VAPE Magazine April 2017 Issue by Matt Schramel

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Vape Jam UK will host seminars and industry talks through out the weekend, some of the speakers included are Vapers In Power, The New Nicotine Alliance and INNCO. The weekend will end with a charity auction where all of the proceeds will be donated to the NNA, a non profit organization which continuously researches the effect of alternative nicotine delivery systems.

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NEWS, BUSINESS & CULTURE VAPE Magazine is the only international vaping industry focused magazine with more than 35,000 readership in the United States, Europe and Asia, where vaping professionals find the latest news, products and trends. EDITORIAL Publisher Matt Schramel content@vapemz.com 800-958-6427 x2 Editor in Chief Corey Noles Managing Editor Chris Mellides Social Media Manager Eric Vonheim Art Director Van Avanzado Graphic Designers Joe Buehner, Laura Camp, Lauren Ellsworth, Matt Ritzenthaler, Anil Verma Director of Photography Ezra Zuniga Webmaster Axel Gillespie Contributors Tony Abboud, Norm Bour, John Castle, Nick Green, Allan Kwasnik, Chris Mellides, Corey Noles, Susan Oser, Tony Ottomanelli, Shilo Platts,Todd Richard

letter from the editor:

ADMINISTRATIVE Chief Executive Officer Matt Schramel

Dear readers,

Co-Owner/Vice President Jon Laverde

Just like that, here we are again. The clouds are breaking, plants are in bloom and the grass is starting to grow. What better way to start off a gorgeous April than with a killer cover story! This month, managing editor Chris Mellides takes you behind the scenes with Grimm Green. They pair talk about everything â&#x20AC;&#x201D; beer included! Make sure to give it a read. We also have a handful of other things to look out for: a profile on Instagram sensation Turbo by Lavender Lee, several solid hardware reviews and a new writer who will be covering the many studies that are released regarding our industry.

Executive Assistant Erin Aly ADVERTISING Jon Laverde, jon@vapemz.com 800-958-6427 x4 Jacob Barger, jacob@vapemz.com 949-910-2138 China-based advertisers contact Wingle Group Electronics LTD +852 51759256 dev@winglegroup.com CONTACT Advertising sales@vapemz.com

Thanks for reading! Vape on,

News news@vapemz.com

Corey Noles Editor in Chief

New Products newproducts@vapemz.com Employment jobs@vapemz.com VAPE Magazine is wholly owned by Starpixel Marketing LLC 6209 Mid Rivers Mall Dr, Suite 194 Saint Peters, MO 63304 info@vapemz.com 800-958-6427

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table of contents COLUMNS

39 The Cole-Bishop

29 VTA Column 71 Playing the Trump Card

45 Nick “Grimm” Green

64 Kangertech Togo Mini 2.0

Amendment Breakdown

64 DEPARTMENTS

12 Letter from the Editor 21 Scenic Vapers

91 Vaping For Your Health: The Discord Between Health Surveys And Public Trends

EVENTS 85 Vape Shop Events

FEATURES 33 Renewable Energy Wearable To Power Vaporizers

85 Mods & Tech

68 Just in Juices 75 Vape Visionary

54 Smoking Vapor Mi-One Review

33 14

59 Smoktech AL85 Box Mod

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DEPARTMENTS

Scenic Vapers a time for

reflection By Chris Mellides

Scenic Vapers has had a profound effect on all those who embraced the project in the years following it coming to fruition. Companies, photogs and VAPE Magazine have all been touched by the core message of the project, which started as a collaboration between two friends, Ian Silver and Tyler Price, who knew nothing of each other until their paths crossed on Instagram. In the beginning they both exhibited a love for nature, embracing works that included sprawling hills, running brooks, and towering mountain trails. When they each took up vaping, their photography saw a shift, whereby vapin and the wonders of nature became defining elements in their body of work.

Impressed with eachotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aptitude, ability and style, Scenic Vapers was ultimately born. Since then, the Scenic Vapers project has expanded and the Instagram account dedicated to it has grown to include over 14,000 followersâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;many of whom contribute online while others whose work is exceptional often gets featured in our pages. Price and Silver pay close attention to the Instagram buzz, and select those photogs whose work embodies the theme of their project. The project was founded in June of 2014, and its effects on the vaping community is substantial. Beautiful pictorials give credence to giving up the smokes and taking

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the climb through beautiful vistas with vape in hand. That is surely a sentiment that resonates with me. I’ve been vaping for five years now and when I started the vapor product industry was still going through an awkward phase in its infancy, where the technology was slow and often unreliable, and where vape shops hardly existed. Vaping has improved my health to the point where exercising has become possible once more. Climbing up a flight of stairs or kneeling to tie a shoelace would often leave me winded. Now thanks in a large part to vaping, I’ve dropped a good deal of weight and found the support in friends I’d previously not known before vaping became the thing that bonded us. As a journalist, I spend a lot of my time at a desk–which is terrible for cardiovascular health. So, venturing outdoors to shoot with my Nikon and take in the beauty of my surroundings while taking a vape break on occasion has been a life-changing experience for me…. One that could not be possible without my desire to quit using combustible tobacco. Now, there have been slipups along the way, to be perfectly honest. I was a dual user when vacationing in Europe, and during times of extreme stress and the intense anxiety that sometimes come with it, I’ll spark up and almost immediately my tension subsides. However, the one constant that’s always there each and every time I need them are my reliable and quite satisfying vaping devices–of which I have many! I’m first and foremost a vaper, and the lifestyle that comes with it is something I truly value and am thankful for. Smoking be damned. What Scenic Vapers has taught me and constantly reminded me of is this…. Enjoying life, and having fun and doing so without the cost of your health. Aside from a healthier body and the countless friends I’ve made on my vape journey, my love for nature photography blossomed as I’ve been living a more active lifestyle. Scenic has inspired me to reach a point where I’ve now upgraded my DSLR camera to pursue the kind of themes that are executed so well by Scenic Vapers’ founders and their growing list of contributors. I am a scenic vaper. We are all scenic vapers.

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Photographer - Matt Macaranas (@vapingscissorhands) In Frame - Jake Hayes (@vape.district) Location - Norfolk Botanical Gardens, Virginia VAPEMZ.COM

Photographer - Tyler Price (@dripping_balls) In Frame - Chris Starcher (@dripmedia) Location - Cheat Lake in Morgantown, West Virginia

Photographer - Steven Jackson (@actionmfjackson) In Frame - Same as Photog Location - Houston, Texas

Photographer - Tyler Price (@dripping_balls) In Frame - Chris Starcher (@dripmedia) Location - Morgantown, West Virginia

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Photographer - Breanna Hulett (@greyvape) In Frame - Jayson Magbanua Location - Franklin Falls, Washington

Photographer - @kahlan_crumb In Frame - Breanna Hulett (@greyvape) Location - Stevens Pass, Washington

Photographer - Tyler Price (@dripping_balls) In Frame - Logan Wells (@mr_subohm) Location - Morgantown Arboretum, West Virginia VAPEMZ.COM

To submit your photo to Scenic Vapers for VAPE submission consideration, follow @VapeMagazine @ScenicVapers @dripping_balls and @Jedi.Visions and #VapeMagazine #CloudCheck & #ScenicVapers on Instagram. For VAPE pictorial column, photos must be in high resolution, but for the IG page everyone has the chance for a feature. Scenic Vapers has grown so much since we started this journey back in June 2014 it’s such a great feeling going through our #scenicvapers tags and getting to see all the amazing shots from all over the world, and to know we helped start this trend is so very rewarding! It’s surreal to see the growth and support for our page and how much love we receive from the community on a daily basis. Can’t wait to see where we go in the future. - Tyler Price

Photographer - Breanna Hulett (@greyvape) In frame - Jayson Magbanua (@mrpinoykid) Location - Franklin Falls, Washington

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COLUMNS

The of Future

Vapor In An Uncertain World:

What

VTA Is Doing To Save Our Industry By Tony Abboud, VTA Executive Director

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Whatever one's political leanings, there is no doubt that the election of Donald Trump to the presidency has had a major impact on all aspects of government and society. His unprecedented and unconventional approach to running the federal government – not to mention working with Congress – has left Washington reeling with equal parts hope and uncertainty for what the future holds. This is particularly true for business and industry across the board. Small business owners and CEOs alike are faced with developing legislative and regulatory strategies in an unsure environment, and the vapor industry is no exception.

