How to Spot a Fake Vape Cartridge?

Updated on

September 30, 2025

You’ve probably heard about it in the news. People getting sick from vaping. Not because there’s necessarily anything inherently wrong with the habit itself, but because carelessly produced products are creating unintended side effects in vapers all over the world.

This is naturally a very alarming piece of information for people who are just trying to find a safer alternative to smoking. How common is the problem of fake vape cartridges? How worried should you be?

In this article, we take a comprehensive look at every possible consideration related to vape cartridge safety and the risk factors you take when using fake or otherwise compromised products. Read on to learn more.

 

How Common Are Fake Vapes?

To begin with, it’s important to keep in mind that fake vape cartridges are relatively obscure. This isn’t to say that they don’t exist or that you don’t need to be concerned about them. But it’s more a way of saying that nine out of ten cartridges are going to be real. That number gets closer to 100% if you are shopping from licensed dispensaries. Is it still possible that the purchased from a vendor who wasn’t complying with regulations? Sure. Does it happen often? Absolutely not.

The same way the vast majority of times you leave your back door unlocked, nothing bad will happen.

But there is always that small element of risk that can be eliminated with relatively simple precautions. We’re not talking about any dramatic adjustment to your behavior, unless of course your current behaviors are radically unsafe.

Where You Purchased It Matters the Most

Here’s a good thing to keep in mind: if you have purchased your cartridge from a licensed and regulated dispensary, there is literally nothing to worry about. These stores are intensely regulated and will follow through with all guidelines and compliance mandates.

Out of the goodness of their hearts? If you can’t buy into the idea that a business would jump through hoops to preserve your safety, maybe you can believe in this: In many states, it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars just to become liscenced to sell cannabis.

That’s before any other expense is taken into account. If you can’t believe that they have your best interest at heart, believe, at least, that they are distinctly devoted to their own.

Here’s the thing, though. Many people are surprised to learn that there are pop-up cannabis shops all over the country that are not, in fact, licensed and regulated. There was a famous example recently of a cannabis store in New York City that was set up right across the street from a police department.

It went on operating for months without anyone noticing. Shopping from a store like that one, while having every appearance of being safe, could be risky. Because they aren’t licensed and regulated, they might not be following through with all of the required safety protocols.

If you’re going to purchase a product from a licensed and regulated dispensary, that makes vaping a healthy and acceptable habit. If you are concerned about the regulatory compliance of your particular dispensary, check with the CDC or the dispensary itself to learn more about its licensing.

Online marketplaces are a common place for people to obtain vape cartridges, often not even knowing that they’re buying from an unregulated manufacturer. When you Google “cannabis vape cartridges,” you aren’t presented immediately with a licensed seller. It’s best in this regard to avoid social media merchants, classified ads, foreign web shops, and so on.

You can place an online order through an authenticated retailer like Beyond Hello, but always make sure that you are shopping from a place with an established reputation. If you’ve bought online and have reason to believe that the product you obtained was fake, don’t use it. It’s always best to err on the side of caution. You might think, oh, I spent $30 on this. Find out what your copay is at the ER, and then decide if it’s a worthwhile risk.

What Are the Physical Symptoms of Using a Fake Vape Cartridge?

Herein lies the most frightening component of the experience. The most obvious and feared consequences of using a fake cartridge are all physical. Maybe the most prominent of these—at least the one that has made the rounds in the news coverage most often—is difficulty breathing.

Several years ago, you may remember, an outbreak of a condition known as popcorn lung impacted a large number of teenagers across the country. The originally assigned culprit was vague: cannabis at large. Later, the risk factor would be narrowed slightly, but in an important way. The risky behavior, at least in the context of incurring popcorn lung, was not vaping in and of itself, but using unregulated cartridges, the likes of which were being obtained by high schoolers not of legal age to walk into a dispensary and purchase a regulated product.

Other risk factors include dizziness, nausea, itchiness of the throat, and even facial swelling. If you are experiencing any of these side effects after using a vape cartridge, it’s important to go to the emergency room immediately. Many people are reluctant to do so for fear that there will be ramifications associated with using a narcotic. Rest assured that emergency rooms have seen much worse than unregulated cannabis cartridges. They are not concerned with the legality of your habits. Their only function is to help you get better. If you need help, go.

Check the Packaging

 

Some fake or gray-market cartridges are very obvious. They’ll have cheap packaging, poorly formatted printing, and cheap-looking exteriors or other questionable packaging elements. That will make you suspicious. In those conditions, it’s easy to pass on a cartridge.

Here’s the thing: some counterfeits will be almost identical to the product they’re spoofing. The best indication is the details on the label. Real cartridges are now required to include information on when they were produced directly on the cartridge — you’ll get the batch number, the manufacturing date, the location, and so on. That detail is much harder to fake and can be a good way to tell real products from fraudulent ones.

