Videos Of Squirrels Trying To 'Vape' Are Going Viral—And We Don't Know Whether To Laugh Or Cry

Some viral videos come along that leave us unsure whether we should laugh or cry. In the case of squirrels trying to vape, crying is unfortunately the more likely outcome.

E-cigarettes have dramatically increased in popularity in recent years and are often even portrayed as a cool accessory on social media. Unfortunately, disposable, one-time-use e-cigarettes have been made affordable and easily accessible, and instead of properly disposing of them, people often leave them on the ground like cigarette butts.

These dropped e-cigarettes are plastic, however, and will take much more time to break down. They also still contain trace amounts of the vaping product when left behind, not to mention the smell.

Fruity-smelling vapes have drawn the attention of squirrels, and videos have been popping up across social media of squirrels attempting to access the source of what they believe to be fruit. Some squirrels have gone so far as to put the mouthpiece in their mouth.

You can watch one video here:

Animals have been negatively impacted in a variety of ways in highly populated places like London, limiting their food supply and places to safely call home. It's becoming increasingly common for squirrels to share outdoor spaces with humans and for them to peruse trash while seeking out food sources they otherwise no longer have access to.

You can watch another video here:

Some viewers were shocked by the videos.

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Trash and littering, specifically from vapes, have become an increasing problem.

In a study conducted in 2023, more than five million disposable e-cigarettes were sold each week, with an unfortunate number of these empty canisters likely ending up on the ground. It's a common issue to find them left on the ground and inappropriately disposed of or recycled when consumers actually attempt to throw the products away after use.

The worst part of this is that this is not the first time we've seen squirrels interacting with e-cigarettes, and it surely won't be the last. We've also seen an increasing number of examples of birds utilizing cigarette butts, plastic, and other disposed of items in their nests when they otherwise struggle to find what they need.

Humans interacting with nature can sometimes be a good thing, but this trend seems more like a cry for help.