So, what does the political landscape look like for the vapor industry, and how do we move forward? First, it is important to understand that there is no silver bullet here. The greatest chance we have at preserving the vapor industry is by employing a multi-faceted approach that includes both legislative and regulatory objectives. Additionally and equally as important is a coordinated state strategy that addresses harmful legislation and regulations imposed by legislators who seek to kill the vapor industry. These efforts must be monitored and defeated at every step along the way, and the Vapor Technology Association – through our multi-pronged federal and state strategy – is leading the charge to protect and defend the vapor industry.

Washington, DC – Staying the Course During a Turbulent Time It is important – now more than ever – that we continue to implement a steady federal regulatory and legislative strategy that builds upon our previous efforts to roll back the FDA's dangerous deeming regulations and advance legislation in Congress that would protect the industry. VTA and our federal public and government relations teams are working at the highest levels of government to accomplish just that. The election of President Trump provides some opportunities to advance our cause within the regulatory landscape, and we are pursuing these avenues aggressively. Likewise, we continue to support bipartisan legislation by United States Congressmen Tom Cole (R-OK) and Sanford Bishop (D-GA) that would amend the predicate date, keeping thousands of small and midsize vapor businesses up and running, in addition to implementing responsible regulations that treat vapor products as the technology that they are rather than the tobacco products that they are NOT.

Defending Vapor in the States Equally as important as a well-thought out and comprehensive federal strategy is implementing a state strategy to protect and defend vapor from the onslaught of local legislators who are working to shut down small vapor businesses across the United States. VTA has implemented an aggressive campaign to support vapor on the state level, currently coordinating lobbying efforts in 16 states. In addition to tracking hundreds of vapor-specific bills, for the past 3 months, VTA's dedicated State Affairs Manager has been conducting

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manufacturers the opportunity to do business in Indiana, while creating a simple and sensible permitting scheme. The hard work done by ISFA, VTA and the lobbying team in Indiana has made SB1 the Senate's number 1 priority for this legislative session, and the recent court victory in the 7th Circuit has now created an even greater need to fix Indiana now.

weekly strategy calls with state vapor association leaders and professional lobbyists from around the country to discuss those bills, strategize on addressing them, and share knowledge on what is working around the country. When it comes to executing strategies, VTA has been there to either testify and/or to assist state vapor associations in preparing testimony, and in rolling out the core arguments on our issues. VTA's state lobbying experience and its knowledge of how to identify and work with state lobbyists is making the difference.

Working with YOU, following are some of vapor’s recent successes in just three states. • The Indiana Smoke Free Alliance, led by Amy Lane, already had been laying the groundwork for rolling back Indiana's anti-business vapor law with VTA. Working with ISFA and their professional lobbyists, we have crafted a strategy to re-open the State of Indianae to all vapor businesses. On February 2, 2017, Amy Lane and Tony Abboud testified before the Indiana Senate Judiciary Committee on Senate Bill 1, the bill we have been working on to re-open the State of Indiana to vapor businesses. The bill removes the absurd security firm requirements, eliminates the unconstitutional provisions for ALL vapor companies (not just out-of-state manufacturers) and once again allows all

• After much planning, the Maryland Vapor Alliance launched this month with a big splash. The group didn't waste any time, nor could it. SB 119 is a terrible licensing bill that would affect interstate commerce, prohibit online sales, apply overly burdensome wholesaler inventory reporting requirements, as well as require a wholesaler license to transport vapor products in the state. Working with VTA to organize and find the right lobbyist, MVA hired an outstanding professional lobbyist and got up and running right away. In the first week in action, the MVA team met with the sponsor of SB119, explained the serious concerns with the bill, and pulled together a panel of manufacturing and retail businesses to testify. MVA's panel of witnesses led the opposition to the bill with testimony that VTA helped draft. The bill was held in committee and is going to be subject to many more discussions with the sponsor. • Who would have thought we would have to fight to keep Montana's air clean? HB 147 was an attempt to add vapor to Montana's Indoor Air Act as if vaping was smoking. Thankfully, VTA has been working with advocacy dynamos Ron and Deanna Marshall, owners of Freedom Vapes, to coordinate the state and fight back. Just last week, the Montana House Judiciary Committee voted down HB147 by an overwhelming margin. That would not have happened if the Marshalls did not organize, work the bill, and leverage VTA's Call to Action portal to deliver more than 2,400 emails opposing the bill to the committee in just a few days! We are on the right path, but in order to be successful, we present a unified front. This is why VTA wants YOU to get involved. Call your state legislator. Write your congressman. Because if we do not make our voices heard, the powerful interests that are working to defeat us will prevail. To learn more about how to get involved in the fight to save vapor, visit www.vaportechnology.org and www. SaveVapor.org. Tony Abboud VTA Executive Director

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Features

e By Lavender Le

Vaping just got a little bit greener.

all,” Hinchliffe said. “The solar hat utilizes sun rays and converts it to power via a USB port.”

Aaron Cericola and Paul Hinchliffe are responsible for bringing renewable, wearable technology to the forefront. Their brand of innovative tech, they hope, will find a home in the vape scene by providing sustainable energy for use with vapor products. It’s a very interesting concept, and for vapers, it’s something that doesn’t exist in the vape space right now. “The world we live in requires a consumption of energy. This product utilizes the one source that is free and available to

Edward Kim, the CEO of Unique Creative Ideas LLC (UCI) created a solar-powered wearable and green technology USB compatible hat dubbed “Poweraid” that Cericola and Hinchliffe feel “will be great for many different applications for consumers.” “We have all been in the position where our device is dying and we wish we had a charger just to keep it powered on,” Hinchliffe said. “This hat gives you the sustainment you need to keep your device going and powered up.”

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Cericola adds, “Devices such as phones, tablets and vape devices all need to stay sustained. It isn't a quick charge, but if you are active and on the go, this will help keep your most important consumer product devices from dying...” “The hats can benefit everyone for any sort of device. If you’re hunting, fishing, jogging, or just laying at the beach, you can now charge your devices, including vaping devices.” Hinchliffe said. “We believe that these hats are stylish, and would give vapers a way to charge...their mods when they don't have access to an outlet,”continued Hinchliffe. “We all hate running out of battery life; I feel that we can all agree with [that]. Although they are not the ‘end all, new solution’ to charging, they are an awesome tool for every vaper and non-vaper, alike.” Hinchliffe said. “The current Poweraid SOLSOL Snapback 2.0 can charge all types of phones and smartphones that have USB charging capability, however they cannot charge an iPhone 7 or iOS10 installed on an Apple device.

The hats can charge MP3 Players (iPod), bluetooth speakers and headphones (BEATS), digital cameras (GoPRO4), rechargeable Li-on batteries (power banks) and even vapes,” Edward Kim explains. There are two new styles of hats coming out during Spring and Summer 2017, that can charge an iPhone 7 and iOS10 and of course, everything else.” Kim added. Customers merely use their existing charging cords and plug the USB side into the hat and connect the other side to the device. The device is then charging as normal, in a pocket. “The hats (depending on the model) produce between 100400 mAh of power. The snapback 2.0 generates 120 mAh up to 200 mAh, and the bucket and boonie hats will generate 300 mAh up to 400 mAh of power when adequate sunlight is hitting the surface of the solar panels. The hats can absorb high fluorescent light and activate the solar cells to generate power.” Kim said.

