Cannabis Vape Carts

Cannabis Vape Carts: The Hidden Dangers of Fake Carts and How They Can Literally Kill You

Cannabis vape cartridges have become one of the most popular consumption methods for both medical and recreational users as they are discreet and convenient. Many of the younger generations see them as a healthier alternative to smoking, and they are widely available at gas stations, headshops, and online.

The rising popularity of carts has led to a dangerous and growing concern of fake, unregulated, and poorly manufactured vape carts posing severe risks to your health. Some of those cheap carts that seem too good to be true could cause serious harm.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at what makes these fake vape carts so dangerous, explore how to identify them, and why you should always be cautious when choosing your cannabis vape products.

What's in a Vape Cart?

Cannabis vape cartridges typically contain concentrated cannabis oil, which is vaporized using a battery-powered heating element. Cannabis oil is usually rich in THC, CBD, and a combination of other cannabinoids. These carts may also contain terpenes, which give the cannabis its distinct flavors and effects.

However, the compounds in illegal or fake vape carts can be deadly. The real danger comes from additives, contaminants, and low-quality materials used in production.

The Deadly Ingredients in Fake Carts

Pesticides and Contaminants

Fake or illegal vape cartridges are often made using low-quality cannabis. They are frequently treated with harmful pesticides and fertilizers to make these plants more productive and increase their yield.

But it's not just fake carts that contain harmful chemicals. The well-known brand STIIIZY has recently come under scrutiny. One of its products was found to have over 60 times the legal limit of the pesticide pymetrozine. Other cannabis vape products have also tested positive for toxic pesticides like myclobutanil, bifenthrin, and permethrin.

The fungicide myclobutanil is illegal for use on cannabis in many legal weed markets. That's because when myclobutanil is heated up, it forms hydrogen cyanide. A 2019 investigation by NBC News showed bootleg vapes were tainted with hydrogen cyanide.

In California, alarming levels of the insecticide chlorfenapyr were found in legal cannabis products sold in state dispensaries. These sorts of products are used to protect crops from insects, but these chemicals hurt more than insects.  

The extraction method to create cannabis oil takes all the cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavanoids out of the plant. That same method also extracts all the other chemicals that may have been sprayed or put into the plant. All the chemicals, both good and bad, are concentrated in this process. This leads to the high levels of THC in cannabis oil but is also responsible for concentrating any pesticides or other harmful chemicals to dangerously high levels.

 When cannabis containing pesticide residues is smoked, vaped, or ingested, it can lead to respiratory issues, neurological problems, skin irritations, and potential long-term health effects, including cancer.

Dangerous Cutting Agents

To reduce production costs and increase profits, some manufacturers use dangerous cutting agents to dilute the cannabis oil, meaning they can make more money. These additives can have catastrophic effects on your health.

Vitamin E acetate is one of the most infamous cutting agents found in illegal vape products. When inhaled, it can coat the lungs with a thick, greasy substance that leads to serious conditions like EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping product use-Associated Lung Injury). This substance has been linked to 805 hospitalizations and 12 deaths across 46 states.

While the use of vitamin E acetate has pretty much vanished since it came to light in 2019, there are still other harmful additives and flavors that can be added to vapes.

These products are often added to make low-quality products taste better and look more desirable. Low quality vape oil is often treated in a color remediation column. This process removes impurities from the oil through filtration but can also contaminate the oil with filtration materials like bentonite clay, diatomaceous earth, and silica gel. 

Propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin are other common thinning agents that, while generally safe in food products, can break down into carcinogenic compounds like formaldehyde when heated and inhaled.

Heavy Metals

Poorly made vape carts can leach heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and nickel into the cannabis oil, which is then inhaled into your lungs.

Research presented to the American Chemical Society (ACS) in the spring of 2024 showed that nano-toxic metal particles could be present in vapes even before the first use.

Unregulated carts can contain 100 times more lead than their regulated counterparts. Chronic exposure to these heavy metals can cause serious health problems, including:

• Lead poisoning affects the nervous system and can lead to cognitive issues, memory problems, and kidney damage.
• Chromium is highly carcinogenic and linked to cancer.
• Nickel exposure can cause allergic reactions and respiratory issues.

These metals leach into the oil because of substandard manufacturing practices, including the use of cheap, low-quality materials for the cart's heating element and casing.

