Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Keepin' It Clean

We’ve spent plenty of time campaigning against the evils of unregulated e-liquids produced in China. There is no guarantee that these liquids are being produced in clean environments, let alone that they’re meeting manufacturing standards established here in The States that e-liquid manufacturers use to ensure the safety of their products. As the knowledge base of e-liquid creation grows here in the United States, we’re finding that we may have another evil to campaign against; homemade e-liquid.

We’re not talking about the liquid that you, the consumer, order online and play with as a hobby. Albeit we don’t suggest it for everyone, we can’t stop you from making your own decisions. We do encourage that you use industry leaders who offer American E-Liquid Manufacturing Safety Association (Or AEMSA) certified products if you plan on making your own e-liquids for personal consumption.

The folks we're talking about believe it is acceptable to take their home-brew product to market without meeting any industry standards.

You may be wondering, “How does the vaping industry, an industry that is still in its infancy, already have so many regulatory standards in place?” That is a great question, and we hope that this blog helps to give you a quick-and-simple explanation of how our industry already has strong regulatory standards as it relates to the chemical compounds that create the e-liquid you consume.

First, because of the common use of propylene-glycol and vegetable glycerin in pharmaceuticals, the FDA has set forth regulatory guidelines for the use of these chemicals for oral consumption. In fact, many of the medicines you consume involve these chemicals as base. As such, the FDA has standards of what these products can and cannot be derived from, and also what level of purity these chemicals must be at to be considered safe for human consumption.

Second, similar to propylene-glycol and vegetable glycerin, food flavorings are also regulated by the FDA. Orally consumed items, such as foods and medicines, are supplemented with food flavoring for many different reasons. Due to their abundance on the market, the FDA seeks to establish standards for consumption of food flavorings as an interest of public health. Not every commonly consumed flavoring on the market is approved or regulated by the FDA, and it is important that our industry use flavorings that are. Using flavorings approved by the FDA ensures the safety of the consumer, and continues to be a cornerstone of self-regulation as related to e-liquid production.

*As a side-note, click here to view the FDA’s information on a commonly used food flavoring, and why they have not approved it. http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/Transparency/Basics/ucm214864.htm

The fourth key component to e-liquid, the one that is not regulated by the FDA in the form that we consume it, is liquid nicotine. As the FDA explains on its website “only e-cigarettes that are marketed for therapeutic purposes are currently regulated by the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER).” (Source Here: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm172906.htm) Knowing that government entities are yet to regulate this key component in our consumer e-liquids, the AEMSA has set forth self-regulation related to nicotine liquids, offering multiple facets through which an e-liquid manufacturer may qualify their nicotine liquids as safe. The basics of this self-regulation involve e-liquid manufacturers providing third-party lab verification that their nicotine liquids meet AEMSA purity standards. Another e-liquid standard set forth by the AEMSA is the concentration of nicotine in e-liquids, which the AEMSA caps at 36 mg/ml.

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We set out to scratch the surface of e-liquid manufacturing self-regulation in this blog, and hope that this has helped you develop a basic understanding of what’s going on with the chemical compounds that are e-liquid.

In future blogs we’ll aim to discuss other aspects of e-liquid manufacturing, such as equipment used in manufacturing, clean facility designations, and material handling standards. For a comprehensive understanding of the regulations our industry is setting forth, check out AEMSA regulations here. If you’re too lazy, don’t worry, we’ll have another blog up soon.


Tuesday, November 25, 2014

2014: A Pretty Good Year

2014 has been a pretty good year for the vape industry. We’ve grown from a niche industry to a mainstream industry with business and consumer bases growing at exponential rates. Attention has been given to both sides of the conversation regarding the health impact of our products in comparison to tobacco and we’re seeing the results are in our industry’s favor. Adding more validation to our industry, The Oxford Dictionary titled vape as Word of the Year. Any one of these happenings alone is good for our industry, but combining all of these happenings makes 2014 the year of the vape!

