Osaka: Nicotine-vaping devices, collectively known as "nicopuff" in Japan, are gaining popularity among young people, although they are unapproved and their sales are prohibited in the country. Nicopuff, which heats a nicotine-containing scented liquid to produce vapor, involves "the danger of serving as a gateway to illegal drugs," an expert warns.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Osaka prefectural police have noticed an increase in cases involving nicopuff since last summer. In March this year, enforcement actions were taken against university and high school students for selling such products. A university student was found to have repeatedly purchased devices from overseas websites and sold them via social media. In a separate incident, a group of boys attacked another boy they met online and robbed him of cash and e-cigarettes believed to be nicopuff.

The appeal of nicopuff is attributed to its minimal smoke odor and fashionable image. A 20-year-old part-timer in the Minami downtown area of Osaka remarked how he enjoys vaping in his room with a grape-flavored device. He started using nicopuff after receiving one from a friend and was unaware that distributing the devices is illegal. A university student highlighted the cost-effectiveness and trendiness of nicopuff, noting that many peers also use it.

Brightly colored nicopuff products are available on sales websites, with flavors such as apple and mango being offered for several thousand yen each. These products are marketed with claims of providing "satisfaction similar to cigarettes" and offering "a variety of flavors." While importing nicopuff products for personal use isn't illegal in Japan, selling them contravenes pharmaceutical and medical device laws due to the lack of regulatory approval for nicotine-containing products.

Masakazu Nakamura, an adviser at a medical research center with the Japan Association for Development of Community Medicine, emphasized that despite containing fewer harmful substances than conventional tobacco products, nicopuff still produces carcinogens. He stressed the importance of preventing minors from accessing these products and called attention to the absence of laws restricting their use by young people in Japan.