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This hat gives you the sustainment you need to

keep your device going and powered up

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Adding, “Every device has different size batteries and depending on the battery size, the amount of use of the device at any one time will determine the time to charge a device.” The best way I explain to customers,” says Kim, “is that a wall outlet generates 1 A (amp) or 1000 mAh.” By contrast, “Your desktop computer or laptop when you plug your device to charge outputs 500 mAh. And our hats depending on the style/ model generate 120 mAh up to 400 mAh.” The hats come with a 30 day warranty. Should the hat stop working, customers can send it back for further inspection. If it is determined to be defective, due to a manufacturing reason, the customer will receive a

new hat. If it is due to water damage or harsh impact to the solar panel/ electronic parts, then the warranty will not apply. With proper care, the solar panels can last over 50 years, according to Kim, who also stated that cleanup is as easy as “simply [wiping] off the dust with a damp cloth before using.” “I always hang my hats, and some hats I even have hat cases for, so it really depends on the customer and how well they take care of their hats,” Kim said. The hats made their vaping debut at Vape Showcase in Atlanta in March 2017 and can be found at: www.solarlids.com.

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Features

The Cole-Bishop Amendment Breakdown By Tony Ottomanelli II

VAPEMZ.COM

Introduced on the February 16t, Congressman Tom Cole (R-OK), together with Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-GA) put forward the “FDA Deeming Authority Clarification Act of 2017.” Commonly referred to as the Cole-Bishop Amendment (now considered H.R.1136 in the House of Representatives). If this sounds familiar or you find yourself experiencing Deja Vu, this is because there was similar legislation introduced in Congress in 2015 and again in 2016. However, Cole-Bishop is back in the year 2017, with a newly designated number of 1136 and fancy name with the assistance of the legislative force and long-awaited legislation that would amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. It proposes a newly-changed date for newly “deemed” tobacco products,ensures that licensing and advertising guidelines set for vaping products are practical, and pushes the FDA to set in place product standards for e-cig batteries. This one piece of legislation is indeed largely sensationalized by the vaping community. Regardless, that one crucial amendment is a great achievement not only for the industry, but also for Congress and the U.S.in general. This bill was introduced to Congress by a member of the Republican Party as well as the Democratic Party on behalf of Congressman Cole and Bishop. The new Cole-Bishop Amendment is one of the biggest pieces of legislation for the vape industry. It has language included in the bill aimed at changing the predicate date, often referred to as the grandfather date, for approved products allowed to remain on the market. The current predicate date set by the FDA would predate the release of most vapor products.

Without this well-crafted act of governing, referred to by Congress as H.R.1136, the consumers may be forced to fall back on a black market or reduced to choosing products that were only available prior to Feb. 15, 2007. 40

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Vape shops would become a piece of historical significance and referred to in history books as the period of “De-vaporization in America.” Already, there are irresponsible state governments spending and imposing excise/ sin taxes on vapor products that could and already have decimated all brick and’ mortar vape shops.

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American-based independent vape shop owners and indie e-liquid manufacturers are facing nearly unbeatable odds with not much assistance from the political community—vapers are not pleased. Small business owners are irate and the future seems uncertain, leaving a hazy perspective fogged with clouds of confusion. The vapor industry was never invited to the party, never even mentioned as a solution to the smoking epidemic until the consumers began innovating and profiting.

With a glimpse of a tobacco-free society, these corporate moguls who essentially run the country could do nothing, except for what our culture has taught them— search and destroy! How do you combat such massive authority? Well, sociological theory has taught me that the only thing capable of defeating organized money is organized people. If you have yet to step up and pitch in, now is the time. Soon, time will no longer be available. So, urge your state’s legislators by calling your representative of Congress to co-sponsor this bill.

Since the beginning of March, there are no co-sponsors for this amendment. However, it is a long and slow process. So, let’s make it worth the effort by treating the challenge as a journey to freedom and a preservation of constitutional rights, that go down in harm reduction history. All things considered, the Cole-Bishop Amendment aka The FDA Deeming Authority Clarification Act of 2017’ is now considered to be the one of the only hopes for this diverse industry as well as the entire community of vapers living in the United States. The FDA deeming rule has been set in place to ultimately destroy an entire industry comprised of entrepreneurs and innovative concepts.

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H.R. 1136

Features

Grimm”Green

Nick“

YouTube Personality, Entrepreneur & Vape Guru By Chris Mellides

VAPEMZ.COM

Unless you’ve been living under a Dwayne Johnson, you’d have heard of Nick “Grimm” Green—a passionate vaper, YouTuber and vape advocate.

and over. And, over again, you’re gonna get sick of it,” he added “Even if your dream job is tasting ice-cream, tasting ice-cream every day for seven years is gonna drive you nuts!”

Grimm started his vaping journey when, in many ways, the industry was still in its infancy. And yet, while the technology he used is now painfully dated and cannot hold a candle to the plethora of products on today’s current market, the popular YouTuber says that it was just what he needed to give up his cigarette smoking.

Thursday’s “Vlog Day” has always been Nick’s favorite block of programming and to fill the void that opened when he changed formats, “Tuesday Bro Tuesday” was born.

In the beginning, just as is true in the present, the 39-year-old has made a goal out of helping vapers, whether they be beginners, advanced users or anything in between.

As for product review, he still carries on at his own pace and in his own way with a segment dubbed “Reviews for Things That Never Got Reviews”, and has a review que where he spends ample time working with a vapor product before giving it a final verdict roughly one week after its introduction to the que.

For him, informing as many smokers on what he considers to be a breakthrough in harm reduction had been and is, his single biggest priority when creating content for his YouTube account, which at the time this article had been written, exceeded 300,000 loyal subscribers.

If you’ve caught any of Grimm’s videos, you surely know of his affinity towards good beer and not swill, metal music, tattoos and Star Wars! “When I was young I wanted to be a rock star and be in a band and play live music,” Grimm said. “I’ve always been into music, my parents bought me a keyboard when I was in fifth grade, and I was taking piano lessons and playing in concert bands at school.”

If you’ve caught any of Grimm’s videos, you surely know of his affinity towards good beer and not

swill, metal music, tattoos & Star Wars! A vaper for eight years Grimm has not thought twice about dabbling with conventional tobacco products and continues to convert smokers through the product reviews he once uploaded regularly and in his afternoon vlogs, which run on a regular rotation on his YouTube channel. Nowadays, his video content no longer features regularly uploaded product reviews, which Grimm acknowledges was a “huge risk,” but after speaking with his partner in crime, Ruby Roo, who ditched the conventional reviews to break up the monotony of an otherwise boring and joyless format, he decided to give it a go despite facing a potential backlash from his viewers. “It was a big gamble for me,” Grimm said. “I had been doing standalone product reviews for almost seven years and you know, it’s not unlike anything else in your life.

“I mean everybody wants to be Eddie Van Halen or Axl Rose. I thought okay, bass is fine, I’ll play bass. So, I got stuck with bass, but I really loved it,” he added. Indeed, much of what Grimm and I discussed were items that fans are already aware of, but being a selfdescribed “just some guy on YouTube,” Grimm has always been honest with his viewers and doubly humble in his dealings with fans at vape expos and conventions all over the world. A workaholic, Grimm’s weekly schedule consists of shooting and editing video, as well as keeping up with various social

“If you do anything in your life for seven years over,

“Inevitably when you’re with your high school friends you all decide, ‘Hey, we should start a band!’,” Grimm said. “I didn’t choose bass, it was the only instrument left after everybody picked up their guitars.

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media applications, YouTube comments, and professional correspondences—and that’s not counting managing his e-liquid company called Namber Juice, and promoting his Recoil RDA… A device that thanks to its included accessories can be run in either cloud or flavor mode.

