The TGA has issued a safety advisory warning patients to make sure they don’t confuse their inhalers with a smoking device currently on the market.

According to the advisory PUFFiT™ and PUFFiTX™ smoking devices closely resemble Metered Dose Inhalers (MDI).

The devices, used for burning herbs or tobacco are of a very similar shape, construction and colour as some approved MDI medicines, the alert says.

A PUFFiT™ smoking device with the top unscrewed revealing the receptacle for vegetable matter to be burned for smoking

Although the PUFFiT™ states  it is not a medical device similarities between the two products may mean they are inadvertently used to treat asthma, the TGA says.

Where there is the possibility of confusion it advises patients to check the shape and label of the canister insert.

“The TGA is concerned about possible confusion to patients who use MDI respiratory medicines with products such as the PUFFiT™ and PUFFiT-X™ smoking devices, particularly for younger or elderly patients in times of respiratory distress,” the safety advisory says.

It urges owners of the smoking devices to be particularly mindful of the potential for confusion for patients with respiratory problems with their MDI medicines and to secure them away from family or friends, particularly the young or elderly.