Eric Shanazari, Reid C. Whaley, Jennifer B. Unger & Artur Galimov.
Smartphones and social media dominate the lives of young adults and e-cigarettes are increasingly also part of the picture. Emerging nicotine products enable users to engage in all three behaviors through a single device. E-cigarette companies have produced products that appeal to youth, including vaping devices that resemble toys, incorporate smartphone features, or include games. We recently identified a vaping device that doubles as an iPhone case. HumoCase advertises products on social media that integrate the functionality of a smartphone accessory with those of a disposable electronic vape device (Figure 1). These rechargeable iPhone cases, compatible with models 12 through 16, contain built-in prefilled e-liquid tanks.
Figure 1: Screen capture from a promotional video on the HumoCase website “Home” page (https://humocase.com/). This segment of the video features vapor being expelled from the top of the device, along with the tagline “Anywhere, Anytime.” Image accessed 5 October 2025.
HumoCase, launched in 2025, sells the “first ever iPhone case vape.” The company markets the product as a convenient solution for reducing the number of devices that individuals who use e-cigarettes need to carry with them. Their tagline “Anywhere, Anytime” emphasizes constant device accessibility. HumoCase offers their disposable phone case vapes in the following flavors (Figure 2): ‘Blue Razz Ice,’ ‘Watermelon Ice,’ ‘Triple Berry,’ ‘Miami Mint,’ and ‘Sour Apple Ice.’ Other online retailers who sell HumoCase (e.g., smokedirect.com, vapesocietysupplies.com, vapemania.com) advertise products in ‘Grape Ice,’ ‘Love 66,’ ‘Mi Amor,’ ‘Mint Bear,’ ‘White Peach Raz,’ ‘Lady Killer,’ ‘Blue Raz Lemon,’ and ‘Peach Berries.’
Figure 2: Screen capture from the HumoCase website’s “Flavors” page (https://humocase.com/collections/frontpage). Product display showcases five color variants of the smartphone case: Blue Razz Ice, Watermelon Ice, Triple Berry, Miami Mint, and Sour Apple Ice, each marketed under the label “Premium Flavors.” Image accessed 5 October 2025.
The device offers an 18 mL capacity with approximately 30,000 puffs, 2% or 5% nicotine strength, and 10-foot drop protection for the iPhone. It includes LED indicators for e-liquid and battery levels, resembling other “smart vapes” on the market. The price is comparable to that of other disposable vaping products (about $25.00 USD), and first-time buyers receive a 10% coupon off their first purchase. The website requires age verification (self-reporting age 21+ to enter and inputting a birth date to purchase). The homepage displays a promotional video showcasing the product’s design.
HumoCase has over 6,000 followers on Instagram and 8,000 followers on TikTok. It employs influencers to advertise the product, similar to other companies in the industry. Marketing posts include influencer videos and images of individuals at social gatherings. Taglines on these images include “carry what’s bold,” “the one you never leave,” and “taste of summer drip.” While most posts on HumoCase’s social media accounts have limited engagement (fewer than 100 likes), the company also partners with social media influencers whose videos featuring the product have garnered hundreds of thousands of likes (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Viral TikTok video featuring a partnered influencer promoting the HumoCase device with the caption “When you had a regular phone case for the past few years and no one told you about HumoCase.” The post amassed nearly 150,000 likes and 900 comments over the course of three months. Video accessed from TikTok on 5 October 2025.
These products introduce a unique convergence of smartphone accessories and disposable vaping products, representing a new product category that has not yet been seen in the market. While the device is marketed as a convenient and trendy solution for individuals who currently use e-cigarettes, its colorful design, accessible price point, and influencer-driven marketing may increase youth appeal. Some adolescents may use the device for “stealth vaping” mimicking standard phone cases to avoid detection from parents and educators. These products may warrant concern due to the combination of high accessibility, social visibility, and integration with everyday smartphone use. They may also increase the likelihood of experimentation and sustained use among youth. Additionally, they may exacerbate nicotine use behaviors among individuals with smartphone addictions or increase smartphone addiction among e-cigarette users.
These products are not legally authorized for sale in the United States, which justifies additional concern and a need for surveillance of product marketing on social media. HumoCase products are widely available online and reach large audiences, so they require ongoing monitoring by nicotine product regulators. Public health practitioners and researchers should also consider their potential impact on youth nicotine exposure and digital-age substance use. The combination of high accessibility, device integration, and social visibility raises potential concerns regarding the broader public health implications of merging everyday technology with addictive substances.
Authors:
Eric Shanazari, MPH, Ph.D. Student, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA; Reid C. Whaley, MPH, Ph.D. Student, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA; Jennifer B. Unger, Ph.D., Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences and Vice Chair for Faculty Development, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA; Artur Galimov, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA