Vaping On BBCs "Trust Me, I'm A Doctor"

Welcome To The Vape Club – Gourmet E Liquids

WRITTEN BY EDDIE IN GADGETS & GEAR

We’ve written about a number of smoking utensils including the Argile and a number of electronic cigarette brands. Of course smoking should be avoided but if you are someone who has no plans on quitting then perhaps making the switch to an electronic cigarette might be an idea to give your body a bit of a break. The E-Cigarette industry is one of the fastest growing and I’m sure governments around the world are working hard on coming up with taxes to get a piece of the pie.

With so many online shops and brands, choosing the right stuff can be tough but Vape Club of the UK makes the task pretty simple. Vape Club an online shop specializing in e-liquids from around the world as well as vape kits, batteries, and even disposable e-cigarettes. The industry started off as disposable e-cigarettes but it didn’t take long before it headed in a different direction of e liquids.

E-liquids or “Juice” can be purchased in large quantities and vaped according to you preferences. The beauty of e liquids is that you can mix and match different flavors to come up with your own cocktail. I won’t list off all of the flavors but to give you an idea, Vape Club’s “bakery” section has flavors such as Banana Nut Bread, Cheesecake, Peanut Butter, and Cookies & Cream to name several.

Other categories include Dessert flavors, Floral, Fruits, Drinks, Minty flavors, slew of tobacco flavors and even bacon! These e-liquids come from the USA, UK, and other parts of Europe. The Vape Club store features over 20 brands and each brand has too many flavors to mention here.

My personal favorite is the Strawberry/Banana combo and I always purchase the 0mg when it comes to nicotine levels. The best thing about e liquids is that you can start off with a higher dosage of nicotine (18mg) and then slowly decrease your nicotine intake by purchasing less potent stuff. Most of the flavors are available in 0mg (nicotine free) all the way up to 24mg (extra strong). So you get your nicotine fix but you don’t have to worry about all of the harsh chemicals associated with cigarettes and cigars. In my opinion, vaping is probably the best solution for smokers until they are ready to take the next step and quit 100%. Until then, head over to Vape Club for all of their products.

Ohio Senate Legislation

Oct 29, 2014JimKGov/Legislation/Regulation/FDA 1

A bill introduced in the Ohio Senate would make child-resistant packaging required on e-liquid according to a report in theCleveland Plain Dealer.

New bipartisan legislation in the Ohio Senate would require e-cigarette liquid to be sold in child-resistant packaging.

Violators could be fined up to $1,000 per offense under Senate Bill 379, introduced Wednesday by Sen. Shannon Jones, a Springboro Republican. The money collected from offenders would go to the local county treasury.

Click here to read the article

San Marcos Bans E-cig Use

Oct 29, 2014JimKGov/Legislation/Regulation/FDA0

The San Marcos City Council voted Tuesday night to ban the use of e-cigarettes in public places, the same a tobacco cigarettes according to a story in U-T San Diego.

Add San Marcos to the list of local cities that have banned the use of electronic cigarettes wherever traditional smoking is not allowed.

The City Council on Tuesday night unanimously voted to amend two city ordinances to include e-cigarettes. The changes mean store owners must also keep the devices out of the reach of customers the same as conventional cigarettes.

About 10 people, most from local groups targeting tobacco and other substances, spoke in favor of the changes,

“We need to protect kids from these products,” Debra Kelley, of the American Lung Association of California, said after the meeting.

Click here to read the article

Banning E-cigs – To Much Caution?

Oct 29, 2014JimKOpinion0

New York and many cities are banning the public use of e-cigs. London has banned them on all of its transportation facilities. Is it justified or too cautious?  The Epoch Times takes a look at the bans.

London and New York City are two of the largest metropolises to crack down on the vaping in public places. London banned E-cigarettes on most forms of public transportation. This includes trains, buses, and subways where you can no longer smoke or a fine is imposed on the offender. The ban states that this is happening to protect the safety of the other passengers onboard.

