A growing trend on TikTok is promoting “native cigs” as an alternative to e-cigarettes, with multiple small accounts pushing these products despite their contraband status.
This trend has amassed over 325,000 views and thousands of likes in just two days, targeting Canadian youth who may not fully understand the risks.
The contraband tobacco industry is linked to violent crime and illicit drug trafficking in Canada, making this trend more than just a passing social media fad.
Instead, it appears to be a deliberate marketing effort to convince young people that smoking cheaper, unregulated cigarettes is “cooler” than using vapes or other regulated tobacco products.
Some videos even suggest that smoking these contraband products makes youth look “more cowboy,” a trend gaining traction, particularly in Western Canada.
It remains unclear how these small accounts are generating such high engagement, with some amassing tens of thousands of views despite having only a few hundred followers.
Whether this surge is due to the TikTok algorithm, organic engagement, or deliberate content-sharing tactics is uncertain. However, the trend extends beyond just a few accounts.
In some cases, accounts with only 300 followers and an average view count of a few hundred are reaching over 10,000 views on videos featuring text that mentions “native cigs.”
Contraband cigarettes, which are sold at a lower price and are illegal, often contain harmful chemicals, animal feces, and lack essential safety features designed to prevent wildfires caused by improper disposal.
