This absolutely breaks my heart. Does anybody know what is even in these vapes? I mean, these squirrels don’t know. It’s not fair. They don’t even get to pick out a favorite flavor. They just smoke what they can get their little paws on. ANd that’s just not cool.
Well, not so fast. It’s actually not true. If this were indeed true, it would clearly be a sign of the coming apocalypse. It turns out that these squirrels aren’t vaping at all.
The internet’s newest bizarre obsession with “vaping squirrels” shows viral videos of the squirrels clutching disposable e-cigarettes and appearing to puff on them like they are tiny nicotine addicts.
The trend exploded after clips from parks in South London and later many U.S. cities spread across TikTok, X, Reddit, and even legacy media sites, with millions of people joking about squirrels becoming the latest victims of vape culture.
In reality, wildlife experts say the animals are not intentionally vaping or seeking nicotine at all. Instead, the squirrels appear to be attracted to the sweet, fruity smells of flavored disposable vapes and often chew or investigate them because they mistake them for food.
Researchers and animal welfare groups have warned that while the videos may look funny, they actually highlight a growing environmental problem tied to discarded vape litter. Makes you wonder where that green movement is. Oh, they are busy vaping instead of raising hell about this.
Experts say the real concern is that squirrels and other wildlife may ingest nicotine residue, plastics, batteries, or chemical materials found inside disposable vape devices. Organizations such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have described the viral footage as a reminder of how human litter can unintentionally harm animals.
Online, the clips have turned into a meme, with social media users joking about “nicotine squirrels,” “fruit-flavored acorn addictions,” and urban wildlife developing bad habits, but scientists emphasize that what looks humorous is actually evidence of wildlife interacting with hazardous trash in increasingly urban environments.
So there you have it. It really goes to show what we really are. We would rather laugh at this than do something about it. Unfortunately, these are not just funny cat videos. These animals are actually doing damage to themselves. Here’s an idea for every vaping douchebag. Throw your f*cking vape away in a receptacle. Don’t throw it on the ground. You are already a douchebag. Do you need to double down and hurt an animal as well?
