Right, so how bad actually are Elf and Geek Bars?

Walking into a smoking area and smelling nothing but strawberries has become the new normal

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Whether you’re out clubbing every weekend or down the pub for some after work bevs, you have definitely breathed in some form of fruity flavoured air. Elf and Geek Bars have been taking the country by storm, giving those who use the disposable vapes from 600 to 800 puffs per bar, which is the equivalent of 48 to 50 cigarettes. The vapes have an assortment of flavours including watermelon, blueberry sour raspberry, and banana ice to name a few, costing as little as five pounds.

In a recent study, an online vape website saw a 279 per cent increase in sales of disposable vapes in 2021. It found that the top two performing brands were Geek Bar and Elf Bar. The popularity of these vapes has taken over social media, with the hashtags #elfbar and #geekbar having 934 million views between them on TikTok. Like smoking cigarettes, vaping has risks attached, but despite its popularity how dangerous are disposable vapes?

Is vaping bad for you?

A review done by Public Health England concluded that e-cigarettes “are significantly less harmful to health than tobacco and have the potential to help smokers quit smoking.” Its review found e-cigarettes are around 95 per cent less harmful than smoking. According to vapoholic, the side effects of using elf bars can include a dry mouth, a cough, nausea, mouth and throat irritation, headaches, and shortness of breath.

TikTok dentist Anna Peterson said that the nicotine inside Elf and Geek Bars can lead to tooth loss and gum disease.

What does an Elf Bar contain?

An Elf Bar contains two per cent (20mg) of nicotine, which is the maximum limit allowed in the UK. According to IndeJuice, “20mg nicotine strength is intended for those that want to switch from smoking traditional cigarettes, providing you with an instant nicotine hit.” But they also offer a zero per cent nicotine option for some of their vapes.

‘Try and avoid these at all costs’

There are some health professionals who are against the use of Geek and Elf Bars. Dr Onkar Mudhar warned his followers on TikTok against using the popular vape pens. He said: “Whether you use Geek or Elf Bars, they’re still bad news. Smoking a whole Geek Bar of Elf Bar is equivalent to 48 to 50 cigarettes. Both of these contain two milligrams of nicotine salt, equivalent to 20 milligrams of nicotine.

“Not only is the nicotine in these devices super addictive, but it also puts you at risk of developing gum disease, dry mouth, tooth decay and early tooth loss. Furthermore, they can also cause bad breath. So, try and avoid these at all costs.” His video has racked up over 100,000 likes and 11,000 shares.

‘I wouldn’t be suprised if we see a whole generation of 30-year-olds with lung conditions’

Dr Gareth Nye is a lecturer at the University of Chester. He said: “There is limited scientific evidence regarding these products, mainly regarding the liquid used to vape with rather than the vaping device itself as they have continued to change over the last ten years. Vaping has caused increases in tooth decay, dental and oral conditions and shows signs of being linked to oral cancers the same way cigarette smoking does.

“Bottom line – inhaling chemicals into the lungs which are not meant to be there leads to a reaction from your immune system which damages the lung tissue. With damaged lung tissue you can’t get oxygen into the blood, as well making the heart work harder and the rest of the body goes into survival mode. The longer you do this the worse the impact. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a whole generation of 30-year-olds with lung conditions in the next decade.”

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