Stiiizy is known for making high-quality, environmentally friendly weed vape pods. But knock-off versions of Stiiizy’s products are cropping up on the black markets, and since knock-offs don’t undergo the same strenuous lab testing as Stiiizy’s legit pods, you’ll want to know what’s real and what’s fake to avoid any health issues. And the biggest health issue on everyone’s mind right now is the vaping illness epidemic that’s already claimed eight lives and hospitalized hundreds.
So, how can you tell if you’ve got a tried-and-true Stiiizy pod? Here are a few of the tell-tale signs.
Check for Correct Spelling on the Packaging
The easiest way to spot a fake Stiiizy pen pod is to carefully look at the words printed on the package. You’ll want to pay careful attention to the brand name, Stiiizy. If there’s a typo, it’s not a real Stiiizy. For example, if there are one, two, or more than three “i”s in the name “Stiiizy,” it ain’t the real McCoy.
Fake Pods Come with a Black Plastic Insert
Bonafide Stiiizy pods don’t come with a black plastic packaging insert. The company stopped making pods with black inserts back in June 2018. Newer, legit Stiiizys come with a white plastic insert.
Fake Stiiizy products still come with the black plastic insert
New and real Stiiizy products only come with a white plastic insert.
Fake Stiiizy Pods Are Usually Filled with Thin Oil
Stiiizy prides itself on its high-quality vape pods, which only contains oils, cannabinoids, and terpenes extracted directly from cannabis. To check the pod’s oil consistency without breaking it open, you can conduct a bubble test at home. Simply flip the cart upside down, and observe how quickly the air bubble floats to the top. If you’ve performed this test with real Stiiizy pods in the past, you’ll have a good idea how long that bubble should take to rise. In thinner, lower-quality oil — in other words, the fake stuff — the air bubble quickly rises to the top. If the oil is thin, you’ve got a knockoff on your hands.
However, some illicit operators may add thickening agents like vitamin E acetate to the oil, so the bubble test is not a guaranteed method for recognizing a fake cart.
Gallery — Here’s What Other Fake Vapes Look Like:
Double-Check THC Contents
If you already know what the THC value should be for your pod’s weed strain, you can compare that value to what’s listed on the package. If the numbers don’t match up, you’ve probably got a knockoff. Fortunately, you can contact Stiiizy’s customer reps to verify the THC percentage for any given pod, and they’re more than happy to help you suss out the fakes.
Why Should I Care if My Stiiizy Pod is Fake?
Two words: quality and safety. Most illicit marketeers that make fake Stiiizy pods are giving you a much lower quality product, and often these fake pods are cut with filler oils like polyethylene glycol (a component of cooking oil) or vitamin E acetate. Overconsumption of polyethylene glycol can trigger a form of pneumonia in susceptible people, and vitamin E acetate is currently being investigated by the CDC as a cause of the lethal lung illness related to vaping illicit products.
Additionally, fake Stiiizy pods likely have less THC than the packages indicate, and rip-off products can also contain contaminants like pesticides and heavy metals, which can cause some really unpleasant side effects.
Check to See if the Distributor Is Known for Selling Fake Stiiizy Pods
If you plan on purchasing your Stiiizy pen pods online, get familiar with some of the companies that are known for selling fake Stiiizy products:
• Summer Vapor
• Shenzhen NewVaping Electronic Technology Co
• Shenzhen Delphi Technology Co
For example, here’s a photo of Shenzhen NewVaping’s Stiiizy knockoff, and it’s hard to tell it’s a fake:
(Hint: note the high milligrams)
TL/DR
Fake Stiiizy pods are everywhere. Check the packaging, oil quality, and THC values to make sure they are the real deal. Better yet, purchase your Stiiizy pen pods from an authorized dealer (like a caregiver!) or legal dispensary. Otherwise, you risk ingesting some product that’s either unbelievably shitty or lethally dangerous to your health.