Of course, there’s a long way to go for the vape industry to replace the tobacco industry. We understand that we are not as big as the Phillip-Morris and Winston-Salem’s of the world. As individual companies, if this industry stays true to its roots, we’ll likely never be that big. Regardless of size, we have been our own driving force behind the vape industry’s substantial growth in 2014. The devotion of time, energy, and money by small businesspersons and entrepreneurs to our burgeoning industry has lead to a development of a consumer base that is well-educated regarding the products they consume and who are much more comfortable spending money with their local retailers. The internet still offers a good resource for many consumers who’ve been involved in the vape industry for an extended period of time, but the establishment of small shops across the world has put vape products in the hands of consumers who would have otherwise continued to consume tobacco.

Thanks to these small shops popping up all over the world and the rise in education of vaping products the industry has also received much more attention from the scientific community. Even though the ingredients most commonly scrutinized, such as propylene-glycol, have been proven perfectly safe for oral consumption, a new wave of research is being produced in regards to the vape industry. Some of the latest research we’ve combed through came out of Belgium, with reporting that shows an increased likelihood of quitting or reducing tobacco consumption when subjects used vaping products.

It’s cool that we can all use the word vaping and feel like people will know what we’re talking about, too! We, as folks participating in the vape industry, have known and used the term for some years now. In 2014, thanks to the mainstream growth of the vape industry, and the multiple uses for the word vape, The Oxford Dictionary titled vape as their Word of the Year! The substantial increase in the use of the word, and the diverse ways in which word is used, both as a noun and as a verb, lead to that title by being appropriated by The Oxford Dictionary. No doubt, the word vape will have continued increases in usage as the vape industry continues to grow its participation.

Any one of these happenings by itself would have made for a good year in our industry, but thanks to a combination of these happenings, 2014 has been a banner year for the ol’ vape industry!

Friday, October 24, 2014

Why we don't sell "Weed Stuff"

Oh, the fun of front-paging a subreddit.

That’s what we managed to do a couple of days ago in r/electronic_cigarette, and it was really cool! We got a lot of quality feedback on our sign and how we should/should not promote our products. Some of the feedback was curious, asking “Why don’t you sell weed paraphernalia? You’re just alienating customers by not broadening your market.” We felt compelled to offer a response.



We operate our shop in a town that has, since 1999, employed vague ordinances and threat of legal action to prevent the sale of paraphernalia. If we attempted to sell items related to the consumption of marijuana or other illegal drugs we could get shut down, fined, or whatever else happens when a business goes up against the city. Whatever it is, we’re not interested in finding out.

Also, it’s not a part of the business we’re interested in involving ourselves in. We’re interested in offering alternatives to tobacco users and developing a community support system grounded in helping folks quit tobacco. Establishing any directives other than this would muddy the way people view our motive. Honestly, like anyone in business, we’re in business to make money. We’re not in business to only make money though, and that’s why it’s important for us to keep our focus on vaping as a tobacco alternative or recreation for recreation sake, not the use of recreational drugs.

We’re not saying that we approve or disapprove of other shops offering different types of products. It’s their choice to sell what they can legally sell. It just doesn’t fit us.

The reason we put the sign together is because people continue to come to our shop, receive personal attention from our staff, and end up leaving dissatisfied when they realize that we don’t offer marijuana-related products. We’re hoping that this sign helps to educate our customers about what we don’t offer, and saves us some time in fumbling around the subject.

We’re cool with you if you smoke weed, we just don’t have anything for you. Sorry!

Monday, October 20, 2014

What are you willing to endure to quit tobacco?

The FDA recently reviewed whether or not to remove a warning on a popular, doctor-prescribed anti-smoking drug called Chantix.

From the Associated Press: “Eleven advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted to retain the so-called black box warning about reports of suicide, hostility and depression among Chantix patients. Six advisers said the label should be slightly changed and one panel member voted to remove the warning completely.”

These aren’t the only side effects of using this particular anti-smoking drug though. In fact, the suicidal and violent thoughts that occur in individuals who experience those particular side effects are not listed as side effects on Chantix’s website.

The listed side effects are nausea, sleep problems, constipation, gas, and vomiting. Interestingly enough, beneath the above side effects that are listed on Chantix’s website, Chantix also states “These are not all the side effects of Chantix.”

