Experts have issued new warnings about “dangerous” steam with built-in video games branded “a phenomenal attempt to target children.”
A device called “smart steam” allows users to access pre-installed games, receive and make calls, play music and track fitness.
Many products with names like Posh Pro Max, Craftbox V-Touch, Halo Synix, and more are available online and cost around $53.
Experts Artur Galimov, Liam Obaid and Jennifer B. Unger expressed concern last month in a forum post on devices in a British medical journal, saying they would “integrate smartphone-like designs and features into steam devices.”
Some devices come with integrated speakers, fitness trackers and the ability to enable social media notifications.
It has a rechargeable battery and Bluetooth, allowing you to track them and connect them to your smartphone.
The steam is served in a fruity, sweet flavor, offering up to 30,000 puffs on average.
Last October, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to nine online retailers and one manufacturer to stop selling and marketing e-cigarettes with designs and features similar to smart technology.
The product is “advertised as having a variety of designs and features that could appeal to young people, such as playing games, connecting to a smartphone, receiving texts, getting notifications, playing music, and personalizing the product with custom wallpapers.
“They are illegal to sell and are inconspicuous attempts to target children,” said Brian King, director of the FDA’s tobacco products center.
However, research shows that these steams can be purchased online, with similar models available in the UK for around $53.
Jennifer Unger, a professor of population and public health sciences at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, is concerned about the increase in “smartphone” steam and the possibility that more teenagers and children will hook up with nicotine.
She said: “I think they can have a really harmful effect on young people.
“These devices combine three things that are extremely enhanced: nicotine, video games and sweet taste.
“And they are packaged in a way that makes them feel safe, fun and even nostalgic.
“It’s a dangerous combination for young people, especially those who are already exposed to stress and trauma.
“And in communities where vaping is already popular, this can just get worse. It’s normal use, lowering the start age and making it difficult to recognize when someone is vaping.
“When a vape looks like a toy and rewards you with using it, it’s not just a product, it’s a trap of action.”
The professor first noticed the device in 2023 and 2024. Initially, retailer websites became more widely available through social media.
She said: “What’s impressive is that it’s sold not only as nicotine products, but as fun and trendy gadgets. Some of them look like gaming consoles and phones, while others are actually playable and retro style games are quickly built.
“They are clearly designed to attract the attention of young people, and their leads lead influencers, boxed videos and viral content on platforms like Tiktok. It’s not hard for teenagers to imagine ‘this looks cool’. ”
Professor Unger said the big difference between traditional “smartphone” steam and “smartphone” steam is an interactive element.
She said: “Traditional steam just delivers nicotine.
“These new devices add game elements. Sometimes they use full-on video games that offer points and prizes to users every time they take a puff.
“Its pairing – nicotine and gameplay are a concern because it creates a powerful feedback loop. It strengthens behavior with both chemicals and psychological rewards. It’s no longer just vaping.
The device is designed to be “slack” and “emotionally rewarded,” she says. “Although all steam is risky, when combined with nicotine and games, it adds multiple appeal, especially for children and teens, with products that look like toys and phones.
“It makes it harder for adults to recognize and quit. So, yes, I’m more worried, not just because of nicotine, but because these devices are designed to hook users in one or more ways.”
The professor, who examines adolescent health behaviors, substance use and tobacco control as research areas, wants a “strongly and collaborative” response from the government to address these issues.
She said: “At the policy level, we need the FDA to draw clear lines. If the product provides nicotine, it should not be a toy or a game. That should not be crossed by us.”
However, she added that schools and parents needed help identifying these new steams that appear different to traditional steam.
She said:
“Education is important, but so is enforcement, and these devices don’t just come by chance.
“They are intentionally designed and sold, and they need to be dealt with the same level of intent.”
