19-year-old Alma uses puff bars despite health risks

Copenhagen — A growing number of young people in Denmark are turning to puff bars, disposable e-cigarettes that deliver flavored nicotine vapor, but health authorities warn the products may contain dangerous synthetic cannabinoids with severe consequences.

Nineteen-year-old Alma Eiler Frank told DR that she does not know what is in the pink watermelon-flavored puff bar she uses at the beach with friends. “I don’t know where it’s made or what’s in it. I don’t know anything about it,” she said. “I just hope there’s only nicotine in it.”

The Danish Poisons Information Line (Giftlinjen) has issued a warning about illegal puff bars smuggled into the country. These products often contain synthetic cannabinoids, which can cause psychosis, organ failure, and in extreme cases, death. The substances are not always listed on packaging, making it difficult for users to assess the risks.

Alma described the sensation as feeling like “chemicals” hitting her lungs. “It’s not like regular cigarettes,” she said. Her friend Bastian Johansen, 21, agreed. “It wrecks my lungs in a way cigarettes never could,” he said.

Both Alma and Bastian say puff bars are widely shared at parties and gatherings. Alma described seeing up to 15 colorful puff bars lined up on a table at one event. “It looks completely crazy,” she said.

According to the latest national survey on youth tobacco and nicotine use by the Danish National Institute of Public Health, 113,000 young people aged 15 to 29 use e-cigarettes or disposable vapes like puff bars. Eighty percent report using flavored varieties, which are illegal in Denmark.

Alma purchases her puff bars through encrypted messaging apps like Telegram or Snapchat, often selecting flavors from a seller’s menu. She acknowledged the ease of access: “You could message someone on the street, meet a friend, or even take one from someone who’s a bit drunk.”

Despite the health concerns, Alma plans to quit both puff bars and cigarettes before turning 20. “I’m not old enough to be coughing like this,” she said. “My stamina isn’t terrible, but there’s no reason it should be like this. I need to do something before something worse happens.”