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!