The popularity of THC oil cartridges has also caused an unfortunate rise in fake products. These counterfeit cartridges can be similar to their authentic counterparts. Fake carts can be appealing to those who may be looking for a way around state laws or younger customers who may not be able to legally obtain cartridges. The consequences of using these products, though they might not be immediately apparent, include detrimental health risks. Fake THC Oil cartridges can include pesticides, chemicals, and additional additives that may lead to respiratory problems. Symptoms include lung pain and incessant coughing that can cause extreme discomfort and, in serious cases, hospitalization.
Identifying these products is not always easy. Many of them have lab reports, authentication codes, and packaging that rivals authentic brands. However, there are a few reputable ways to identify the real from the fake.
Leafipedia.net’s Comprehensive Cartridge Authentication
A reputable source for authenticating THC cartridges is leafipedia.net. Their site has two sections on the topic: “Unlicensed Cartridges” and “Counterfeit Cartridges”.
Choices Carts is Not A Licensed Brand Like Many Others
The “Unlicensed Cartridges” section includes a list of cartridges that customers should stay away from. Each product that they review has a brief description and proof of the product or company being without a valid license. One of their pages on Choices Carts, which has almost all the appearances of a true and verifiable company, goes through the many reasons why the company is fake. Many of these attributes are also applicable to other black market operations as well. Leafipedia has a comprehensive breakdown as to the history of Choices, including when they first began to hit the market and gain popularity.
However, it doesn’t stop there. Leafipedia then goes on to explore multiple facets of the “company”. This includes their lack of company information, which is very common amongst fake products. Black market products will rarely have a verifiable company website, which tends to include background about the company, where their headquarters is, and how their operations run. Another common attribute of fake products is a lack of lab results or fake lab results. Some black market operations have gone so far as to produce fake lab results or go through a verified lab while conveniently omitting testing for harmful additives or pesticides. Companies have even taken it a step further, adding QR codes to “verify” that their products are legitimate. However, as Leafipedia has pointed out, these systems can be created by anyone.
KRT Yang Cart Is An Unlicensed THC Oil
Leafipedia has other comprehensive reviews, including one on KRT Yang carts. The company, though popular, does not have any licensing, permits, website, or identifiable company that is producing the products that are being sold. Brands like these rely on a lack of due diligence on the part of consumers. A comprehensive search of KRT Yang and consultation of online forums would have concluded that this brand is illegitimate.
Stay Away From Muha Muha Meds Carts
Muha Meds carts is another brand that has begun to grow in popularity. These cartridges have packaging and branding that makes it difficult to distinguish from legitimate brands. One of the reasons for their popularity, and a reason to raise suspicion, is their extremely low prices. Muha Meds go for $15 per cartridge, which is much lower than the typical price of a cartridge, which can usually be around $40. This is also in addition to the lack of lab results and license number that the company conveniently keeps private, should it even exist.
This company was also a hot topic as one of the brands found in a THC cartridge bust in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania and another bust in Indiana. This is made possible by black market operations purchasing empty cartridges and filling them with the liquid of their choice. These contents are typically not subject to lab testing. Leafipedia.net has certainly not left out any of the details necessary to determine that these products are fake.
Leafipedia.net’s “Counterfeit Cartridges” has a running list of popular brands that may have counterfeits sold by black market companies. While the original brands are authentic, there may be brands posing as the original that may not go through the same rigorous screening.
Runtz Carts Have Been Hit by Counterfeits
A prime example of their coverage of these fake carts is their information on Runtz Carts counterfeits. Runtz is a popular brand, making them an easy target for those looking to produce counterfeit products. Online retailers began to sell empty Runtz bags that could be bought in bulk. This enabled fake companies to be able to buy the bags and fill them with the product of their choosing, effectively impersonating the popular brand. This allowed for companies to use the credibility that Runtz had created to sell their products. These fake products continued to be produced as it became difficult to tell the real and fake Runtz products apart.
Raw Garden Carts Have Been Counterfeited Massively
Raw Garden is a sleek and reputable company that has produced great cartridges. Their operation is unique in that their cannabis oil is incredibly clear. The oil only has a tint of yellow in comparison to the golden hue that is normally present in THC cartridges. A side by side comparison of an authentic Raw Garden package and a fake Raw Garden package by leafipedia shows the similarities and differences of each product. These differences include color discrepancies, different fonts, and incorrect text. Trying to replicate this unique brand is a difficult task; evident by the amount of fake products on the market that fail to trick customers.
Big Chief Carts Have Counterfeit problems
Finally, and perhaps one of the most difficult to follow business journeys in the cannabis industry, Big Chief carts has an interesting history. In the beginning of their career, the company experienced doubts as to their authenticity. Since then, Big Chief has obtained a legitimate license and has continued their business operations. However, the counterfeit operations have not stopped there. Big Chief counterfeits have popped up on third party sites and empty Big Chief cartridges continue to be sold online. Leafipedia recommends buying Big Chief products only through their website to ensure authenticity.
These are some common ways to identify these fake companies. However, it can be time-consuming to check online forums or with friends who may have used these products before. These tactics also require that others have tried these fake cartridges, which can be dangerous. Leafipedia is an excellent resource to take the hard work out of verifying whether your product is real and safe to consume.
Fake Cartridges Are Frequently In The News
Fake cartridges are so popular these days that they have found themselves in an unprecedented place: the news. Recently, law enforcement entities around the United States have busted individuals for possession of THC products, including cartridges. On April 27, 2021, a young individual was busted for possession of 480 THC vape cartridges, THC wax, and marijuana. The bust occurred during a routine traffic stop.
Law enforcement is well aware of the presence of these illegitimate cartridges. The dangers of their usage are also fairly well known. All 50 states within the United States have reported lung illnesses in connection to illegitimate vape products. These products can cause severe pain and discomfort in the form of respiratory issues. Thus, many health experts have raised concerns over the growing usage of these fake THC cartridges.
Counterfeit THC cartridge packaging
Black market operations are able to build their business because empty cartridges and packaging is made available through various websites. These cartridges, which can come with the logos of legitimate companies or even in specific designs, can be filled with any type of liquid. Many of them sell for mere cents and can be bought in bulk. They can then be put in the duplicate packaging, giving the impression that the product is legitimate to the naked eye. Unless a consumer is an expert in the details of a product’s packaging, it would be easy to mistake a fake product for the real thing.
These THC oil cartridges can be appealing for numerous reasons, such as their accessibility and low prices. Particularly for those who are in states that have hefty restrictions on vape or cannabis products. Despite these appealing aspects, these fake products are never worth the risk of respiratory damage. Customers are encouraged to go through verified third party distributors or straight from the company itself. Companies that have put in the extensive effort and finances into proving that their products are safe will be sure to have that information readily available. Many reputable distributors are also strongly opposed to selling products that are illegitimate because it can impact their reputation.
People are learning about these fake carts online
Customers are better off doing a bit of research to determine the authenticity of a product. This can be a lengthy process and relies on others to have taken the risk to try these products. Resources like leafipedia.net are great because they centralize the data and research of products into one convenient location. This makes what was once an extensive process of researching fake THC cartridges a bit easier and helps to keep the cannabis community that much safer.