In 2019 JUUL pulled most of its flavor pods off the market in response to concerns about teen vaping. But by then, adolescents had moved on to something new: the Puff Bar.
Disposable vape bars like the Puff Bar look a lot like a traditional cigarette and can be used to deliver anywhere from 20 to 400 puffs (the equivalent of about a pack of traditional cigarettes). They’re easy to use, cost-effective and come in many delicious flavors. That’s why they’re a big hit with teenagers. Using disposables can lead to nicotine addiction and expose users to potential carcinogens. It can also harm short-term memory, according to a non-peer-reviewed study of teenage vaping.
Designed in the USA, the Puff Bar is a small, pen-shaped device that contains a cartridge prefilled with e-liquid. They are thrown away once the cartridge is empty or the battery is dead. These devices became a popular alternative to more complex and expensive vaporizing hardware like portable electronic cigarettes, or “e-cigs.”
Savor the Flavor: A Guide to Vape Bars and the Art of Social Vaping
Puff Bars are sold in a variety of flavors including strawberry watermelon, blue razz lemonade, and iced green apple. They contain nicotine salt, which provides a smoother throat hit and satisfies cravings quicker than standard freebase nicotine.
Despite the FDA’s ban on the Puff Bar, manufacturers continue to find ways to bypass federal regulations. The makers of Esco Bar, a disposable competitor to the Puff Bar, imported 30 shipments from China this year labeled as “atomizers,” a generic type of hardware that turns a liquid into a spray.