Please understand before you vape: if your cartridge is on this list, its more than likely 'fake'.

If you find the cartridge brand you purchased on this list, the package was imported from china, empty.

It was then filled with something resembling cannabis/THC oil. Some may contain synthetic marijuana, pesticides, heavy metals or a large list of other harmful things. Or, it could be high-quality oil and entirely 'safe to use.

The only way to know you have a good cartridge, is to purchase it from a legal dispensary. These cartridges will contain individual lab results for the product you are purchasing.

*This is not a complete list - it is only a reference to help you see what black-market cartridges look like*

You just got back from meeting up with your ‘guy’ after work and he offered you some Vape Cartridges.

Just looking at them, you can’t help but think that these might be most legit products you have ever gotten from this guy.

The fact that you bought these THC cartridges from anywhere but a legal dispensary should raise major red flags. Of course, we mean no insult to ‘your guy’. After all, he likely didn’t make these cartridges himself. This middle-man cycle quickly leads to some major problems.

Below, we will explore the reasons that you should tread carefully with your black-market vape cartridge!

Where did you buy your cartridge?

If you purchased your cartridge from anywhere beside a licensed dispensary, there is no way to be sure that you have a safe to use product. Even products that appear to be from a dispensary can be fake, counterfeiters place fake test results on this packaging to gain the appearance of legitimacy.

Cartridges on the legal market are required to be tested for toxic contaminates like heavy metals, bacteria and fungus. Toxins in your vape cartridge can be very dangerous and can pose a major risk to your long term health. In a black market vape cart, no testing is required. Read more about Vape Cart Toxins.

What is the cartridge packaging like?

If your package contains graphics of childhood characters or your favorite cereal brand, you are assuredly using a blackmarket vape cartridge.

Packing is becoming much more sophisticated with oil cartridges, brands such as Brass Knuckles came up with a serial number solution to protect their brand from knockoffs. They counterfeited the security labels, too!

Below we have compiled a list of the most popular cartridge packaging brand from China. If your cartridge name or brand is on this list, you are assuredly using a fake cartridge

Cereal Vape Cartridges

Let's be real, would a cereal brand targeted at children really license their characters to an cannabis brand? Chinese cartridges with cereal brands are most commonly Trix, Franken Berry, Honey Nut Cheerios, Apple Jacks, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cap'n Crunch and Boo Berry. These cartridges are not tested and may contain heavy metals, pesticides and other toxic substances.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Franken Berry

Cap'n Crunch

Boo Berry

Trix

Honey Nut Cheerios

Apple Jacks

Dank Vapes Brand Vape Cartridges

Dank Tanks are another very popular black market cannabis cartridge. These cartridges are widely found around the USA and usually share the same general ' branding '. The 'flavors' include things like LA Confidential, Gelato, Orange Chai and Jack Herer. These tanks are one of the most common packages seen. These cartridges are not tested and may contain heavy metals, pesticides and other toxic substances. ATF

OG KUSH

GSC

Diablo

Banana OG

Diamond OG

Strawberry Cough

Blue Dream

Zkittlez

Lemon Skunk

Cherry Kush

Lemon Head

Purple Punch

Tangie

Lemon Berry Key Lime Pie

OG Kush

Diamond OG

Pipeapple Express

Grape Ape

Dole Whip

Sour Apple

White Rhino

Orange Chai

Strawberry Shortcake

Chem Dog

Ace of Spades

Mimosa

Strawnana

Maitai

LSD

Mars OG

Lemon Slushie

Lemon Berry Rose Gold Blackberry Kush Mojito Jack Herer Sunset Sherbet Orange Daiquiri Apple Jacks Watermelon King louie Mars OG AK-47 Mango Kush Candy Land Hardcore OG Durban Poison Blueberry Kush



Exotic Carts Brand Vape Cartridges

Exotic Carts are some of the more colorful illicit cartridges seen today. They are often covered in cookies, candies as well as brand name products like Gushers. These brands are one of the most common packages seen. These cartridges are not tested and may contain heavy metals, pesticides and other toxic substances.

Grape Pie

APPLE FRITTER

BLUEBERRY KUSH

FORBIDDEN FRUIT

KOSHER KUSH

LEMONADE

MIMOSA

PIMEAPPLE EXPRESS

PURPLE PUNCH

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE Strawnana

Wedding Cake

Gelato

Do-si-dos

Skittles

Gorilla Glue

Mars OG

Sunset Sherbert

GSC

YODA OG

Mario Carts Brand Vape Cartridges

We will say it again, would Nintendo; a brand serving children and young adults really license their characters to a cannabis company? No... These cartridges are not tested and may contain heavy metals, pesticides and other toxic substances. Ghost O.G. Sherblato Banana Kush Nerds Mystery OG Mai Tai White Wookies LA Confidental Mac 1 Ny Sour Diesel Gorilla Glue

Gushers

Fire OG

Gelato

Cookies

Wedding Cake

Durban Poison

Strawberry Pie

Peaches & Dream

Skunk OG

Brass Knuckles Counterfeit Vape Cartridges

This is the one that started the craze, last year these counterfeit packages were rolling through customs undetected and surging on the street all over the USA. These cartridges are probably one of the most nicely package on both the black and legal market. A hard clam-shell case protects the golden cartridge inside. These cartridges come with the strain sticker of your choice as well for the front of the box! Recently, the more illicit dealers have been obtaining counterfeit serial stickers to beat the REAL brands push back. Brass Knuckles has done a tremendous job of cracking down on their product being counterfeited. But, even with their efforts, these cartridges remain a problem! These cartridges are not tested and may contain heavy metals, pesticides and other toxic substances. Sour Diesel

