Tattersall, an assistant professor of medicine at the university, added: ‘Immediately after vaping or smoking, there were worrisome changes in blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability and blood vessel tone (constriction).’
The results of both studies were presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2022.
Meanwhile, speaking on This Morning, Dr Nighat Arif said she feels the UK is ‘quite behind in regards to understanding the risks of vaping’.
The GP flagged that while it’s a good option if you’re trying to quit smoking, there is a surge of teens taking it up as a lifestyle.
‘I’m seeing a lot more young people doing it,’ she said. They come in these bright lovely colours, all the flavours.
‘My son goes to secondary school and when I pick him up and they’re walking down the street from the school I would say every other child who is sort of 14-15 and above is vaping.’
Dr Nighat also pointed out there are rarely discussed dental consequences to vapes due to the sweeteners used in them.
She explained: ‘I was talking to a dental colleague of mine recently and they were saying, “yes it’s a great alternative for stopping smoking” but actually what they’re seeing is that people who are vaping – because some people are using this now as a cool lifestyle choice – there’s lots of sweeteners that come into [it].’
The GP explained that this can cause a coating on the ‘tongue and on the teeth’, which may well lead to gum disease.
What are the risks to young people?
The Us Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) however warns against dangers of e-cigarette use for kids, teens and young adults.
It cites a study which suggests that ‘nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s’ and says that ‘young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future’.
The CDC also slams the idea that the ‘e-liquid’ in vapes is harmless, saying the aerosol may contain harmful substances, including heavy metals and carcinogens.
However, the NHS site stresses that vapes in the UK are ‘tightly regulated’, and it is illegal to sell these to under-18s.
However, a teen recently told the Evening Standard that they were as young as 13 when first trying a vape, and the publication cited a rise in Gen Z culture flaunting the devices as part of their aesthetic, sometimes even matching them to their outfits.
Last year also saw concerns that children are buying super-strength vapes – equivalent to smoking 125 cigarettes – in a craze sparking health fears. They are so powerful that young users had reported lengthy nosebleeds, coughing up blood, headaches, chest pains and dizzy spells.
More than 53,000 of the Geek Bars brand were then being sold every week in shops – up from around 2,000 in May 2021 – despite many having more than twice the legal level of nicotine, industry figures leaked to the Daily Mail showed.
In 2021, illegal super-strength vapes popular with children were also being sold online disguised as Cadbury chocolates to get past worried parents.
The high level smoking ElfBar and GeekBarPro devices – which feature liquid with two times the legal nicotine strength and three the capacity – were being promoted on TikTok.
And in footage sure to horrify chocolate giants Cadbury, their packaging was being exploited to sneak the banned gadgets past parents.
One video from a now-deactivated account showed the caption ‘Heroes anyone’ then the vapes being packed into the branded confectionary box.
A hand was then seen sprinkling some individually wrapped chocolates over the top to hide the vapes and the package is put into an envelope for posting.
The disguise meant if parents open up the delivery, nothing would suggest it was anything other than a sweet treat for their children.
They have also been branded a hazard for waste and litter collection as disposable vapes have also been linked to fires in bin lorries.
Single use vapes are designed as one unit so batteries cannot be separated from the plastic, making them almost impossible to recycle without going through special treatment.
The potential environmental blow is as equally concerning as the issue of schoolchildren and young teenagers getting hooked on the products.
The brightly coloured devices – sold under brand names such as the aforementioned Elf Bar, Geek Bar and Lost Mary – feature fruity and bubblegum flavours appealing to children.
The products contain various percentage amounts of nicotine – unbeknownst to the youngsters – meaning they are vulnerable to future health problems if they continue to use them.
MPs were told in June that pupils at many schools are setting off smoke alarms during lessons and exams by vaping in toilets.
The LGA said it is crucial that that ban comes into effect rapidly, as with the EU proposing a ban in 2026 and France rolling out a ban in Dec 2023, there is a risk that as markets close disposable vapes will flood into the UK.
The NHS still recommends e-cigarettes as a substitute to smoking cigarettes, but has stated that vaping is not ‘completely harmless.’
Their website states: ‘Nicotine vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking. It’s also one of the most effective tools for quitting smoking.
‘Vaping is not recommended for non-smokers and young people because it is not completely harmless.’
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