Passerby baffled after spotting odd object on ground: 'What is this?'

Just because cigarettes have largely been legislated out of American life doesn't mean the lure of nicotine has left society. It just takes different, more camouflaged forms than it used to.

One Redditor was confused by this very idea recently, posting two pictures of a small tri-colored object on the "What Is It?" subreddit.

Numerous users confirmed what the item was. — Photo Credit: Reddit

After the OP wondered if it was somehow related to car theft, numerous users confirmed that it was a battery for a disposable vape.

Given that they are battery-powered, you might be forgiven for thinking that vapes are both less cancerous to humans and less environmentally destructive than plain old cigarettes. And yes, they technically may be "better" than cigarettes, whatever that means, but make no mistake: Vapes are still incredibly poisonous devices, for smokers and for those around them.

In addition to the destructive chemicals (which cause lung disease and other health problems) that vapes contain, everything from their creation to their afterlife as litter is detrimental to the environment.

These electronic cigarettes are often powered by lithium, which is a sad waste considering how vital the metal is to the manufacture of electric vehicles. On top of that, littering vapes can cause the many chemicals within to leach into surrounding soil and water.

Watch now: Is this common bathroom item making you sick?

There's also the matter of how these small but deadly objects have a knack for causing flat tires, an issue that is objectively less important than vapes' environmental impact but that nevertheless causes annoying unforeseen financial headaches and wastes many people's time.

Thankfully, the anti-vape movement is picking up steam. In 2024, the U.K. government announced that it was on track to ban single-use vapes on account of their destructive effects, while German startup Tozero has been working on a recycling center for lithium batteries such as those found in vapes, which would decrease the demand for natural resources and keep toxins out of the environment.

Here's hoping that more research and anecdotes about vaping's negative effects continue to legislate them out of existence in more and more places.

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