Do YOU know where your e-cig has been? Shocking video of workers testing out Elf Bars in a counterfeit factory and fingering mouthpieces without gloves exposes murky world of counterfeit vapes
- A video shows factory workers testing out Elf Bars by puffing on the vape
- The company said the clip was taken in a clone factory that makes fake products
- READ MORE: People vow to never use disposable vapes again after discovering how they’re produced
A video of factory workers in China testing electronic cigarettes by puffing on them exposes the disgusting dangers of counterfeit vapes.
A clip from last year – which has gone viral in the past few months- shows men ‘testing’ dozens of disposable ELFBARS before they are sealed and packaged.
ELFBAR- which is based in Shenzhen – told DailyMail.com that the factory in the video ‘does not belong to Elf Bar, and is not affiliated with ELFBAR in any way.’
Another video leaked from Pairyosi Vape – a disposable vape manufacturer in China – shows workers fingering mouthpieces without gloves.
Other photos taken inside these fake factories show filthy sinks and toilets and cigarette ends strewn across the surfaces, close to the vapes.
The footage comes as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) struggles to get a grip on unauthorized fruity vapes pouring in from China.
A video of factory workers testing ELFBAR electronic cigarettes is a disgusting reminder that you never know where your vapes are coming from
‘ELFBAR prides itself on offering quality products to our users worldwide,’ an ELFBAR spokesperson told DailyMail.com.
‘However, some unscrupulous manufacturers out there are manufacturing and marketing for their own gains counterfeit e-cigarettes, which are placing the industry’s reputation and user safety in jeopardy.
‘To further address the issue, firstly, ELFBAR has long been combating illegal vapes, with an intelligence dossier to track fake products, updated on a weekly basis.
‘Secondly, with the help of unique security codes, users are able to verify product authenticity on our official website globally.’
The spokesperson also said the clone factor was shut down shortly after ELFBAR’s lawyer sent a letter to the manufacturer.
Health agencies have issued warnings against flavored, disposable vapes, which have been especially popular among children.
In June, the FDA called for 180 stores across the US to stop selling ELFBARS, which have been linked to health problems like lung and heart damage.
A study published earlier this year suggested that banning fruity and menthol vapes could slash e-cigarette use in teens by as much as 70 percent.
These bans could be contributing to a mass influx of illegal products and factories.
The 2022 video led to ElfBar sharing images and footage of how it runs official factories in the city of Shenzhen in southeastern China
ElfBar acknowledged the clip, stating it is a clone factory – there are many in China pushing out counterfeit products
Images of ELFBAR clone factories show facilities covered in dirt and cigarette remains
ELFBAR was recently sued in the US for trademark infringement and is known now as EBDESIGN in America.
In November, Victor Xiao, the Chief Executive of ELFBAR, said: ‘ Consumers would be horrified if they saw the conditions in which these products are made and quite rightly so.
‘The criminals behind these counterfeit products care nothing about product safety or the health of consumers, and they cut every corner possible to maximize their profits.’
‘Quite frankly, the conditions in these factories are absolutely squalid where workers man production lines in filthy conditions with no regard to hygiene at all.’
He added: ‘Retailers are opening themselves up to substantial risks by handling these products and must avoid them at all costs.
‘Because these products have not undergone any safety checks or official testing there is no way of knowing what health risks they cause and our fear is that they could be extremely dangerous.’
Images of ELFBAR clone factories show facilities covered in dirt and cigarette remains.
The 2022 video led to ELFBAR sharing images and footage of how it runs official factories in the city of Shenzhen in southeastern China.
The clip shows a white facility with workers donning white protective gear and gloves.
And the vapes are tested using smoke suction machines – not human mouths.
The newly assembled ElfBars are placed in a suctioning device that pulls on them for about one second to ensure they work correctly.
People have shared stories online about unknowingly purchasing fake Elf Bars.
One TikTok user posted an image of the counterfeit and real e-cigarette that looks nearly identical.
‘So a customer came in this morning, she said the last ELFBAR she bought was from a gas station that was fake,’ the user posted.
‘She brought it in and said I can use it as an example to keep for the shop. If you pay close attention to the print on the BC5000 you can see a font and bold difference compared to a normal one.
People have shared stories online about unknowingly purchasing fake ElfBars. One TikTok user posted an image of the counterfeit and real e-cigarette that look nearly identical – the real brand is on the bottom
‘The color pattern doesn’t match to it either. The real one is the one on the bottom.
‘The fake ELFBARS have weak or dangerous batteries which can cause them to blow up, and the liquids are not FDA-approved.’
There are ways to spot a fake in the wild.
READ MORE: American Heart Association says vaping is just as bad for the heart as smoking cigarettes
The influential American Heart Association warned that vape devices contain a cocktail of nicotine, thickeners, solvents, and flavors that likely pose the same severe risks to cardiovascular health, including raising blood pressure levels, as smoking cigarettes.
‘Look for signs of counterfeit products, such as a significantly lower price than the retail price, poorly designed packaging, and spelling errors or inconsistencies on the packaging,’ Aroma Vape, an electronic cigarette seller, shared.
‘Be wary of any product that appears too good to be true.’
ELBAR states on its website that it launched an anti-counterfeiting action in June 2021 in a bid to find and close clone factories.
‘The criminals behind these counterfeit products care nothing about product safety or the safety of consumers, and they cut every corner possible to maximize their profits,’ ELFBAR shared in a statement.
‘Frankly, the conditions in these factories are squalid, with workers working in filthy conditions with no regard for hygiene at all.
‘We would not stand by while counterfeiting proliferates, tarnishing the reputation of the established manufacturers and putting consumers’ safety at significant risk.
‘We are clamping down hard on the illegal vape market and are building up an intelligence dossier on fake products as the counterfeiters get smarter and more efficient.’
There are clues to spotting a fake ELFBAR, such as the authentic vape featuring a single EAN barcode printed on the side of the box next to the anti-counterfeit holographic sticker.
The video from Pairyosi Vape was posted last month on YouTube by Ryan Horace.
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 connects the mouthpiece to the top.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=I_Mebdfhm5A%3Frel%3D0
Another video leaked from Pairyosi Vape – a disposable vape manufacturer in China – shows workers attaching the mouthpieces to cartridges without gloves
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’
This moment has people reeling with discomfort, leading many to comment on the lack of hygiene practices during the process.
One appalled user, @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.’
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.
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