A true vape industry advocate, Grimm takes the regulatory framework unfurled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) along with the punitive legislation being passed throughout the country by local and state governments, as a real detriment to the industry that

I basically eat, sleep and live the vapor industry 24/7,” Grimm said. “If I’m awake I am working, and my weeks are packed end-toend with videos and YouTube and podcasting.”

“It’s effective, and something that just works,” says Grimm. “To see it all wiped way makes no sense.”

Adding, “I take a look at it from the outside and say, ‘You’re being a crazy person, who would want to do that?’” But I do it.

While gushing over new products and talking shop is fun, there’s no denying the 800lb. gorilla in the room… And you had better watch out. She’s got rabies, and she bites!

Perhaps more perplexing is the reports from various sources, including the Royal College of Physicians—a UK group of professional medical practitioners dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, making scientifically-backed statements that vaping is roughly 95 percent less harmful than cigarettes. This is something Grimm says is “confusing” and “frustrating,” considering that vaping has saved his life, built his company from nothing and is the biggest breakthrough in tobacco harm reduction we’ve seen in history.

“I make it a point to answer as many emails and comments that I possibly can across all parts of social media, like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook,” he continued. “I try to be as involved as I can, but I’ve got so much going on right now.”

The Recoil is a collaboration between Grimm and his best bud Duane “Ohm Boy OC.” Duane is the owner of the Anarchist brand of products, which include the ever popular, and widely used Anarchist Wire, Anarchist cotton, and even Anarchist brand e-liquid, that’s simply fresh to def.

try that would be nothing without the strength of small business.

he loves, and has a lot of personal and financial stake in. It’s not all doom-and-gloom at GrimmGreen Industries though. Grimm, as well as many of his clients and close friends, remains hopeful towards the possibility that our Republican controlled 115th Congress and POTUS may act against the FDA— nullifying the harsh and extreme deeming rules that will decimate an indus-

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If conditions continue to worsen and efforts by lawmakers, like Sanford Bishop (D-GA) and Tom Cole (R-OK) do not carry the weight needed to implement change on the federal level, it’s going to be current smokers who will suffer, as Grimm puts it, “It’s a quit or die mentality, which is crazy.” Asked what advice he’d impart on a smoker who doesn’t know a thing about vaping and is skeptical of vapor products, Grimm paused before declaring just how “hard” a question that was, but his answer is one of hope, caring and concern. “Ultimately, I would say just at

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Ultimately, I would say

just at least

give [vaping] a try,

because if you like it and you stick with it, then that’s a win least give [vaping] a try, because if you like it and you stick with it, then that’s a win,” Green said. “Worst case scenario is that you’ll be back to where you started…I think that it’s at least worth a try especially where the technology is right now.” “There are no set rules in vaping. If you wanna build a cloud chasing atomizer and just have flavor and tons of clouds, then you can do that,” continued Grimm. “if you want a high-nicotine, mouth-to-lung vape with smaller batteries you can do that, too.” “There are so many ways to vape, that there’s no wrong way to vape. The only wrong way to vape is not to vape at all. Chris Mellides is the Managing Editor of VAPE Magazine. A seasoned journalist, he has worked in all areas of the media industry since first getting his start in newspaper reporting. Contact him at chris@vapemz.com.

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Things Grimm’s Been Vaping Most 1) Axis Vapes M17 2) Recoil RDA 3) Vaporized Nomads’ Boss Genesis — “Really anything with a DNA 200 Board!” 4) Revenant Vapes Cartel 160W TC Box Mod

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MOD TECH

Smoking Vaporâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mi-One

Stylish, Functional and Affordable

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MOD TECH By John Castle

Ultra Compact all-in-one devices have blossomed in the vapor product market recently. And until very recently, these took the form of closed systems such as the Juul, the Cync and others. I always like to remind myself that when I review these very small devices, how and when they’re designed to be used is extremely important to keep in mind: These aren’t all day powerhouse cloud machines, and so I have to adjust how I vape and how I evaluate them in accordance with that understanding.

One of the major factors in the design of devices like this is the European Union’s Tobacco Products Directive (T PD), which limits e-liquid tank capacity to 2ml on devices sold in Europe. This, in part, is what has given rise to tiny all-in-one devices. However, Smoking Vapor and a few other companies have made the most of this restriction and have brought to market some truly compelling devices in response to the regulations.

Features and Specs The Mi-One is an all-in-one device, featuring an integrated 1100mAh 20350 high drain battery and a 3.5ml tank. The tank is a top-fill with top-side airflow adjustment and a child-resistant design; in order to fill the tank or change the atomizer head, the user must press down on the top cap, then unscrew the top cap before lifting out the coil assembly. Charging is achieved by way of a micro-USB cable (which is provided with the kit) with the charging port located dead center, near the top edge on the front of the device.

Usability is dead simple, making the Mi-One perfect for a new vaper; with the tank filled to the marked ‘ Max Fill’ line, an atomizer head installed, and the tank closed up, simply click the firing button five times to power the device on or off, and you’re ready to go.

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One final interesting feature is a retention slot for an included wrist lanyard. I’m not sure how many would use it for this purpose; for myself, I use it with a keyring and chain, making it quite a bit easier to find while still being pocket-friendly.

Ergonomics and Performance

The coil it arrives with is tuned for mouth-to-lung vaping; lung hits, while possible, may outstrip the performance capabilities of the included coil and so probably ought to be avoided.

Depending on the size of your hands and fingers, users may be faced with a love it or hate it proposition. It’s not that the device is too small to hold and use comfortably; the Vape Forward (VF) Cync reviewed a few months ago, when equipped with a “stealth” battery, has the same general shape and is marginally smaller than the Mi-One. The factor that may be problematic for some (but of course, not all) users is the placement of the power/ firing button on the top of the device rather than on the front-facing edge.

With this one minor and admittedly quite subjective complaint aside, I found the performance of the Mi-One to be outstanding for the 56

purpose I believe it was designed to serve: that of a “backup” or an errand-running vape.

On the other hand, the Mi-One is also compatible with JoyeTech AIO atomizer heads, which may perform better than Smoking Vapor’s heads for those who want to take deep lung hits from the MiOne. Be aware, of course, that lung hits or chain vaping are bound to significantly shorten the time between battery charges.

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Using the included atomizer head and an 18mg 80/ 20 VG/ PG e-liquid, I was able to achieve between four and four-and-a-half hours of moderate (not heavy) vaping from the Mi-One. I did find, however, that the tank’s stated capacity of 3.5ml didn’t exactly match what I was able to put into the tank before reaching the ‘Max fill’ line—this is why I mentioned the TPD and their 2ml tank capacity maximum. If I had to guess at the disparity between the stated tank capacity and my observation, my guess is that the stated capacity is a measurement of the total internal volume of the tank; in other words, it is irrespective of the ‘Max fill’ line. It’s my belief that the capacity of the tank from the bottom to the ‘Max fill’ line is closer to that TPD-limited 2ml, while the displacement caused by inserting the coil assembly causes (indeed, did cause, in my tests) overflow and e-liquid spillage.

Pros l Ultracompact l Surprisingly robust battery life at this size l Excellent mouth-to-lung performance (flavor fidelity, vapor production and throat hit) l Extremely wallet-friendly asking price l Multiple, stylish color options

Price and Availability The Mi-One is currently available in six distinct and, in my opinion, quite stylish colors/patterns from several online vendors; I’m unaware of any retail locations that carry it at this time. The best place to order it from is Smoking Vapor themselves, where the Lava Shell, Purple Shell, Ocean Shell, Mystic Shell, Yellow Shell, or Black Sand finished Mi-One each command a price of $39.99 plus shipping. Additionally, a 5-pack of 0.6 ohm Mi-One atomizer coils go for $14.95 plus shipping. To sum up, the Mi-One is a stylish, very wallet friendly, and perfectly satisfying device— provided the user doesn’t approach it with any misconceptions about its size-limited performance characteristics. To reiterate: devices in this size and power class are not intended to replace veteran vapers’ all day devices. It won’t compete with a 200 watt box mod donned with any kind of a “Beast” tank—and it’s not intended to. The Mi-One is a device best used as a backup, to put in play when a larger device has run out of battery life, for example, or for use during brief (4 hour or less) outings where a larger device would be too bulky to carry. In that regard, few devices are better suited than the Mi-One by Smoking Vapor.