Those are the facts. This is our rant:

A reason people quit smoking is improved quality of life. Regaining senses, including smell and taste, by eliminating tobacco consumption increases one’s quality of life. Quitting tobacco also keeps a person from smelling like tobacco smoke and bettering their social encounters with other individuals. This is without mention of the considerable improvements to one’s quality of life when they no longer require constant smoke breaks and vast amounts of money spent on tobacco products.

If a person uses Chantix to quit smoking, there’s the possibility that they’re trading one negative aspect of consumption for the negative side effects Chantix. Instead of reduced senses of smell and taste, someone may enjoy the taste of their own vomit more frequently. As opposed to smelling like tobacco, individuals may produce less-than-favorable smells on a more regular basis. The “sleep problems” associated with Chantix may also be something that impacts an individual’s ability to function normally, which could lead to far worse issues than having to take a five minute break once an hour just to fulfill an addiction.

The other reason people quit smoking is to prolong their life. This, to us, is a most simple idea. We’ve read that upwards of 30 percent of individuals who use Chantix experience suicidal or violent thoughts when using the anti-smoking drug. If people are killing themselves because of this drug, then it’s a wash. Chantix may be helping to add a few more years to some folks lives, but is it worth possibly drastically reducing the years of life other folks trying to quit smoking?

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, our product isn’t perfect. Vaping, for a lot of folks, still involves consumption of the addictive chemical nicotine…

…But you know what it doesn’t do? It doesn’t make someone want to kill themselves.

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Nine Terribly Disturbing Things About Electronic Cigarettes, and Why They're False

We’ve been talking a little about a less-than-educated article that we read on the Huffington Post dating back to 2013. Our plan was to write a blog refuting the points made by this blog, but instead, one of our customers took the points to test for us. We thought we’d share what he had to say, and offer a couple of other points ourselves.

The original article we’re ranting about can be found here.

1.
Them - E-cigarettes contain toxic chemicals.

Our Customer - Like formaldehyde, arsenic and cyanide? Nope, that's cigarettes.

Us – You know what else contains toxic chemicals, of which you inhale plenty of daily? For starters, household chemicals and emissions from motor vehicles. As the article here shows, the chemicals in e-liquid is negligible.

2.
Them - Kids and teens can buy them.

Our Customer - I was sold cigarettes from the age of 13 on...and every e-cig shop I've visited has observed the law(s), without exception.

Us – No one under the age of 18 is allowed in our store unless they’re with their parents.

3.
Them - While cigarette companies say they don't market to kids, e-cigarettes come in flavors like cherry, strawberry, vanilla and cookies and cream milkshake.

Our Customer - Winston used the Flintstones cartoon to advertise cigarettes, Kool had a cartoon penguin logo for years, and Camel sells Exotic Blends with flavors like Mandarin Mint (orange/mint), Dark Mint (chocolate mint) and Crema (vanilla). Did I mention Joe Camel?

Us – We’re tired of this flavor argument. No adult just magically loses interest in flavor because they’re older.

4.
Them - Laws regulating cigarette ads don't yet apply to e-cigarettes.

Our Customer-Yet the only television ads I've ever seen for e-cigs is for Blu, which is owned by the company that owns Pall Mall, Camel and Newport cigarettes.

Us – They shouldn’t. Our product is not tobacco. Our product is anti-tobacco.

5.
Them - And e-cigarette companies are spending a TON on advertising.

Our Customer - They are NOT getting their money's worth...I've seen the Blu ad maybe 10 times ever.

Us – Most manufacturers of e-cigarette hardware have no need to advertise, and the manufacturers of most e-liquids are mom and pop type businesses who sank all of their funds into creating sanitary spaces for liquid creation that meet tough industry standards. The people spending “tons of money” on advertising are the individual stores, and as you’d guess, the budget of your mom and pop vape shop is not billions of dollars.

6.
Them - E-cigarettes can be used in many places where smoking is banned.

Our Customer - Not so much. Unfortunately the average person cannot or will not distinguish water vapor from smoke. There is a difference.

