Gen Z tobacco phobes may be skipping smoke breaks — but they’re addicted to ‘fridge cigarettes’ instead

They’re too wellness-obsessed to spark a Marlboro, but Gen Z is popping unfastened Diet Cokes for illustration they’re nicotine patches successful a can.

The latest viral vice lighting up TikTok? The “fridge cigarette” — a.k.a. a crisp tin of DC, consecutive from nan fridge, enjoyed pinch each nan ceremonial reverence of a fume break, minus nan tar and tobacco.

“Overheard personification telephone Diet Coke a ‘fridge cigarette’ and nothing’s been much existent to maine since,” TikTokker @reallyrachelreno declared successful a now-viral video pinch complete 3.5 cardinal views. Caption? “Time for a crispy ciggy successful nan summer.”

In different words: Clean Girl is out. Crispy Girl is in.

Another TikTok convert, @thejessiesimpson, sipped a Diet Coke astatine her agency table while quoting nan building successful achromatic matter complete her video: “Just publication wherever personification referred to a Diet Coke arsenic a ‘fridge cigarette’ and I haven’t publication thing truer since.”

Commenters couldn’t work together more.

“I telephone it a CDC ‘Crispy Diet Coke’ lol,” 1 instrumentality wrote. “I legit ne'er ever portion soda. Have never. Recently though? Obsessed pinch my regular Diet Coke. Idk what’s going on..” different confessed. One simply wrote: “I felt that successful my soul!”

@reallyrachelreno took it further, comparing sodas to smokes: Diet Coke is Parliaments, Coke Zero is American Spirits, regular Coke is Marlboro Reds — and full-fat Coke successful a solid bottle? That’s a cigar.

Mentions of Menthols were, naturally, slanderous.

Snaxshot writer Andrea Hernández summed it up perfectly successful a caller newsletter, arsenic reported by Fast Company: “Gen Z is obsessed pinch Diet Coke. What is now being dubbed arsenic ‘fridge cigarettes’ has earned a taste cachet without Coca-Cola having to do thing . . . but attraction connected delivering connected sensation and product.”

Even Coca-Cola is leaning into nan nostalgia. 

A spokesperson told The Sun nan brand’s beverages are “perfectly safe and tin beryllium enjoyed arsenic portion of a balanced lifestyle.”

That said, arsenic previously reported by The Post, experts pass nan cult-fave crispies travel pinch their ain risks — and we’re not conscionable talking astir caffeine jitters.

“Diet Coke, for illustration different carbonated beverages, is highly acidic,” Dr. Raj Juneja told The Sun.

 “The acidity of Diet Coke tin lend to bony enamel erosion complete time.” That weakened enamel “can go much susceptible to cavities and sensitivity,” he added.

Orthodontist Dr. Khaled Kasem advises sipping done a straw and chasing pinch water, arsenic he said to nan outlet. 

“Insulin is released by our assemblage successful consequence to foods… and it helps those nutrients get into our body,” Dr. Matthew Snelson besides noted to nan publication. 

But he clarified, “There’s nary grounds that nan types of sweeteners utilized successful Diet Coke (specifically: aspartame, acesulfame K) impact insulin.”

Still, artificial sweeteners person been linked to accrued consequence of bosom attack, stroke, and glucosuria — and WHO precocious warned they’re not a awesome instrumentality for weight loss.

Bottom line? The “fridge cig” mightiness not termination you like existent cigs can — but it’s still not doctor-approved.

As 1 TikTok personification put it best: “Wow, that’s truthful real. It conscionable takes nan separator off.”