Cons l Button placement may not suit all users l Practical tank capacity feels quite short of stated tank capacity l ‘ Max fill’ line is less obvious on color pattern versions than on the Black Sand version l Higher nicotine strength e-liquid is advisable for this system, may require user to order an e-liquid supply specifically for a device in this size/ power class VAPEMZ.COM

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MOD TECH

The SMOK AL85 Starter Kit

NOTHING MODEST ABOUT THIS MINI

VAPEMZ.COM

By John Castle

Spring is just around the corner, but it feels like the vaping industry is seeing an early bloom in hardware. Specifically, compact devices have blossomed all across the market: from new closed systems developed for vapers, by vapers, to ultracompact all-in-one systems like the Mi-One and the Kanger Togo Mini 2, the only thing we seem to have been missing is a similarly compact device with a full arsenal of advanced functions like variable power and temperature control. For those who have been waiting, the wait is over. It’s here, enter the Smoktech AL85.

The AL85 gets its name by virtue of being an ultra-compact, 85-watt version of the Smoktech Alien box mod. The reason for the AL85’s maximum power output of 85 watts is its trade-off from dual 18650 batteries to a single 18650. This reduced power output brings a bonus in the form of a mod that is so compact where not only is it easily pocketable, but easily palmable as well. But a starter kit is more than just the mod. The AL85 starter kit also includes the (somewhat confusingly designated) TFV8 Baby Beast sub-ohm tank. As an aside, I would have liked to have seen the Baby Beast carry a different alphanumeric designation for customer convenience—was another existing product using the TFV9 name?

The Baby Beast version of the TFV8 is identical to its bigger brother in all ways except, of course, for its capacity: almost 3ml as opposed to nearly 6ml. In setup, filling, and usage, there are few variations between the two, though performance is another matter which I’ll touch upon momentarily. Included in the package I received was the AL85 itself, the TFV8 Baby Beast sub-ohm tank, two atomizer heads, a manual, and assorted goodies for the tank (O-rings, a vape band, and a replacement gasket.)

Specs And Features The AL85 is, despite its fist-full compact size, a fully featured mod, which includes variable power from 1 to 85 watts, as well as temperature-control functionality from 200-600 degrees Fahrenheit. It is powered by a single 18650 battery (a high-drain battery with a minimum of 20A output is strongly recommended).

The AL85 features a 510 connection up top, as well as a screw-on cap for the 18650 battery compartment. On its left side resides an OLED screen, which displays the selected wattage, the power delivery mode (the mod allows for “soft”, “normal” or “hard” power delivery) battery charge remaining, equivalent voltage delivered by the selected power level, the resistance of

#VAPEMAGAZINE

the attached atomizer, the amperage drain from the battery and a puff counter. The entire front edge of the device is a hinged firing button; this is an ergonomic feature I last encountered on the Wismec Presa 100W mod. For those encountering it for the first time, it may take some getting used to. The bottom of the device presents some ventilation, as is usual for most mods.

Ergonomics, Build Quality And Performance In combination with Smoktech’s apparently very tight machining tolerances, the compact size of the AL85 makes it feel rock solid in my hand. Also, with the mod in my hand, I can absolutely understand why they went with a Presa-esque “hinged edge” style firing button: this mod is so compact that simply squeezing the thing in my hand to fire it feels all at once comfortable, natural and intuitive.

When it comes to performance, there’s nothing to learn, except for just how big a cloud can come out of a full featured mod hidden in your first. My first tank was filled with a high VG liquid from a local juice maker and run through the 0.6 ohm atomizer head.

The kit includes both 0.6 ohm and 0.4 ohm heads, and I was utterly stunned by the clouds such a small device pumps out of a 0.6 ohm coil head at 55 watts.

Providing that you adjust your nicotine preference in e-liquid to be in line with the AL85’s power output and resistance profile in mind (which will make long sessions of chain vaping unnecessary) you should find that a single 18650, given a high enough mAh rating, should easily last you from

VAPEMZ.COM

6-to-8 hours of moderate usage. This makes the AL85 the ideal “take it to work and use it on breaks” vape.

PROS

Price And Availability The AL85 is available in multiple colors, including Black/ Silver, Black/ Gold, Silver/ Silver, and more, from a multitude of online retailers. My go-to retailer was and is MyVaporStore.com, where you can pick up the AL85 starter kit for $49.95 plus shipping (minus extras like batteries, chargers and e-liquid).

l Compact l Full-featured l Excellent build quality and “hand feel” in use l Single 18650 means simplicity l Satisfies like a bigger mod would be expected to

CONS l 85 watt upper power limit may not be enough for everyone l May necessitate buying a stockpile of e-liquid just for running in the AL85 l Full-side hinged firing button may take getting used to The AL85 is, in my opinion, the logical result of the recent blossoming of ultra-compact vaping devices, which have emerged and flourished over the last two months. It’s a fist-full of powerful performance that I won’t be without.

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MOD TECH

KangerTech Togo Mini 2.0

N I H T G N E R ST y t i i c i l p sim By John Castle

It was only a matter of time till we began to see the emergence of ultra compact AIO (all-in-one) devices on the vaping hardware market. There are a few factors driving this new trend, and regulatory constraints are certainly among them; the European Union’s Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) is most directly influential on the emergence of hardware in this configuration and size class...mandating limits of 2ml on e-liquid capacity, among other restrictions. KangerTech has responded to this environment beautifully with the KangerTech Togo Mini. Opening the box, you’ll find a manual, a quick tutorial on how to verify the QR code on the box, the mod itself, a micro-USB charging cable wearing a sheath that’s been color-matched to the mod, and a small, sealed bag containing o-rings and other miscellanea (including everyone’s favorite tiny blue screwdriver).

Features and Specs The Togo Mini features an integrated 1600mAh Li-Ion battery along with an integrated tank with a capacity listed at 1.9ml. The Togo Mini comes in one of three colors—black, orange, or red—and features a wide bore 510 drip tip. On the front edge of the device is a flush-mounted firing button, and on the top of the device is a battery charge level indicator, which informs the user of remaining battery life in the form of an array of five white LEDs. The integrated tank packs in a “plunger” style atomizer head assembly. The coil head itself is screwed into the bottom of the airflow chimney, and the entire assembly is submerged in e-liquid secured and stored in the tank. This is why, although the entire interior volume of the tank may be approximately 3.5-3.8ml, only 1.9ml of that volume is usable for filling with e-liquid.

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MOD TECH

VAPEMZ.COM

Filling beyond the maximum fill line marked on the exterior of the device will cause insertion of the atomizer assembly to displace e-liquid, resulting in a spillage. A fairly wide, tall cutout in the mod allows the user to monitor the level of e-liquid in the tank. On the right side of the mod (if you have the firing button facing away from you) you’ll find the micro-USB charging port.

Ergonomics and Performance As was mentioned above, the Togo Mini is available in one of three colors. However, in all color options, the finish has a very grippy texture—it took me a moment to find the right adjective for it; it’s a slightly rubbery, speckled, and overall just grippy texture. The Togo Mini will not slip and slide in your hand, and that’s a plus.

