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About 2.5 million young Americans use e-cigarettes, or vapes – a device that simulates tobacco smoking and contains addictive nicotine and flavored vapor.
But with mounting evidence warning of the potential damage to lung and heart health, many will undoubtedly be looking for ways to quit.
Doctors recommend traditional remedies such as nicotine replacement patches, pills and gums, or psychological therapy.
But one TikTok health influencer thinks she has the answer — and it doesn't involve any drugs.
According to British wellness guru Nikki J. Owen, who has more than 20,000 followers on her channel, the key to kicking the habit is… sniffing strawberries.
In one video, which has been viewed more than 6 million times, she demonstrates her unusual technique.
“If you like strawberries,” she says, “take a strawberry, inhale it, and then take three deep breaths with the strawberry near your nose.”
Mrs. Owen then takes large inhales as the fruit balances under her nose.
'It feels seductively beautiful!' she adds.
But viewers comment the clip are not convinced of the method.
The clip, which has been viewed more than 6 million times, provoked skeptical reactions
“It's not the flavor people are addicted to,” one commenter noted, while another wrote, “so what do I need to have strawberries with me 24/7?”
“I would really struggle to get a strawberry out of my pocket every hour outside of work,” said another.
Earlier this year, the largest heart health charity in the US made headlines when it released a statement claiming e-cigarettes could be as dangerous as smoking.
The influential American Heart Association warned that vape devices contain a cocktail of nicotine, thickeners, solvents and flavorings that likely pose the same serious risks to cardiovascular health, including raising blood pressure, as smoking cigarettes.
The AHA's policy to discourage the use of e-cigarettes, once touted as viable smoking cessation products, was one of the strongest to come from an influential medical association in years.
Meanwhile, the Center for Disease Prevention (CDC) warns that e-cigarettes are harmful to anyone who has not smoked cigarettes before – and should only be used to help adult smokers who are not pregnant and want to quit.