Tangie

Strawberry Cough

Blue Dream

Jack Herer

Banna OG

Forbideen Fruit

Gelato

GG4 Do-Si-Dos

SFV OG

Tahoe OG

Grape God

Skywalker OG

Blueberry

Maui Wowie

Sour Apple

GSC

Kingpen Counterfeit Vape Cartridges

Kingpens have grown to become one of the most popular cartridges from China. Their elegant look and simple to produce packaging make them a perfect choice for the blackmarket producers! Although KingPen is a real brand, the cartridge you hold if likely fake if not purchased directly from the dispensary! Gorilla Glue

Super Lemon Haze

Jack Herer

OG Kush

Cali-O

Blue Dream

Bannana Sherbert

Gelato Sour Diesel

King Louis OG

Skywalker OG

Three Kings

Jilly Bean

Romulan Grapefruit

Trainwreck

SmartCart Vape Cartridges

Modeled after the popular SmartWater brand, these blackmarket cartridges make quite the impression! But don't be fooled, these legit looking cartridges are 100% untested! ORANGE COOKIES

ORANGE CRUSH

SFV OG

PISTACHIO

JACK HERER

DO-SI-DOS

GRANDDADDY PURPLE

GRAPE APE

XXX OG

ANIMAL COOKIES CHOCOLATE

PURPLE PUNCH

SHERBET

WEDDING CAKE

GORILLA GLUE

HURKLE

GRAPE PUNCH

FRENCH COOKIES

BIC SMOOTH

Cali Plug / Cali Connection Vape Cartridges

A California inspired Chinese brand, the Cali Plug line features bright 'urban' style packaging and usually a golden engraved cartridge. This is a newer package that is beginning to get popular. Birthday Cake

Zkittles

Trix

Lemon pound cake

Fruity pebbles

Gelato

Cookie punch

Slushy

Cookies

Nerdz

Moon Clear Brand Vape Cartridges

Definitely one of the coolest names and packages, these knockoffs of a real brand boast one of the most complex packages on the list. These are a rare cartridge to see, but they are still out there. If you did not purchase your MoonClear from a licensed dispensary, it is most likely fake. Strawberry Banana

Jack Herer

Tutti Frutti

Leaf

OG

90% Plus

Bobby Blue

Cookies Brand Vape Cartridges

Cookies is another one of those brands that really took off as a blackmarket cartridge in the USA. Their unique, clean looking packaging with a variety of flavors really satisfied those who got non-toxic ones! These cartridges are available is the variety of flavors listed below. London Pound Cake

Runts

Cereal Milk

Lemon Pound Cake

Lemoncello

Dolato

Biscotti

Billy Kimber OG

Gushers

Gelato 41

Gelati

TKO Extracts Vape Cartridges

TKO Extracts cartridges have been making their way from China in to the USA market. These cartridges feature a unique case and package design that many don't recognize as black market. These cartridges are not tested and may contain heavy metals, pesticides and other toxic substances. Durban Poison

Platinum OG

Grand Daddy Purp

Sour Diesel

Zkittlez

Berry Lemons

Gelato Durban Poison

Platinum OG

Grand Daddy Purp

Sour Diesel

Zkittlez

Berry Lemons

Gelato



Where are counterfeits being sold at?

The thing about fake cartridge packaging is that it is available in bulk everywhere, website we found have Dank Vape, King Pen and other brands packaging for sale online, and the counterfeit packages look so good that is very easy that it is easy to get fooled into thinking that they are the real deal.

These websites enable the sale of empty cartridges.

So anyone can just go online and buy the packaging and cartridge just for a few cents apiece and fill them up with whatever they like.

But counterfeits aren't the only problem, fake brands are also becoming really popular with the help of Chinese manufacturers. They create really well-made packages that often include cartoon or video game characters and make claims such as over 90% THC content. The packaging is really well done so it can fool anyone into believing that it's a real brand. Their primary platform for selling the cartridges is Instagram, with accounts dedicated to showcasing pictures of the cartridges filled with cannabis oil.

There are also lots of fake Brass Knuckles accounts that advertise counterfeit Brass Knuckles cartridges and even when it might be tempting to try one of them even when you're not in a state has not legalized cannabis yet, but we must advise you not to do it.

Brass Knuckles has responded to this by implementing a series of security methods like new serial numbers and holograms to combat the counterfeiting issue, but since there is no database where you can check if your cartridge is real the solution is not as effective as it should. You can read more about Brass Knuckles authentication HERE.

Are fake vape cartridges bad for you?

The main reason these fake cartridges are so popular is that anyone can buy them in states where cannabis oil is not legal yet.

So the black market for cannabis cartridges is on the rise, but the thing with the black market is that it does not require any lab test before hitting the streets. So people that are concerned with what they are consuming went and tested the cartridges themselves, and many results show that black market cartridges contain various dangerous and toxic chemical such as pesticides.

These fake cartridges are also starting to pop up in states where it is legal to sell and use cannabis oil like California, and this is because black market fakes sell for much lower than the original cartridges.

A real vape cartridge often retails for around $60 per gram in California, while fake cartridges are sold in the $25 to $45 range per gram, and the reason is that their THC is not as high as advertised and they don't go through any lab test to ensure they are safe for human consumption.

The reason why a brand name is $60 a gram is simple, they are lab tested and proven to be safe to use by the responsible agencies. And these tests are not cheap an average test can cost up to a couple hundred dollars just to check a batch of cannabis oil for pesticides, and checking the THC content is not cheap either as it will cost an additional couple hundred dollars. An excellent way to avoid buying fakes to be skeptical of prices that are way lower than the original price, and also check your favorite brand's social media profile to see if there's any information regarding fake cartridges.

The best thing that can happen to you if you use a counterfeit cartridge is getting some low-quality cannabis oil, but some of these counterfeit cartridges are not using oils that are safe for use thus putting the people that use these products at risk.