The Brand Can Confirm Authenticity

The brand should be able to confirm the authenticity of a product. If you’re holding a vape in your hand that has the lot number and all the necessary information, but you’re still unsure, you can call the brand to have them verify it.

Part of the purpose of including all of that information on the packaging is to make vape cartridges easy to track. If you call and they can’t identify your product, it means it’s a fake.

Other Clues

 

There are other factors that, while not conclusive, can indicate that the cartridge you’re using is questionable.

For example, how much did you pay for the cartridge? If the price is implausibly low, that’s probably not a good sign. Most of us instinctively recognize this when we see a watch advertised online as “like a Rolex” for just $25. We should apply the same skepticism to vape products that seem impossibly affordable. Lab testing and regulatory compliance cost money. Gray market products can sell cheaply precisely because they’ve cut those corners.

There are also visual cues that may suggest a knockoff. Oils should generally have a clear, amber-like quality, though the exact appearance varies slightly by strain. Counterfeit cartridges, by contrast, often have cloudy or watery-looking oil. This typically points to low-quality refinement methods that rely on artificial additives, such as vegetable oil or illicit thickening agents.

Finally, consider your actual experience with the cartridge. Does it fit easily onto your vape battery? If you’re struggling to make it fit, that’s a sign it doesn’t belong there. Does it have a strange taste or smell that feels foreign? Again, that suggests the product is not reputable.

If you’re suspicious in any way, take that seriously.

What Should You Do if You Think a Cartridge Is Fake?

First and foremost, stop using the cartridge immediately. Don’t take additional puffs to “test it.” Don’t ask your friends to try it and see what they think.

Keep the unit itself, along with any packaging you still have, in a sealed bag. If you’re experiencing physical symptoms — especially respiratory issues — see a doctor immediately.

Next, report the cartridge to the FDA. It may feel like a drastic choice, but doing so could literally save someone’s life.

If the cartridge you’re concerned about was purchased at a dispensary, contact them right away to discuss the problem. Unlikely though this situation may be, it still deserves your full attention.

How Worried Should You Really Be About This?

That’s a good question, one that will probably weigh on the minds of any regular vape user. As we mentioned in the beginning of this article, if you’re buying from a licensed dispensary, there’s nothing to worry about. That said, only a handful of states have access to legal dispensaries. And yet, people all over the country vape cannabis. Obviously, there are lots of ways they might get their hands on a cartridge. But one of the most common is those online retailers that, while often safe, have less credibility on their side.

If you’re buying online, there is definitely a degree of risk you take any time you place an order—even if you’re using a vendor that you’ve trusted previously in the past. If they aren’t licensed, you should not assume that they are reliable.

Here’s the thing. The actual element of risk is relatively limited. Most of the time, you’re going to get your hands on a cartridge that is reasonably safe and fully compliant with regulatory requirements. But the potential health side effect of getting an unsafe cartridge is such that careful precaution is warranted 100% of the time.

Think of it like skydiving. Jumpers always have a backup parachute in case the first one fails. How often does the first one fail? Almost never, obviously. But are you going to jump out of a plane without a backup? Nor should you ingest chemicals into your body if you can’t say beyond question that they are safe. The actual risk is low, but the stakes are high. Remember that.

Conclusion

If all of this freaked you out a little bit, good. Fake cartridges are dangerous. The precautions to protect against getting one are simple. Follow them and you’ll be fine. If you want to vape in a way that is safe and sustainable way, make sure you’re always shopping from licensed vendors.

Do a simple inspection of the packaging before you start using the product. Is the vape completely sealed? Does it have that batch number and manufacturing date? Does it come from a recognizable, established brand? If yes to all of these things, you have a safe product on your hands. If not, you have a vape cartridge not worthy of your body. It’s as simple as that.

Frequent Answers and Questions

What are the physical symptoms of using a fake cartridge?

A: Symptoms can include difficulty breathing, dizziness, nausea, throat irritation, facial swelling, confusion, and chest tightness. Seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of these.

Does it matter where I bought the cartridge?

Yes. Cartridges from licensed, regulated dispensaries are much safer. Pop-up shops, unregulated online sellers, and social media merchants carry more risk.

Should I use a friend’s cartridge?

Only if you trust the source and can confirm where it was purchased. If you’re unsure, it’s safer to bring your own.

How can packaging help me identify a fake?

Look for cheap printing, poorly formatted labels, and low-quality materials. Real cartridges include batch numbers, manufacturing dates, and production location.

Can price indicate a fake cartridge?

Extremely low prices are often a red flag. Lab testing and compliance cost money, so products priced too cheaply may be gray-market or unsafe.

How should the oil look?

Real oil is usually clear and amber-colored. Cloudy or watery oil often indicates low-quality refinement or additives.

What about fit, taste, or smell?

If a cartridge doesn’t fit your battery properly, tastes strange, or has a foreign smell, treat it as suspicious.