Us – In the places vaping is allowed indoors it’s helping to promote a reduction in tobacco consumption.

7.
Them - People think e-cigarettes can help them quit smoking.

Our Customer - I smoked a pack a day from 1985 through 2013, and have smoked two packs total since starting e-cigs. The patch didn't work, nicotine gum didn't work...E-CIGS WORK.

Us – Quitters Wall. ‘Nuff said.



8.
Them - E-cigarettes aren't taxed like traditional tobacco products.

Our Customer - They aren't tobacco products, they're nicotine products. Minor detail, but there is a difference.

Us – Our customer said it best.

9.
Them - Despite unknown health consequences, e-cigarettes are poised to make inroads with a new generation of young people.

Our Customer - I have noticed a significant improvement in the quality of my life since the e-cig...I can breathe much deeper, run a lot further and I sweat far less, not to mention that my clothes/car/home no longer smell like an ashtray. Oh, it costs less than a dollar a day to vape, cigarettes are around $7 a pack.

Us – We hope that this changes the way an entire generation looks at tobacco and nicotine consumption. In an ideal world, no one would use nicotine, but until then, we’re going to shoot for the next best thing – No tobacco.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Big Tobacco gets it, and that’s why they want to stop it!

A week ago we read an article discussing a 119-page document, created by RJ Reynolds, that was submitted to the FDA in the US calling for a ban on all open vapor products.

What is an “open vapor product” you might ask? Good question! An open vapor product is any vaping product that requires a refill or application of e-liquid to function. This includes all mods, tanks, refillable cartridges, and ultimately, bottles of e-liquid.

The article, which you can read here, gives a perspective that we can all understand. They say that RJ Reynolds does not want these open vapor products on the market because they make replacing tobacco far easier.

We can agree with that because we've been there. We've tried the closed vapor products, better known as disposable e-cigarettes, and these systems are in no way shape or form a replacement for tobacco. The frustration a consumer experiences from using cheaply manufactured devices, low-quality liquid, and a rather hefty price tag can make vaping incredibly unappealing.

That’s what RJ Reynolds is really after. If they’re able to get open vapor products banned from the market they not only corner the offerings, they drive consumerism back to their literal cash crop.

We can’t imagine the FDA will take a tobacco company’s opinion seriously in the anti-tobacco fight, but money buys a lot of things. Support of the government is one piece of the puzzle for purchase, but so is industry to some extent.

This presentation of a 119-page document to the FDA should signal to everyone in our industry that, while Big Tobacco may be supporting vaping efforts to some extent, they’re hedging their bets on both sides of the fence.

Drop Big Tobacco, folks, and when you find some of your favorite products support RJ Reynolds and/or other Big Tobacco lobbyist groups, drop them too. That’s what we did. Ask Johnson Creek.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

If you don’t buy from The Vape Shop, you should at least buy from a vape shop!

This past week on reddit we saw a hilarious photo posted by user mingot. It was a photo of a gold buyer’s storefront. This particular company had taken note of the growing trend of selling vaping products. The craziest thing, this is happening all over the place. Any business that can traverse Alibaba, order some cheap-o Chinese juices, and schlep ‘em to uninformed consumers are doing so.

We’ve seen it around here too. When we first opened up we had a local motorcycle shop (Yes, motorcycle shop) start selling one of the brands of e-liquids as we carry. Luckily they followed in our footsteps on that one and sold USA made liquids, but not everyone is that considerate of their customers.

Listen, we would love for everyone who sells vaporizer and e-liquid products to be as well educated and considerate of their customers as we and thousands of other vape specific retailers across the country are. The problem is, they’re not. They’re not buying quality batteries, quality liquids, and they’re not providing quality service.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a gold buyer, a motorcycle shop, or even your favorite gas station, you need to be weary of purchasing from folks who aren’t vape specific shops.

Let’s back that up with a bit more support, answering the question “Why should I buy from a vape specific shop, and not some other retailer?”

First things first: American-made juices.