The New York City council at the end of 2013 voted to ban the use of E-cigarettes in all the places that smoking tobacco is restricted. This is everywhere except private residences and some outdoor venues, parks are not included in this ban though.  Some members of the council think that the E-cigarettes looking like real cigarettes will confuse children and undermine the antismoking campaigns. They also base their argument that smoking is bad for the health but took no real steps to look at the facts.

Click here to read the article

Taxing E-cigarettes: For Sin or Consistency?

Oct 29, 2014JimKOpinion0

Two editorial writers from The Republic discuss the proposed tax on e-cigarettes in Arizona.

Arizona lawmakers preparing to deal with an enormous budget deficit are considering revenue-enhancing options. One possibility is taxing electronic cigarettes at a rate comparable to taxes levied against tobacco cigarettes.

So, should e-cigarettes be taxed akin to tobacco cigarettes? These new “smoking” products won’t produce nearly as much revenue as regular cigarettes, which reap about $2 a pack for the state. But there may be societal reasons for taxing them, too.

Editorial writers Doug MacEachern and Linda Valdez discuss the pros and cons of adding taxes to the sale of e-cigarettes.

Click here to read the article

Greeley Taking Time On E-cig Ordinance

Oct 30, 2014JimKNews0

The Greeley City Council was going to treat e-cigarettes just like tobacco cigarettes, but a couple of council members suggested  holding off on a vote and get more information according to an article in The Tribune.

“We came up with the definition of an e-cigarette and treated it in the same manner as other cigarettes,” Assistant City Manager Becky Safarik said about a proposed update to the city’s code. “It is clearly a smoking activity that’s taking place. So we tried to include all the things that is part of that ordinance.”

However, Greeley City Council members decided to hold off on making a decision. One business that sells vapor products has already opened in the city and a second is on the way. Several councilors, including John Gates, said they don’t like the notion of turning away businesses.

“I don’t think it is council’s job to prohibit someone from opening a vapor lounge,” Gates said, pointing out that he agrees e-cigarettes should be banned from public places such as restaurants and bars. “If I don’t want to be exposed, I won’t go. It’s the same as a cigar bar.”

Click here to read the article

Frequent Use of E-cigs Help Smokers Quit

Oct 30, 2014JimKHealth/Research0

According to a report from UMass Boston, the more frequently a smoker uses an e-cigarette the more likely  they are to stop smoking.

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Boston have found that regular use of e-cigarettes may benefit smokers who are trying to kick the habit. The new study from the Center for Survey Research shows that smokers who used e-cigarettes daily for at least one month were six times as likely to quit smoking altogether, compared to those who rarely or never tried one.

“This study provides strong support for the potential harm-reducing value of electronic cigarettes, which allow smokers to get the nicotine they want without exposing themselves to the 4,000 toxic chemicals in tobacco cigarettes,” said Lois Biener, the study’s lead author.

“Policy makers need to think carefully before enacting any laws that make adult smokers less likely to try these products,” such as taxing e-cigarettes as heavily as tobacco or eliminating flavors, Biener said.

Click here to read the article

Bans Will Not Hurt Business Say Vape Shops

They say Army Strong? I say Vape Strong! Vapers Unite, period!

VaporVix

Oct 30, 2014JimKNews0

Vape shop owners say that a ban of e-cigarettes in public will not hurt their business according to a story in the York Press.

Shop owners selling controversial e-cigarettes in York claim a ban on smoking the devices inside pubs and restaurants would not impact their businesses.

Shops dedicated to selling the cigarette substitute opened up in the city when they became a popular way to kick the harmful habit.

Chains including KFC, Starbucks and All Bar One have all banned the battery-powered e-cigs, which produce a vapour with a reduced nicotine content.

However, traders selling them in York say business is doing well enough to avoid a potential drop in sales if the ban was enforced.