The firing button is mounted on the front edge of the device, which offers the user what some might call an ‘intuitive’ grip, while using such a physically diminutive piece of hardware. And this thing is indeed tiny, as are other examples from this class of devices. It will easily fit into a closed fist, although I strongly recommend against attempting to “stealth” vape with it. Not just for ethical reasons, but for practical reasons as well. Since the Togo Mini is compatible with Kanger’s CLOCC atomizer heads, performance from the Togo Mini is, to understate things slightly, surprising. Lung hits from the Togo Mini will not outstrip the performance envelope of these heads, and while you may not fog a room with vapor from it, you’re not going to be vaping “under the radar” with it, either. This little monster can produce very respectable clouds for something so small. Flavor fidelity and throat hit, likewise, are on point— nicotine satisfaction, on the other hand is going to be highly dependent on your choice of e-liquid. It’s recommended that with any device in this size class, stepping up your nicotine from the milligram count you’d normally use on high wattage devices would be beneficial.

We are, after all, talking about a device that comes with a 1 ohm NiChrome Kanger CLOCC atomizer head, and is also compatible with sub-ohm CLOCC heads, as well. Still, with an unregulated power output of 4.2 volts, your usual 3mg nicotine strength just may not fit the bill in this device, which is why 9mg or 12mg may suit you better here. Battery life from the Kanger Togo Mini, under moderate use, raked in approximately five to five-and-a-half hours between charging. I actually found myself refilling the tank before I needed to think about recharging, so if you take it out and about, take a unicorn bottle of eliquid with you for that purpose; as with all devices of this size, you might also want to consider carrying a smallish battery for recharging. Take the Anker Astro 5200mAh ultra compact recharging battery for example. If you suspect you may be out and about and away from your primary vape for longer than five hours maybe give that a go.

#VAPEMAGAZINE

Price and Availability As a product that fits in a new class of compact vaping hardware, you’re unlikely to find the Kanger Togo Mini in most retail locations. Fortunately, there are numerous online vendors who carry it. One of the best is MyVaporStore.com, where you can get any of the three available colors of this device for the asking price of $29.95 plus shipping, while the compatible Kanger CLOCC atomizer heads will run you $2.50 each, and are sold individually. Would I recommend the Kanger Togo Mini 2.0? For new vapers, absolutely. Its simplicity of use, coupled with its extremely high performance relative to its size and open-system format make it one of the most compelling introductions to the fundamental skill set a new vaper needs—not only switch, but to thrive and advance in their vaping journey. For the veteran vaper, I would hands down recommend this as a secondary vaping solution both for those qualities mentioned, as well as for coming from a well known and well established brand.

PROS l l l l l

Better battery life than other competitors in its class Excellent performance in flavor fidelity, vapor production, and throat hit Button placement better for larger hands than similar mods offered by leading competitors Non-slip finish makes it comfortable to hold and use Very low asking price

CONS l l l

Only three available colors Firing button not as ‘clicky’ as some might prefer 1.9ml e-liquid capacity doesn’t match battery life

VAPEMZ.COM

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COLUMNS

The November 8th election of this past year brought about not only a shift in the entire D.C. political landscape, but also a fundamental change in operational thinking. With Republicans handedly winning majorities in both houses of Congress and Donald Trump being elected President of the United States, businesses and vapers everywhere should breathe a cautiously optimistic sigh of relief. We--as voters--have now ushered in a pro-business, anti-regulatory agenda as a byproduct of conservative governing. Thus far, we have not scored a victory in the arena of public opinion with respect to smoke-free alternatives being a healthier option than combustible tobacco. However, we can win over the minds of our elected officials by offering a compelling narrative of dollars and cents.

By Shilo Platts

ing the attention of President Donald Trump so that our issues are, at the very least, registering on his legislative radar screen. After all, having a billionaire in the White House with a business background presents its own set of potential advantages. In no uncertain terms, Trump pledged his allegiance to small business and middle class America throughout the entire campaign, and one aspect of his character he has underscored during the first weeks of his administration is that when Donald Trump says he will do something, he does it. Regardless of your opinion of him as a human being, the president undoubtedly gets things done. So, how do we grab his attention? Well, we all know he loves using his Twitter account to directly communicate with the American people. Why not use Twitter to also communicate with him?

This is not to say we should simply abandon concerted efforts to present empirical data from the scientific community validating what we know to be true about vaping being a safer alternative to cigarettes, but our approach should also now be coupled with what our industry has to offer in terms of small business.

The Smoke-Free Alternatives Trade Association (SFATA) is primed to do exactly that with a hashtag campaign the organization is asking every business owner, every vaper, and every individual who has been adversely impacted by combustible tobacco to re-tweet. The aforementioned social media blitz will zero in on our industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s small business impact across America. We have

Step one must be capturVAPEMZ.COM

Step one must be

capturing the attention of President Donald Trump so that our issues are, at the very least, registering on his legislative radar screen. created thousands of jobs, we have expanded the tax revenue base, and we have made an indelible mark on public health. Efforts being made on our behalf by Congressional Republicans such as Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Congressman Duncan Hunter of California must be coupled with the awesome power of the bully pulpit. Perhaps in Donald Trump’s case that metaphor will again be correctly applied. Assuming we are successful in getting the attention of the White House, our main objective should be both realistic and reasonable. An approach that meets those criteria would be to change the predicate date to August of 2018, which would grant all products currently on the market an exemption from being subjected to the arduous, expensive FDA application process. We know--as a general rule--that President Trump and Congressional Republicans have vowed to scale back draconian regulations that hinder the growth of small business. In fact, the “2-1 rule” has been adopted as the guiding philosophy of regulatory agencies. Essentially, any new regulation put on the books must be accompanied by eliminating two that are currently in place. By all fair accounts, the tidal wave of Obama big government bureaucracy is coming to a screeching halt. Make no mistake, however, that liberal Democrats will continue to obstruct our agenda with misinformation in their efforts to impose a nanny state model of regulatory control.

The deeming regulations were never intended to provide us with fair or feasible pathways to safer vaping. To the contrary, they are the mechanism by which at least 90-percent of this industry will be destroyed. Even if a company is able to afford the costly PMTA application, there is no guarantee it will be approved. In all likelihood, based upon the current framework, most applications would in fact be denied. Consequently, the only option to preserve the solvency of vaping as we know it rests upon our ability to change the predicate date or scrap the deeming regulations entirely with the latter being a highly unlikely scenario. This movement to save vaping will require all of us to be onboard and active in a positive, serious fashion. In other words, rather than posting videos and selfies on social media accounts blowing clouds, perhaps we should literally suit up and show up to the offices of our legislators. The reality is--whether we like it or not--we are going to be taken substantially more seriously if we all cover the tattoos, lose the neckbeard, and remove the visible piercings. Our members of Congress and the president will listen to us as business professionals and advocates of public health, which is why we must act accordingly. We are the architects of our own destiny, and it is imperative that we do not squander a golden opportunity over the next several years to affect the kind of change that will cultivate a permanent place for vaping in this country. The means, motive, and situation now exists to fundamentally transform the deeming regulations. Get active, get involved in the right ways, and hold elected officials accountable so that our businesses can start winning again.

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DEPARTMENTS

sion i v e p va

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: O TURB

, R O N O E, H

D I Y T R L P A Y O L CT & E P S RE

er Lee

nd By Lave

What does Turbo bring to the industry? If you assume he has a following simply because of his beau Pandora Blue, you would be very mistaken. Turbo has studied business management at Virginia Western Community College, been a professional photographer since 2014, and his skills include managing marketing accounts, branding and working with nationally recognized models—he’s also a retired Amateur MMA fighter with strong morals of pride, honor, respect and loyalty. Turbo has quite a diverse portfolio when it comes to the companies he works with. He isn’t just a brand ambassador or a model in the vape game. Turbo goes hard and it’s no wonder he has collected such an eclectic group of brands. He has earned every bit of it. He is a confident, yet humble man, who is very dedicated to the companies and brands he represents. His genuine love and admiration for his leading lady, Pandora Blue, is quite moving to hear. “She’s my best friend and we work really well together. Where I’m weak, she is strong and vice versa.” Turbo said. How did he get the nickname? “As a kid, I was always running around. The nickname of Turbo just sort of stuck. I’m still running around like that. It’s catchy, right?” he says with a laugh.