While not 100% of vape specific retailers sell all American-made juices, and not 100% of other retailers sell only Chinese juices, you’re much more likely to find quality juices in a vape specific shop. You can read in our other blog about the importance of this, but basically, we’re saying that you’re going to be much safer buying USA-made products from vape specific retailers who know what they’re selling their customers.

Second thing is second: Higher quality hardware.

Again, not 100% of vape specific retailers sell the best, and not 100% of other retailers sell the worst, but you’re far more likely to get quality hardware from a vape specific retailer who is trying to grow and maintain a customer base. It’s also likely that if you buy hardware from a vape specific retailer and need questions answered, or need products replaced due to defects, that you’re going to make more headway with a vape specific retailer. As a vape specific retailer we actually offer a two month warranty on the basic kits that we sell.

Third thing is last: Knowledge is power.
A gold shop knows what karats are, a motorcycle shop knows how to jet carbouretors, and a gas station attended knows how to turn the pump on… but do you think any of these folks know what the primary ingredient in e-liquid is and how heavily it has already been studied by the FDA? Probably not. They’re not going to be able to tell you where the liquid comes from, about the typical lifespan of hardware, or point you in the right direction when it’s time to upgrade from a basic kit to Mods. You know who probably will? Your vape specific retailer!

Take heed of these points, folks, and even if you have to travel a bit out of the way to stock up, it’s going to be worth it in the long run.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

We'd like to keep our flavors.

Just last week a group of 13 senators and representatives produced a letter, urging the FDA to "protect our nation’s youth from predatory marketing, flavors that lure youth to toxic nicotine, and easy online access." Another group of politicians at the state level, attorney generals, have banded together to oppose the same exact aspects of our industry that the senators and representatives have.

Again, we would like to reiterate our stance. We are focused on getting tobacco users to use a far more safe product, our products, vaporizers and e-juice.

Flavors are a convenience to our customers who no longer want the taste of tobacco in their mouths, and if our voices are restricted in marketing our products we won't be able to help as many people reduce or stop their tobacco consumption.


This blog post is meant to be a resource for contacting the politicians who oppose our industry. Their names and titles are as follows. 


The list of those senators and representatives who signed this letter is as follows:


U.S. Senators:


Barbara Boxer (D-CA)

Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)
Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Edward J. Markey (D-MA)
Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Jack Reed (D-RI)
Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) 

U.S. Representatives:


Henry A. Waxman (D-CA)

Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ)
Diana DeGette (D-CO)

Attorney Generals:

Lisa Madigan - Illinois Attorney General
Greg Zoeller - Indiana Attorney General
Martha Coakley - Massachusetts Attorney General
Eric Schneiderman - New York Attorney General
Tom Horne - Arizona Attorney General 
Kamala Harris - California Attorney General
John W. Suthers - Colorado Attorney General
George Jepsen - Connecticut Attorney General
Joseph R. “Beau” Biden III - Delaware Attorney General
Irvin Nathan - District of Columbia Attorney General
Lenny Rapadas - Guam Attorney General
David Louie - Hawaii Attorney General
Lawrence Wasden - Idaho Attorney General
Tom Miller - Iowa Attorney General
Janet Mills - Maine Attorney General
Douglas F. Gansler - Maryland Attorney General
Jim Hood - Mississippi Attorney General
Catherine Cortez Masto - Nevada Attorney General
Joseph Foster - New Hampshire Attorney General
Gary King - New Mexico Attorney General
Mike DeWine - Ohio Attorney General
Ellen F. Rosenblum - Oregon Attorney General
Kathleen Kane - Pennsylvania Attorney General
Peter Kilmartin - Rhode Island Attorney General
Marty J. Jackley - South Dakota Attorney General
Robert E. Cooper, Jr. - Tennessee Attorney General
Sean Reyes - Utah Attorney General
William H. Sorrell - Vermont Attorney General
Robert W. Ferguson - Washington Attorney General

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Welcome to The Vape Shop!

This past week we began running a giveaway promotion on Facebook to grow our "Likes" and to begin engaging with the vape community on a grander scale. To all that have participated and helped us grow our platform, thank you! We greatly appreciate your engagement and hope that we can continue to be a resource for vapers.

