Testing 10,000 E-Cigarette Sticks a Day... Human Rights Abuse Controversy at Chinese Factory

"Usually 7,000 to 8,000 tests"
"Even when testing over 10,000"

Footage has been released showing employees at an electronic cigarette factory in China smoking up to 10,000 e-cigarettes a day for testing purposes.

On the 21st (local time), according to the British Mirror and others, the YouTube channel MACHINA recently released a video filmed inside an e-cigarette manufacturing factory located in Bao'an, Shenzhen, China. MACHINA is a channel that uploads videos related to Chinese manufacturing.

[Image source=YouTube channel 'MACHINA']

The video includes explanations about the e-cigarette production process and the materials used. However, controversy arose when a man wearing a pink shirt was seen smoking in the middle of the video. The man inhaled from five e-cigarettes held in one hand, then inhaled again from another five e-cigarettes held in the opposite hand.

When a YouTuber asked how many e-cigarettes they test per day, the employee replied, "We usually test 7,000 to 8,000, but sometimes more than 10,000." According to the media, this e-cigarette factory produces 80% of the world's e-cigarettes.

[Image source=YouTube channel 'MACHINA']

The video was uploaded to YouTube seven months ago in January but recently gained renewed attention on social networking services (SNS) such as Reddit. The video currently has 540,000 views.

Viewers expressed concern for the health of the employees who have to continue smoking. Comments included, "The employees literally smoke 24 hours a day," "It's unfortunate for the employees who have to test e-cigarettes. It doesn't seem good for their health," and "They must know better than anyone how harmful smoking is, so their lung health is worrisome."

However, there were also criticisms that the practice of directly putting the e-cigarettes to the mouth for testing is unhygienic. One viewer said, "Do they disinfect the e-cigarettes after the employees smoke them? Hygiene is a concern." In response, the YouTuber claimed, "The employees disinfect twice after testing, and we also saw the disinfection process at the factory."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.