DON’T LET THE RIPPED PHYSIQUE, GAUGES AND TATTOOS SCARE YOU. HE’S AN AMAZING PERSON. VAPEMZ.COM

HE WILLINGLY HELPS PROMOTE CHARITY EVENTS AND IS AN EXTREMELY APPROACHABLE GUY. Turbo is a Purge Mods Platinum Member and has a one-off Kryptek mod supplied by the company as part of the work he does in promoting it. “Turbo is a great kid and a great edition to the team,” said Matt Kleizo, the owner of Purge Mods. “He willingly helps promote charity events and is an extremely approachable guy.” “As a matter of fact, I met Turbo because he struck up a conversation with me not knowing that I own Purge Mods!,” Kleizo said with a grin. The Purge Mods founder says that Turbo “just loves what he does” and that he’s been there by his side and is “always helping and supporting” the company. Purge is even releasing a Turbo Edition RDA and Mod, because of his dedication. “The Turbo Edition Purge Mod will have adjustable airflow and be flashy. It will have a 24mm Purge deck. I’m not going to say anything more”, Matt added. Turbo has a lot of years and hands on experience in sheet metal fabrication, which led him down the path of creating his own product dubbed “Turbo Tips.” “It’s a huge passion of mine.” Turbo said. “In Miami, I learned how to spin tips and Gator Bored was amazed at how I knew my way around the machinery.” Turbo is also part owner of Cloud Vapory/Cloud Patrol. In speaking with Nate Oliver and Mike Alston who says that he met both Pandora and

#VAPEMAGAZINE

VAPEMZ.COM

Turbo at a convention and needed to spice up their branding. The four immediately hit it off and out of that friendship a partnership formed.

is so very approachable.” What’s next for Turbo? No one can honestly answer that. He is certainly smashing down walls and represents some very big names, including: Purge Mods, Vgod, Turbo Tips, Ink Addict Apparel, Kaos Softwear, the Mamasan, Twisted Messes, m.terk and Cali Crop Doc.

Oliver lovingly describes Turbo as “an attack dog.” “Turbo is always looking out for and is very protective of those that he considers his family. He is always aware of his surroundings,” Oliver said.

“If people look at Turbo with their hearts, they will see a total softy,” says Alston.

Adding, “At conventions, Turbo brings it. People are stacked up three and four deep to meet him, because he

“Don’t let the ripped physique, gauges and tattoos scare you. He’s an amazing person.”

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C O L O R

O P T I O N S

columns

Vaping from the Outside:

This

is why

we FIGHT for

vaping

By Susan E. Oser

#VAPEMAGAZINE

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Whenever I decide to interview someone or brainstorm ideas, I make a list of them. One of those I listed when I first started interviews was Karen Lee, better known as Fiamma in the online vaping world. She was a vape show host on her own channel, the Outcast Network and the Quest channel. She was also known as being the “Vampire Vaper” because her shows always aired for the late night viewers, the early morning risers, and those who couldn’t sleep. If she could not speak, was too tired, or needed a break, she had her music playing ranging from jazz to the oldies. It didn’t matter if there were 2, 5, or 10 people in the room. She always did a show if she felt good and loved her audience. Sadly, the vaping world lost Ms. Fiamma last year. For those of us that got to know her personally, interacted with her, and became her friend, it has been a huge loss. I know of at least one friend that nicknames her his “vaping godmother” because she was the one that not only introduced him into vaping, but was with him every step of the way. She even got him inspired to be an advocate. She was the master of vaping, and it was heard loud and clear. If you were to ask anyone who knew Fiamma to describe, it was that she was a very no-nonsense person when it came to talking about activism. In fact, she lived it and breathed it. She even helped create the #IMPROOF movement. Sadly, that movement didn’t seem to take off very well, no matter how much she tried to promote and talk about it. I’m sure that she was a bit disappointed, but she never let it stop her from telling people to become involved and fight for our rights to vape. She was very outspoken about the opposition to vaping and she never minced her words. It was because of that, a lot of us gained respect for her. I know for me personally, I admired her spunk, no matter how healthy or sick she became later on. I loved her wit, tellit-like-it is mentality, and the education she brought. I loved hearing her personal stories as well as her vaping stories. I loved learning about how she DIYed and remember that her favorite vape flavors were turtle cheesecake and fudge brownie. While I might not have those flavors, I do have other dessert flavors that I plan to vape proudly in her honor. When I got word and saw on Facebook her announcement of her lung cancer diagnosis, I was sad. I knew it was a matter of time that she would not be with us. I knew she had struggles with her medical bills, going to treatments, and it was frustrating her. As someone who has personally lost someone and have known people diagnosed with Stage-4 lung cancer, it hit even harder.

It didn’t matter if there were

2, 5, 10 people or

in the room.

She always did a show if she felt good and loved her audience.

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I know she’d share her personal vaping story and any other anecdotes from her life to add to the colorful background she led. Upon writing this tribute to Fiamma, I thought about some of the things that her and I would’ve talked about if that interview had happened. She probably would’ve been outraged at the division of our vaping community, current anti-vaping policies, and some vaping personalities that I know did not make her very happy. She would’ve loved to have gotten #IMPROOF in print and talked about why it’s important to her. I know she’d share her personal vaping story and any other anecdotes from her life to add to the colorful background she led. It would’ve been one hell of an incredible article. I know that while I didn’t meet her in person, she was one of those few people who inspired me to get into vaping activism. It was why I loved going to her shows to hear about it, no matter how much she complained. In her memory and because of her impact, I want to keep fighting for vaping rights and the freedom to have the choice to vape. Miss Fiamma, I know that you are going crazy with all these vaping regulations. I know you’re angry that activist groups right now are divided and not united. I kinda wish you were still alive right now to kick a few people’s butt’s. You’re going to missed! We know you’ll be guiding us and watching us. We also hope you can show us signs on how to win our vaping rights to our side, because I know if it doesn’t happen, you will make no bones about it and show us how upset you are. For more information in #IMPROOF: http://www.improofmovement.com For more information on CASAA: http://casaa.org How has someone like Fiamma inspired you to become active and passionate about vaping? Get in touch with me at angelwritercreations@gmail.com. Also don’t forget to visit me on my show Vaping Transitions with Angelwriter on Friday nights at 10pm ET on VapeTVLive at VapeTV.com.

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Vape Shop Events:

Event Coverage

New n e r g y

By Norm Bour

The latest iteration of Vape Shop Events recently took place in La Jolla, California on Jan. 15 and 16. This B2B event has been compared to speed dating for businesses since it affords sellers/ manufacturers the ability to spend 20 minutes behind closed doors with potential buyers.

Those buyers can be distributors, wholesalers or retail shops and historically these type events are successful.

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And this was so much different than the last! Timing is everything and the last VSE event in La Jolla was July, 2016, and the atmosphere was dismal. From the first day, you could feel the pallor and the fear in the air. The Deeming Regs were coming! The sky was falling and granny was on her deathbed and the dog just got shot. Yea, that’s how bad it was.

This is also a great venue to release new products as was done by Envii, who launched a new portable and discreet mod called the Fitt. Though still in pre-launch, co-owner Brandon Nelson was ready to take orders and prepare for the new year. The closed tank system, which retails for about $55, is one example of new, portable, decorative closed tank mods.

But what a difference six months made! His event was upbeat and positive and one of the vendors said, “I came here for meetings with accounts I set up in advance. I got them all and those four orders will make my year!” With sellers and buyers from every corner of the coun-

try, plus five from overseas, this was the first truly worldwide VSE and indicates the future of a more international market, rather than just a domestic one.

