A study released in 2022 from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 2.55 million U.S. middle and high school students reported current e-cigarette use in 2022.
Some social media users claimed that students found a new way to deceive adults by smoking e-cigarettes that look like highlighter pens. "Because our jobs aren't hard enough," one teacher wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). "These are vape pens and not highlighters."
Because our jobs aren't hard enough
These are vape pens and not highlighters ? pic.twitter.com/mOzqEi85i3
— Dawn Kasal Finley(she/her) ? (@kasal_finley) August 20, 2023
"When you hit a highlighter vape in front of a high school," one TikTok user captioned a video with alleged disposable vapes that looked like a highlighter:
We accessed High Light Vape's website and found the highlighter vapes were real. The company's description read (emphasis ours):
Welcome to High Light Vape, where we specialize in creating innovative and discreet vaping solutions for those on the go. Our flagship product is a disposable vape that looks like a highlighter, making it the perfect option for those who want to vape discreetly in public.
It continued, underscoring the design's scope of discretion:
We understand that many people are looking for ways to incorporate vaping into their daily routines, but don't want to draw attention to themselves while doing so. Our disposable vape pens are the perfect solution to this problem. With their sleek and inconspicuous design, they allow you to vape discreetly no matter where you are. Whether you're at work, out with friends, or on a date, our highlighter vapes are the perfect way to enjoy your favorite flavors without drawing unwanted attention to yourself.
You can see for yourself how similar the vape (on the left) is to an actual Sharpie highlighter (on the right):
(Instagram account @highlightvape and www.uline.com)
"Don't forget about the water bottle vape and the hoodie vape," another social media user wrote.
Don't forget about the water bottle vape and the hoodie vape.
href="https://t.co/v2rs0GBBtr">pic.twitter.com/v2rs0GBBtr
— Mrs. D. Room C-14 (@krystal_deleeuw) August 21, 2023
Yes, disposable vapes in the shape of a water bottle and a hoodie are also real.