Which brands can I trust, and which should I avoid

 These are a few of the brands to steer clear off and a few you can trust. 
You can check the govenment resources for your state, like this page for California which shows recalled items. 
https://cannabis.ca.gov/resources/cannabis-recalls-and-safety-notices/

Avoid

West Coast Cure - Had orange cookies vape recalled as tests showed contamination with ten pesticides and PGR chemicals.

STIIIZY - Products test positive for pymetrozine, which is illegal for use on cannabis in California.

BackPack Boyz - Some vape tested positive for 24 different pesticides. Additionally, some vapes tested for over 2000 times the legal detection level.

Flavoraid - Pesticides tests failed

Fat Panda - Pesticides tests failed

DIME Industries - Pesticides tests failed

Grizzly Peak Farms  - Involved in pesticide recall.

Cru Mai Tai - Vapes found with chlorfenapyr.

Fog City Farms - Pre-rolls with excessive pesticides.

Cali Heights - Potentially adulterated pesticide contamination

West Coast Cure - Potentially adulterated pesticide contamination

Cure Pen - Pesticide contamination

Cloud Cannabis Oil - Pesticide contamination

Trust

Raw Garden - passed tests with no pesticides shown

Seed Junky - passed tests with no pesticides shown

Alien Labs - passed tests with no pesticides shown

Identifying Fake Vape Carts: How to Protect Yourself

With the increasing sophistication of counterfeiters, it can be hard to tell whether a vape cart is fake or legitimate. It's possible to get fake boxes, packaging, and barcodes explicitly made to pass off counterfeit goods as legitimate ones, so only trust something that's bought from a registered and licensed seller. 

But there are a few red flags to watch out for:

Packaging and Branding

• Check for compliance symbols: Look for state-specific cannabis warning symbols and age restrictions on the packaging. Reputable brands often include QR codes that link to lab results for the specific batch, ensuring transparency.
• Look for misspellings or grammatical errors: Counterfeiters may skimp on quality control, resulting in packaging that has blurry text or odd wording.
• Don't be fooled by fancy packaging: While high-quality packaging is often a good sign, some counterfeiters can replicate this, so don't solely rely on appearance.

Visual Inspection of the Cart

• Examine the oil: Legitimate vape carts contain oil that's typically golden or light amber and thick in consistency. If the oil is unusually dark, thin, or has excessive air bubbles, it's a red flag.
• Look at the construction: Fake carts are often poorly constructed with loose fittings or leaky chambers. Ensure the branding on the cartridge matches the packaging and look for any signs of leakage.

Pricing and Purchase Source

• Beware of unusually low prices: High-quality vape carts require investment in production and testing, so prices are often higher. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.
• Buy from licensed dispensaries: Always purchase vape carts from licensed dispensaries or authorized retailers. Avoid buying carts from street vendors or unverified online sources.

Common Signs of Fake Vape Carts in Use

• Unpleasant or chemical aftertaste: Real carts should deliver a clean, smooth taste. If you taste something burnt, metallic, or chemical, it could be a fake.
• Persistent coughing and irritation: If a cart causes excessive coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath, stop using it immediately.
• Unpredictable highs: Fake carts may contain unknown chemicals or synthetic cannabinoids, leading to unusual or extreme effects like paranoia, hallucinations, or lethargy.

How to Ensure You're Getting a Real THC Cartridge

The best way to avoid dangerous, counterfeit vape carts is to stick to legal, regulated sources. Here's how to make sure you're buying the real deal:

• Only buy from licensed dispensaries with strict quality control measures.
• Ask for lab test results or certificates of analysis (COAs), which should detail the cannabinoid content terpene profile and confirm the absence of contaminants.
• Scan QR codes on the packaging to verify the product's authenticity directly with the manufacturer.

Final Thoughts

The risks of using fake or unregulated vape carts are too high to ignore. From toxic pesticides, harmful cutting agents, and heavy metals, the hidden dangers can seriously harm your health.

This is why we need a well-regulated market with proper and consistent testing that's up to scratch and enforced. If this was done at a feral level so every state had the same level of scrutiny, it would empower and protect consumers.

Until then, you should learn how to identify counterfeit products and stick to reputable sources so you can protect yourself from the dangers of fake vape carts. You may want to consider growing your own cannabis or making your own concentrates, such as bubble hash or live rosin.