Smoke marijuana, earn Bitcoin: Company slammed for tying crypto reward to vaping in California
A California vape company is facing backlash for incentivizing cannabis use with Bitcoin rewards.Summary
A California-based vape company, Puffpaw, which manufactures the Gudtrip cannabis vape pen, is facing criticism for offering Bitcoin rewards to consumers who use its products. The company initially promoted the program with the slogan "Every hit earns crypto," allowing users to redeem $2-3 worth of Bitcoin via a QR code or NFC connection in a linked mobile app. This marketing strategy has raised significant concerns among health researchers, who warn that incentivizing frequent vaping could lead to poor health choices, anxiety, memory issues, and respiratory problems. Following the backlash, the company has modified its website language to clarify that the Bitcoin reward is a loyalty payment for activating a new pen, not directly tied to usage, and that the tracking of "puff-seconds" is for personal information only. The company claims the virtual points cannot be redeemed for cash or products. This incident highlights the growing trend of crypto rewards in the marijuana industry, though past examples like Potcoin have seen their value plummet.
(Source：Wion)