Click to read the article

Propylene Glycol Used In Many Foods

Oct 30, 2014JimKNews0

Last week propylene glycol was the cause of a recall of a flavored whiskey in three Scandinavian countries according to a story from The Daily Meal.  But it is a very common ingredient in many foods and beverages.

Propylene glycol is an organic chemical compound nobody talked much about until recently, when Fireball Cinnamon Whisky was pulled off the shelves in three Scandinavian countries for containing too much of the ingredient to meet European Union standards. The chemical is used as a solvent and as the primary ingredient in non-toxic antifreeze and as the “e-liquid” in e-cigarettes.

Toxic or not, we thought you might like to know whether  this solvent and antifreeze is hiding in products you eat and drink. The Daily Meal dug up seven of the most common foods and beverages that contain propylene glycol.

Click here to read the article

Military bases, Ships face potential tobacco sales ban

Politico.com reports that military bases and ships may face a potential ban on selling tobacco products onsite. For now this includes cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco, however since many nationwide smoking bans include vaping, the potential sales halt could include e-cigs and subsequent products.

Congress and the Defense Department are the government sectors seeking the ban, citing an effort to curb smoking. However, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif) is a Marine reservist who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Politico.com story says that he has inserted an amendment in the House-passed defense authorization bill that would block the department from banning tobacco sales at exchange stores. Hunter argues that “we are fighting for your freedom, and you’re taking away ours.”

The review is expected to take place in November.

For the full story, go here.

Law Prohibits Minors From Possessing E-cigs

The Wilton Bulletin is reporting that a new law regarding electronic nicotine delivery systems and youth smoking prevention went into effect October 1.

Public Act No. 14-76 makes it illegal for a minor (under age 18) to buy or possess in public an “electronic nicotine delivery system” or “vapor product” — known as e-cigarettes — and for anyone to sell, give, or deliver one to a minor.

It subjects violators to some of the same penalties the law imposes on those who commit similar violations regarding tobacco cigarettes.

The act also imposes fines, in addition to existing civil penalties on people who sell improperly packaged or individual cigarettes.

Click here to read the article

Absences

Hello Readers :D

I just wanted to post a quick note to all of you that follow and read my blogs. I will not be super active during the next several months. I am in the process of moving from Germany back to the U.S. With the military it can be a daunting task and there is a lot of things that need to be done before we can move back. We have to clear out of everything that we have been a part of tduring the 3 years we have been here, our home, the military's library, etc. Plus we need to go through all of the stuff we own and decide what we want to ship back to the US with us. And unfortunately my husband and I tend to lean more towards the pack rat type. lol So we have lots to go through and sell before they pick up all our furniture and worldly possessions on Nov 4. With the military you are only designated so many pounds of household goods that you the military will pay to ship for you and if you go over that weight then you will either be paying more for it or you will have to leave it behind.

Anyways, so we have a lot of work cut out for us and then we will be flying back to the States on Dec 10th. After which we will be visiting family and setting up our housing arrangements at our new duty station. So bear with me and I'll try to keep posting as much as I can during this process but know it might not be super often :D

Thanks All!
VaporVix

Don't let Big Tobacco crush e-cigarettes

By Oliver Kershaw

Editor's note: Oliver Kershaw is the founder and CEO of E-cigarette Forum. He is also a co-founder of Vaping.com and the E-Cigarette Summit, which aims to promote open, scientific debates about electronic cigarettes and related technologies. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.

(CNN) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering how to best regulate electronic cigarettes as tobacco products. While some regulation is needed, the current proposal entails a huge paperwork burden that will create a barrier to entry into the market for all but the biggest players -- namely, Big Tobacco.

Specifically, the FDA has indicated that it may require e-cigarette manufacturers to complete a long paperwork process before it will consider a product for approval.

Many industry watchers believe that only very large manufacturers (i.e., Big Tobacco companies) would have the financial resources to meet the requirements, which could demand an estimated 5,000 hours per application, with every product combination requiring a new application. According to the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association, only 25 products among thousands currently available would eventually be licensed.