This blog is going to address what you can expect from us as we grow our business, and how we're going to be a resource to you and the vape community.

Reviews and updates:

Check out youtube.com/TheVapeChan for a ton of great information, from mod reviews to coil builds, and our opinion on all things vape. If you're a fan from Facebook who is not in our general area but want to make a friend, this is probably your best place to connect.

Comment, subscribe, and let us know what else you'd like to see! We're open to ideas.

Contests, giveaways, and everyday things:

Do you think the StingRay giveaway has been a hit!? Us too. Again, thanks for that.

Stay plugged in to our Facebook page at Facebook.com/VapeShopSI for a daily infusion of everything vape related. Some days it'll be about the shop. Other days it'll be about the latest vaper news. Every now and then you'll get lucky and we'll throw out a killer giveaway! No matter what you're reason for being a vaper, we have a reason for you to connect with us on Facebook.

Come visit us/We'll see you at VapeBash:

If ever you're through this way, traveling via I-64 or I-57, Route 3, Route 13, or Route 51 we'd love for you to visit! We're located along Route 51 at 606 S. Illinois Avenue and pretty easy to find. In the cross-hairs of Saint Louis, Indianapolis, Chicago, and Nashville many of you folks may get in touch as you're jumping from metro to metro. If you are, budget an extra hour or two to come check out the shop! You won't be disappointed.

But if bringing yourself to us isn't on the agenda, maybe we can bring ourselves to you! We had an opportunity to attend VapeBash 3 this year and it was stellar! If you're in Chicago next year for VapeBash 4 let us know and we'll meet you up there! We've been known to through down a cloud or two.

Thanks to everyone for checking out our blog and getting connected. We appreciate you and look forward to helping you stay in the loop.

Keep vaping and enjoy the taste, or as we like to say, "We're adults, and we like flavors!"



-The Vape Shop

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Why Vape? Volume #2


We're gonna drop the grumpy tone and put on our happy hats today, because we need to celebrate the benefits of vaping and discuss how it really will improve your life.

In the second installation of our "Why Vape" blog we're going to address something very near and dear to our hearts (and many others). Logistically speaking, it's about a foot away. It's the tongue!

A lot of current smokers take for granted some of their senses that smoking has dulled over the years. They're still able to taste some aspects of food, but they're not savoring flavorful meals doesn't like they were able to do in the days before tobacco.

You can enjoy your sense of taste again, and darn it, you deserve that!

Illustrated in the picture below is the difference between the exhalation of a smoker, and the exhalation of a vaper. Note the difference: The exhalation of the smoker (vegetation combustion) is a dark brown residue that, when given enough time to build up, can feel sticky and tar-like. The exhalation from the vaper (e-juice/e-cigarette) is clear, with a moist, water-like texture.


What's even more interesting is what you notice after the you leave these two samples alone for a while. The tobacco sticks, and the vapor just fades away.

In all fairness, the latest study (performed in 2009 by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) stated that nicotine may play a part in the alteration of taste buds, but that there are "Statistically important differences between the taste thresholds of smokers and nonsmokers".

From personal experiences and customer testimonials we can promise you: The difference between your taste buds while smoking and your taste buds while vaping is night and day.

So, why vape? Vape so you can enjoy your favorite cheeseburger like it's meant to be enjoyed! Because you deserve it!

Monday, June 30, 2014

Why Vape? Volume #1.

“Why should I vape?” It’s a legitimate question to ask yourself about the habit before you pick it up. It’s probably not a question you asked yourself before that first drag, but by then it was too late. But now, and we’ve proven it ex-smoker after ex-smoker, it’s not too late.

Reason #1: Life.

Everything we discuss in this blog post, and the following posts months down the road, will get more specific about certain facets of life that vaping will help improve. This post, though, is all about living longer.

Fact from thetruth.com:
1 in 3 smokers who begin smoking in their youth will die from cigarette related health issues.