The World is Flat That expression usually meant that borders mean less today than in decades’ past, but another border that is dropping is the one between vape shops, smoke shops and, coming on strong, cannabis dispensaries.

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With sellers and buyers from every corner of the country, plus five from overseas, this was the first truly worldwide VSE and indicates the future of a more international market, rather than just a domestic one. Jim Root is the founder of Outlaw Distro, which was founded 18 months ago. He works with vape shops and smoke shops and finds that vape shops are now open to “other products.” Root was asked about the difference in the mindset between smoke shops and vape shops and he responded with, “Vape shops are more focused on margins and profits, whereas smoke shops are looking at presentations and customer experience.” “I think that vape shops that deal only in vaping products will not be around very long. They are hesitant or outright refusing to carry anything other than what they have in the past.” I have seen that smoke shops are “open” to vaping products, but vape shops won’t reciprocate. And coming out from the rear of the pack is the “alVAPEMZ.COM

ternative” market, led by CBD, which many shops now carry. Qais Albraheen with Kuwait Vaping came a long way and is new to the industry and new to Vape Shop Events. Vaping is now legal in Kuwait and Bahrain. These are small countries compared to many in the Middle East but may lead the charge of greater market penetration. I asked Albraheen if the resistance to vaping in the Middle East was religious or moral in nature and he shook his head. “It’s neither. It’s because Big Tobacco influenced the government restrictions and that created an underground market. Now that they are more involved- and making money- we have the beginnings of free trade.”

The vape market is strong in Canada, but the government still imposes nicotine bans which makes it hard for American companies to crack into that market. Many ship ingredients and bottles into Canada and let them add their own nicotine along with the rest of the formulations. The predictions of “most” of the industry closing shop in the next 24 months will probably come true. Meanwhile, the next Vape Shop Event will be on the East coast for the first time- in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on April 23-25 at the Westgate Lakes Resort and Spa. Contact http://www.vapeshopevents.com/ for information and qualifications to attend.

But there is a Dark Side as well.

Norm Bour is the founder of VapeMentors and creator of the VAPE U online programs. They offer services & resources for anyone in the vape space, including vape shops, online stores and e-liquid brands. He’s also the host of Vape Radio, the largest vaping radio show in the world with more than 1.3 M downloads.

“Sometimes I wish the market was as before,” Albraheen, confided. “There is excessive price cutting in our country and customers are happy, but the industry is hurting.” Along with Kuwait, companies attended from Canada, Korea, France and one of the leaders overseas, Russia. Issues…

As a founding partner in the Vape Industry Business Exchange (VIBE), Norm is committed to supporting the vape space into this Brave New World.

When probed to share some of the issues in the business, the number one challenge of online shops is fraudulent charges and under age sales. There are solutions at hand which I will share in future articles.

Contact him at norm@VapeMentors.com. #VAPEMAGAZINE

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Vaping

For Your

Health

The Discord Between

Health Surveys and

Public Trends By Todd Richard

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Generally, I've always been skeptical about a survey conducted by a company or organization with the word 'tobacco' in it's title.

With vapers ranging in ages from late teens to the golden years, most of us have heard that vaping is a better choice for bodily health. Though the right to advertise this viewpoint disappeared from local vape shops, vaping has consistently been found to be indeed healthier than smoking in recent studies and surveys. The perspective on these surveys has traditionally been from that of a non-smoker, however we have seen an upturn in studies taken from the smoker's point of view in the recent years. This adds additional legitimacy to the claims of those attempting to be more health conscious. Vapers who have been following these surveys should be relatively excited, because every last individual who vapes is told (at one point or another) that vaping is unhealthy or even worse than smoking. There's quite a bit of conjecture left out for the general public and it's tough to find solid and grounded information in regards to the health effects of vaping. A recent survey conducted by British American Tobacco (BAT), found that e-cigarettes are roughly 95-percent less damaging than cigarette smoke. Generally, I've always been skeptical about a survey conducted by a company or organization with the word 'tobacco' in it's title. Skepticism aside however, I found the results to be cemented in an unbiased, scientific fashion. The study was conducted using mass spectrometric scans on the vapor produced from an ecig and listed constructive feedback on the by products and chemicals that is ingested by the body while vaping. This is a good start to a standardized test for e-cigarettes, but is still incomplete. Based on my personal experience, the three main areas that I have listed below are the points that require additional consideration.

Quality of Product

The e-cigarette used in BAT's survey was the Vype ePen. a “closed modular e-cigarette”, manufactured by Nicoventures. I have little knowledge about trends across the pond, I can't say how beneficial this survey will be for good ol' Britain, but I can be certain that this product doesn't accurately represent vaping in regards to the U.S. consumer. This product is true to the name of “e-cigarette”, however, millions of U.S vapers use a sub-ohm vaporizer with a top notch sub-ohm tank or RDA. What troubles me is that we never see studies oriented towards those who chuff clouds. When these scientific studies hit mass media it becomes unspoken that most claims have been based from something like the Vype, which doesn't leave much to relate to. The delivery to the body is going to be much different in regards to quantity of vapor, different gas emissions from temperature variation, and regularity of use. Basically, it neglects the fact that many people who are vaping aren't using these types of products anymore is concerning. It's simply not the most common form of vaping any longer. What's even more disheartening is the general disregard to the subject, but sub-ohm and e-cigs are still being thrown into the same category. It's like comparing classic American

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muscle cars to a Vespa, the two might drive on the same street but the capacities are entirely different beasts.

Regularity of Use

The survey by BAT used data given from CORESTA (Cooperation Centre for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco) and compared it to their own results to find the average daily consumption of 'cigalike' e-cigarettes, test EC and refillable tank systems. They came up with an average of 7.2 puffing sessions per day, 10 puffs per session, 3 seconds per puff, and 30 seconds between each puff. These averages were derived from two different tobacco-based companies. The BAT survey was based on an astounding â&#x20AC;&#x153;1,000 subjects using 'cigalike' e-cigarettes, test EC and refillable tank systems.â&#x20AC;? I'm surprised that the survey could find 1,000 people that are satisfied with cigalike-type products. If any of these 1,000 were still in that 'in-between e-cig and subohm' phase then this survey would be greatly skewed. If you used a pen before you used a box then you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Quality E-liquid

The big question everyone should ask is what e-liquid is being used in these studies? It's ironic that surveys will list how much better or worse vaping is or isn't when they won't specify the exact ingredients used. It's regularly considered that the vaporizer is ingested in some fashion or another, but there's little speculation as to the quality of e-liquid used. Most of us are quite picky when it comes to our e-liquid selection for a day-to-day vapes. Personally, if it has more than 6 ingredients I won't vape it. Studies usually don't specify whether or not something is vaporized from a cartridge, if it's mostly vegetable glycerin, what type of VG it is, what levels of nicotine used, etc. We need to know for many reasons, but typically because if we hear something bad about vaping we'd like to know what to avoid being health conscious consumers. Most people that vape have a decent knowledge base as to what they put in their tanks, and if a study finds that we need to avoid something we'd like to know exactly what that 'something' is. Criticism aside, it's encouraging to see further confirmation that vaporizers are healthier than smoking. The BAT are considering cigalike vapes to have a risk factor of 0.05, which relates to us as it will be crucial for the future of the industry. However, long term assessment is still a while off. BAT stated that in order to take long term surveys on the health effects of vaping they will require a minimum of 25 years for proper assessments. Though this survey might not yet give the light we need on the subject, it will suffice for now. Lets hope to see newer surveys oriented towards cloud chasers for clarity and soundness of mind, but for now we should rejoice that science is supporting our growth to gain ground on the healthy alternative to tobacco front.

Most of us are quite picky when it comes to our e-liquid selection for a day-today vapes. Personally, if it has more than 6 ingredients I won't vape it.

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