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.

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.

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

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

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!

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 20^th 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

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