The tobacco industry will then be able to buy the small e-cigarette makers that are unable to meet the FDA's requirements.

Big Tobacco will then get to decide which products are sold such that it can manage its own transition from cigarettes to e-cigarettes, or end e-cigarettes as a product category entirely, whichever better serves its financial interests.

Oliver Kershaw

In other words, the tobacco industry will be given a monopoly over the first new product to come to market that genuinely stands a chance of disrupting the business of selling smoked tobacco.

Needless to say, the tobacco industry's primary concern is not the health interests of the public.

The World Health Organization has assessed that "effective tobacco control and the commercial success of the tobacco industry are fundamentally incompatible ... accordingly, the tobacco industry can be expected to seek to avoid, prevent, weaken and delay effective policies and programs, which are against its interests."

Electronic cigarettes, also known as vapor products, are designed to mimic the experience of smoking. By heating up liquid nicotine in battery-powered devices, vapors -- rather than tobacco smoke -- are released.

While it's too early to predict the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes, some experts say they are a safer alternative to regular cigarettes, which produce myriad toxic chemicals. For many smokers who have trouble quitting, e-cigarettes are a viable substitute.

The e-cigarette industry is young, thriving and innovative.

There are hundreds of online suppliers, many of which have been pioneers in developing next-generation vapor products known as "mods" or "vaporizers." Unlike traditional retail outlets -- such as gas stations, large grocery store chains and pharmacies -- where point-of-sale data is collected and monitored by financial analysts, growing sales at vape stores and online websites are not being tracked.

Dedicated vape stores have sprung up nationally. The numbers have grown from around 10,000 one year ago to about16,000 today, according to Ron Tully of Smoke Free Alternatives Trade Association, an advocacy organization for the vapor industry. Vapor products are increasingly attracting consumers.

In Britain, an estimated 700,000 people (5% of all smokers) have transitioned to vapor products, mostly in the past two years. InFrance, e-cigarettes have helped reduce tobacco smoking according to one survey. These data show an impressive decline in tobacco smoking.

Since the surgeon general issued its landmark 1964 report on the dangers of smoking, public health officials have tried to combat it. However, high-profile researchers believe that e-cigarettes have the potential to save millions of lives among populations of tobacco smokers.

All consumer products are regulated, and e-cigarettes should not be an exception. Consumers need to feel confident that they are purchasing safe, high-quality items. But the regulation of e-cigarettes needs to be proportionate and not discriminatory, especially considering the potential they offer for eliminating the scourge of tobacco-related diseases. In the United States, e-cigarettes have become a top choice for smoking cessation according to a survey.

Meanwhile, Big Tobacco is muddling along, rolling out its vapor products with their underpowered batteries and limited capacity for e-liquid. Yet, almost unbelievably, their one salvation has arrived in the form of the FDA.

How the regulation of electronic cigarettes play out would have huge repercussions on public health and medical drug policies. The FDA should consider creating a tailored regulatory framework, one that would allow the e-cigarette industry to continue innovating to the point that smoked tobacco is made redundant, which could help save many lives worldwide.

And what would this framework look like?

In lieu of its proposed regulations, the FDA should begin by requiring e-liquid and e-cigarette makers to register the ingredients and designs of their products. The agency should work closely with expert third parties -- manufacturers and scientists -- to develop strong product standards. The FDA should also conduct epidemiological research to make sure that e-cigarettes are contributing positively to smoking rate decline.

It's about burdens. If you start from the precautionary principal -- treat something as bad until proved good -- you miss the context that e-cigarettes are designed to replace one of the most dangerous consumer products invented.

The FDA cannot afford to miss this opportunity to get it right on e-cigarettes.

WHO calls for limits on e-cigarettes

E-cigarettes, the pros and cons

How cigarettes became a health hazard