Why vape?
Decades into this habit you’re not going to change, and we’re not asking you to. We’re not asking you to give up your habit of inhaling and exhaling, moving your hand to your mouth, or even consuming nicotine. It’s just not plausible for the majority of us.

What we’re asking you to do is vape, and quit consuming all but one of the hundreds of chemicals produced when you smoke cigarettes. It’s an easy equation to put into play. Fewer chemicals = more years.

Fact from thetruth.com:
Over 200,000 smokers were estimated to have been diagnosed with lung cancer attributed to tobacco consumption.

Why vape?
The main chemical used to produce e-liquids, propylene glycol, has been extensively studied by the EPA and FDA. The reason for these studies were the mass induction of fog machines by stage performances in the late 20th century, and the concerned individuals who wanted to make sure they weren’t getting a side of poison with their live tunes.

What it boils down to is you not inhaling smoke, but vapor. Your lungs will thank you for not putting cancer into them.

Fact from thetruth.com:
By 2020, if current trends of tobacco use stay the same, an estimated 7 million people will die worldwide, per year.

Why vape?
So we can stop this trend cold in its tracks. We don’t have to continue a trend of addicts headed for early graves. We can spend more time with our children and grandchildren, ensuring that they don’t make the same mistakes we did when we were young, and breaking the chain.


- The Vape Shop

Friday, June 27, 2014

Banning nicotine won’t keep kids safe. Good parenting will.

It’s been a more common issue these days than not, that we recues parents of responsibility for what their children encounter in this world, and blame the entities that provide certain products or services for the lack of parental oversight. Kid crashes a bike without a helmet? Blame the bicycle company. Child is unhealthy because of their diet? It must be the fault of the fast food restaurant. Boys and girls failing finishing their homework and falling behind in school? It must be the instructors fault.

Our industry, being a newer industry, has been open to much greater scrutiny for the issues faced by consumer of nicotine juice. And to an extent, rightfully so. Wouldn’t you be worried if poison cases in your industry increased by 219% year-over-year? Of course! And we are too. That’s why we’re writing.

First, let’s clear something up about nicotine poisoning. It’s not going to kill you. It’s not going to kill you kids. It’s not going to kill anyone. It may make a human sick, woozy, and incredibly uncomfortable, but they’re going to live. Yes, even the little ones.

Second, an increase of 219% is an increase to only a couple of hundred cases a year. It’s not a pandemic, regardless what certain legislators and media outlets would like you to believe. Your kids are thousands of times more likely to get the flu than they are to be poisoned by your e-juice, and some of the symptoms are pretty similar.

Third, now that we have a general idea of the sickness associated with nicotine poisoning, let’s debunk the big misconception: How it’s happening. Nicotine poisoning is not something that is going to occur via vaping. The amount of nicotine vapor a person will have to ingest to become poisoned by the vapor is astounding. Keep in mind, many of the people who’ve switched to vaping smoked packs of cigarettes a day.

So then how’re people, kids included, getting poisoned? They’re ingesting straight e-juice out of the bottle. That’s how. Kids are getting a hold of bottles that are not properly secured, and as we know, not every grown up person makes grown up decisions.

Well, Mr. Vape Shop, what’s the solution to the minuet increase in nicotine poisonings then, if you’re so clever?

Good question!

The solution to the increase in nicotine poisonings is to store your juices in the same places you should be storing your medicines, out of the reach of children! And maybe hidden from otherwise less thoughtful adults.

But that’s not it. We understand that without regulation, some juice makers make subpar bottles that can be accessed by younger people that shouldn’t be allowed access. They’re what we call “Chinese Juices”, because they’re made in China. If you want a secondary security measure to keep your kids safe, aside from putting your nicotine juice in a place out of the reach of children, buy juices made here in the United States. You’re going to get a quality juice, and another safety mechanism to keep your kids safe!

Think it through, and act accordingly. At the end of the day, you need to be responsible for your actions and decisions.

Sincerely,




The Vape Shop

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Is what I'm putting in my mouth (and lungs) safe!?

Yes, it is. It's Propylene Glycol. Please understand, that not being scientists, the best thing for us to do is copy and paste a bunch of snippets from other websites to ensure your comfort in ingesting e-liquids.

