Depression Stick Fake Vape Campaign

Just when you thought the anti-vape mob over in the states couldn’t stoop any lower, along comes the Depression Stick!

I really don’t know where to start with this load of old bollox…

In a nutshell, a so called anti tobacco charity – the Truth Initiative – has launched a fake vape brand it’s calling the Depression Stick! – which it says is:

…the first e-cigarette company to honestly admit vaping nicotine can amplify feelings of depression and anxiety.

Wait…what?

Yup…the Depression Stick! is not only a fake vape brand, but also out to gaslight and literally take the piss out of kids with mental health issues…

The Truth Initiative has plucked data from a study showing the prevalence of depression and anxiety among children and adolescents has DOUBLED during the COVID19 ‘pandemic’.

If you actually read the study, there’s no mention of a link to this worrying stat and vaping…in fact as far as I can see, the study doesn’t even deem e-cigarettes as worthy of mentioning.

I’m no medical expert, but common sense tells me the doubling of serious mental health issues among kids could be due to being locked down away from their mates and social lives, and being scared shitless by politicians and the mass media…just a thought.

Depression Stick! BIG Bucks Behind the Campaign

Like I said, just when you thought the rabid anti vape crowd couldn’t get any lower, they drop deeper into the gutter.

The Depression Stick! has a glitzy website and a massive and extremely expensive slick advertising budget with TV ads, social media precence, fake storefronts and a Candid Camera style video section – more on that in a moment.

The Depression Stick! looks eerily like a JUUL – maybe a law suit will follow – and comes in over the top bright packaging….yeah I know it doesn’t actually exist, but you get my drift, they’re trying to show vape companies use bright colours to attract kids lol.

The names are a total piss take too, such as Citrus Sadness – Melancholy Menthol – BubbleGlum and Dissapoint-Mint…

Oh my…

The anti-vaping charity teamed up with ad agency Mojo Supermarket to create the campaign, and Mo Said, creative director at the company says the intention is literally to mess with people’s heads – the word prick comes to mind…

He says:

Vaping has become so normalised in pop culture and many young people don’t even see it as an issue.

With everything happening in the world young people’s number one concern is their mental health.

We believe that if we could show the connection between vaping nicotine and anxiety and depression, they’d never look at a vape the same way again.

Just a reminder that here in the UK, NHS Trusts are about to give FREE vape kits and nicotine e-liquids to the mentally ill.

That programme is led by the excellent Yorkshire Cancer Research and is backed by two of the UK’s leading universities, including Professor Lion Shahab.

It was prof Shahbab behind the famous Public Health England video showing cigarette smoke compared to vapour from an e-cig.

I know who I’d rather listen to other than some crazed ad campaign delivered by a trumped up Mad Men wannabe.

Robin Koval, CEO and president of Truth Initiative said:

Depression Stick! boldly highlights the marketing tactics Big Tobacco uses to lure young customers into life-long addiction and mess with their heads.

The multi-platform campaign places the necessary spotlight on nicotine’s role in potentially heightening symptoms of depression and anxiety to give young people the facts they deserve to make informed decisions to live their best and healthiest lives.

Studies have shown there are tenuous links to smoking and depression…nicotine does increase dopamine levels which can alter moods for the better…but there aren’t many if any out there looking at links from e-cigarettes.

And don’t forget, sportsmen and even air force pilots use nicotine to sharpen their senses…

And of course, nicotine and caffeine are VERY similar in chemical make up and we don’t see fake coffee brands warning of the ‘dangers’.

Secret Filming

As part of the Depression Stick! campaign, marketers were secretly filmed whilst trying to sell the product.

Is it just me or does the dude need a slap…annoying isn’t the word…

You’ll be pleased to know wherever he went, he was literally told to f**k off lol.

Even so called social media ‘influencers’ weren’t fooled.

So the phrase ‘just how low can you go‘ seems to come as a challenge to the moon howling anti-vape brigade out there.

Yes, even trolling kids with serious mental health issues.

Shame on them and it really needs to remove the word Truth from its title…

Last word to Derek Yach – president of the Smoke Free Foundation – who tweeted:

…truth launches fake vape company “depression stick!” ⁦@truthinitiative has sunk to new low.

Trivializing #depression & serious mental health.

Ignoring #truth that #smokers with depression #quit or cut risks ++ by using #vapes. ⁦

Where’s outrage?

Indeed, where is the outrage?

The problem is of course, even this article has given the Depression Stick! campaign publicity…which is exactly what it wanted.

I ummed and aahed about writing this for that very reason.

However I decided on the old newspaper editor’s quote:

publish and be dammed…

I haven’t linked to the site…just Google it if you so wish 😉

Update: and this is as funny as f**k if true lol:

Haha excellent 🙂

So…

What are your thoughts on the fake vape Depression Stick!?

Please let me know in the comments below….poems are very welcome!

Thanks to our Michelle for spotting this limerick lol.

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More vaping news on Sunday!