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E-cigarette users could burn down their houses due to the reckless social media trend “Stoptober”: experts warn urgently

E-cigarette users could burn down their houses due to the reckless social media trend “Stoptober”: experts warn urgently

This warning is not just smoke and mirrors.

Experts are warning social media users participating in “Stoptober” – a trend in which people use the month of October to quit vaping by throwing their devices into water.

While the act may render the e-cigarettes unusable, it can also pose a serious danger, potentially starting a fire that could destroy your home.

Pascal Culverhouse of Electric Tobacconist said the e-cigarettes can cause an explosion when submerged because they are made with lithium-ion batteries.


Immersing e-cigarettes in water can cause a fire, experts warn. William Lailey SWNS

“While legitimate e-cigarettes are robustly manufactured and have built-in safety measures, dropping the e-cigarette pen into a glass of water can cause a short circuit and explosion,” he told The Mirror.


As many throw their e-cigarettes into water to quit smoking, experts warn that doing so can lead to a fire.
As many throw their e-cigarettes into water to quit smoking, experts warn that doing so can lead to a fire. James Messerschmidt

“Even if the device does not explode, it should malfunction [trash] It could quickly set your house on fire and have fatal consequences. There is no reason to do this with your vape pens as they are not intended to be submerged in water.”

Instead, Culverhouse advises taking responsibility a step further by either recycling it or turning it back into a vape shop.

Other content creators online are now also warning about the trend.

“In this way, you not only protect the environment, but also protect your family by not throwing potentially damaged electronic devices into your home’s trash can.”

Put simply, lithium has a “highly reactive nature” when paired with water or moisture, according to the company Ufine Battery.

“When water enters a lithium battery, it triggers a series of harmful reactions that can lead to heat generation, release of hydrogen gas and potential fire hazards,” the company claims.

Separate from this trend, other people have also demonstrated the flammable effects of throwing lithium batteries into water.

A YouTube video showed how the lithium burst into sparks and flames within a few seconds.