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propylene_glycol

Propylene glycol is considered generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and it is used as anhumectant (E1520), solvent, and preservative in food and for tobacco products, as well as being one of the major ingredients of the "e-liquid" used in electronic cigarettes along with vegetable glycerin. Vaporizers used for delivery of pharmaceuticals or personal care products often include propylene glycol among the ingredients they are filled with.[4] Propylene glycol is used as a solvent in many pharmaceuticals, including oral, injectable and topical formulations, such as for diazepam and lorazepam which are insoluble in water.[7]

Serious toxicity generally occurs only at plasma concentrations over 1 g/L, which requires extremely high intake over a relatively short period of time.[20] It would be nearly impossible to reach toxic levels by consuming foods or supplements, which contain at most 1 g/kg of PG. Cases of propylene glycol poisoning are usually related to either inappropriate intravenous administration or accidental ingestion of large quantities by children.[21] The potential for long-term oral toxicity is also low. In one study, in 1972, 12 rats were provided with feed containing as much as 5% PG over a period of 104 weeks and they showed no apparent ill effects; no data on offspring was offered.[22] Because of its low chronic oral toxicity, propylene glycol was classified by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration as "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) for use as a direct food additive, including frozen foods such as ice cream and frozen desserts.[23]

From The FDA: http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/reregistration/REDs/propylene_glycol_red.pdf

"Upon reviewing the available toxicity information, the [Environmental Protection] Agency has concluded that there are no endpoints of concern for oral, dermal, or inhalation exposure to propylene glycol and dipropylene glycol."

From V2 E-Cigs: http://www.v2cigs.com/blog/2012/01/what-is-propylene-glycol/

-Propylene glycol is a clear, colorless, slightly syrupy liquid at room temperature. It may exist in air in the vapor form, although propylene glycol must be heated or briskly shaken to produce a vapor
-Propylene glycol is practically odorless and tasteless
-Propylene glycol is a chemical made by reaction of propylene oxide with water

From The Vape Shop:

Like we said, we're no scientists, so we don't want to offer you the metabolic breakdown of the chemical and and look silly. What we do want you to understand through all of this mumbo jumbo is that what we sell, and what retailers across the world sell, is safe for human consumption.

Some folks have sensitivities, just like there are folks who are lactose intolerant, but that doesn't make the liquid in its digestible form unsafe.


So be happy, and vape on!

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Staying honest on industry.

Not too long ago we appeared in several different news outlets offering our opinions on different aspects of the vaping industry. We've addressed the positive side of our industry, mainly saving and prolonging lives through reduced tobacco consumption, and we've addressed the less favorable side of our industry, including its newness in relation to government regulation.

Now, down here in Southern Illinois, we're just as fond of our liberty and freedoms as anyone else, so when government wants to step in and begin regulating an industry it doesn't understand for "Fear of the children", we've got cause for concern.

Much like the video game industry self-regulates to ensure those too young to partake of certain parts of their industry do not, the vape industry acts the same. Vape-specific shops do everything they can to weed out underage consumers and ensure that vapor, whether with nicotine or without, does not find its way into the hands, lungs, and mouths of those younger than 18 years of age.

While many media outlets have focused on vape-specific shops, who derive 90% of their revenue or greater from selling vaping-related retail items, the bigger concern for those in the industry who care about its integrity is non-specific retailers. Think gas stations, tobacco shops, and other entities that sell other merchandise not related to vaping.

Without regulation, and with an eye on the bottom line, products that should not find their way into youngsters hands just might. With that concept in mind, we support regulation of our industry within reason.

But what's reasonable? Well, let's take some cues from both the tobacco and the alcohol industry.

Taking a cue from the tobacco industry as far as age restrictions are concerned, let's make e-juices, e-cigs, and other vapor accessories legally inaccessible to those under the age of 18. And taking a cue from the alcohol industry, let us determine how our marketing message reaches adult consumers 18 years of age or older. Because, as it turns out, we're not selling a harmful product, just one that is misunderstood.

We'll address that in the next blog, though.