VAPE Magazine June 2017 by Matt Schramel

JUNE 2017 / vapemz

/ vapemagazine

/ vapemz

#VAPEMagazine

AWA R D W I N N I N G F L AV O R S

E S TA B L I S H E D 2 0 1 4 M A D E I N M I C H I GA N

Archangel

Strawberry and Cream

RY2k

RY4 Tobacco, Toasted Almond, Toasted Marshmallow and Caramel

The Goat Va n i l l a C u s t a r d

War Boy

Creamy Hot Chocolate with Marshamllows

Blue Xtacy Creamy Blue Raspberry

Jiffy Creamy Peanut Butter Custard

Eden

Papaya and Mango with undertones of Pineapple and Strawberry

Archangel 2.0 A spin on the original Archangel blend with a twist banana cream

Duke

A flavorful fruit blend of pear, peach, strawberry, nectarine and honey dew.

Ascension

Creamy Pistachio Ice Cream

BIG

FLAVORS SMALL BATCHES 858.333.1249

858.333.1249 | WWW.CALIVAPECO.COM | SALES@CALIVAPECO.COM | #CALIVAPECO

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

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 Avazando Graphic Designer Anil Verma

Letter from the Editor

Director of Photography Ezra Zuniga Webmaster Axel Gillespie

Dear readers, I just want to start out by saying what a fun issue this was to put together. There were plenty of basic news pieces we could’ve covered. Cole Bishop didn’t make it through in the spending bill — but you already know that. The FDA extended filing deadlines for vapor manufacturers by another three months — most likely you already know that, too. So, why waste your time rehashing? You probably weren’t aware that the state of Iowa just passed a bill that could prevent local governments from passing bills raising the smoking/vaping age beyond what state law allows. You might not know that the City of San Francisco is in the midst of a flavor ban that would not only be devastating to the local vapor industry, but even kill menthol cigarettes. You might not have known that Matt Bradley, a deckhand on the Northwestern crab fishing boat on Deadliest Catch, spends his spare time working in the vapor industry. He’s a great guy with an interesting story. Our industry is lucky to have guys like him. As always, this issue features review of a pair of nice mech mods — one a TVL tube and the other an Octo Verso squonk box. You will also find a fairly comprehensive calendar of the summer’s hottest shows, complete with which shows you can visit to come meet myself and the VAPE Magazine crew! Hopefully we’ll see you on the circuit this year for a warm vape and a cold drink. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoying making it happen. Vape on,

Contributors Shilo Platts, Norm Bour, Lavender Lee, John Castle, Allan Kwasnik, Corey Noles, Tony Ottomanelli, Matt Schramel, Chris Mellides ADMINISTRATIVE Chief Executive Officer Matt Schramel Co-Owner/Vice President Jon Laverde 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 News news@vapemz.com New Products newproducts@vapemz.com

Corey Noles Editor in Chief

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

#VAPEMAGAZINE

E STRAWGURT E PIXELS E SCOOPS

E OVERBOARD E TANGER TAFFY E RASPBERRY CRUSH E EARL E SOUTHERN SUNSHINE E STRAWBERRY KIWI TEA E PURPLE FURY E MELLOW MARTIAN

(803) 851-4198

info@eastcoastliquids.com

Proudof Supporter

www.eastcoastliquids.com /eastcoastliquids

@eastcoastliquids

Â®

A portion of each sale donated to The Vape A Vet Project.

JUNE 2017

Contents columns

Does Celebrity Vaping Help Normalize Our Industry

FEATURES

38 43 48 62 82 86

Crab Chaser, Cloud Chaser: Matt Bradley gets to the meat of crab fishing, vaping and family San Francisco Flavor Ban: The line must be drawn Summer of Shows Purged Out of the Ashes: The Rise of Matt Kleizo Tried and True of the Red, White and Blue: Vaping in the Military The KILO Story Will New Iowa Bill Prohibit Small Towns and/ or Counties from Passing Anti-Vape Regulations? Educating Non-Vapers: Easier Said than Done?

EVENTS

103 108

VAPE Magazine launches Asian edition at IECIE 2017 in Shenzhen Vape Shop Events Vape Jam UK 3: An American Vaper in London

MODS & TECH

94 98

Octopus Mods: Octo Verso Box TVL Magnum Mod and Competition RDA

DEPARTMENTS

80 #VAPEMAGAZINE

12 21 26 67 71 77

Letter from The Editor Scenic Vapers Ask Grimm Green Vape Talks Shop, Vape N Chase Just in Juices Vape Visionary: David Yoshikawa

PRIMARY PACKAGING SOLUTIONS PRIMARY PACKAGING SOLUTIONS MonoBlocks Fill • Plug • Cap • Label MonoBlocks Fill • Plug • Cap • Label

Unscramblers Any Plastic Bottle Unscramblers Any Plastic Bottle

Fillers Liquid • Semi-Viscous Fillers

Viscous Liquid • Semi-Viscous Viscous

Counters Counters Tablet • Capsule • SoftGel Tablet • Capsule • SoftGel

Pluggers & Cappers Pluggers & Cappers Stoppers • Pluggers Pump•Caps • Screw Caps Stoppers Pluggers Press Caps On Pump Caps • Screw Press On

Labellers & Sleevers Labellers Sleevers Front & • Back • Top • Bottom Front • Back ••Wraparound Top • Bottom •Wraparound NeckBand & Body Sleeve NeckBand & Body Sleeve

www.capmatic.com www.capmatic.com www.eliquidfillers.com www.eliquidfillers.com

E-LIQUID CRAFTED IN TENNESSEE

www.moonshineeliquid.com sales@moonshineeliquid.com

#MOONSHINELIQUID

Contributor Corner: Logan Wells @Mr_Subohm

DEPARTMENTS

By Chris Mellides

rive and determination are what fuel Scenic Vapers’ contributor Logan Wells, who says that throughout much of his life one of his hands has always been occupied with a camera. Wells began shooting three years ago, and while he has not had any formal training in photography, the young photog earns experience with every shoot, which allows him to build upon his skillset and share his vision with the world. “It’s always been a way for me to express how I see the world and tell the world how I feel without using words,” Wells said. “If you know me and the way I shoot, you can follow that though my edits and images.” It wasn’t until receiving high praise for his work on social media that Wells decided to pursue photography seriously. Asked what he looks for in a perfect shot, Wells says that there are two ways to answer the question, and no real wrong way to accomplish that goal. “A perfect shot can be looked at two ways, the textbook way, perfect lighting, perfect composition, perfect focus, all these things can lead up to a perfect shot,” Wells says. “But for me a perfect shot is art, it can’t be put in a box.”

PHOTOGRAPHER - Brett Hill (@organicjunky) FRAME - Steven Anthony (@heaven_and_highwater) LOCATION - Phoenix, Arizona

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

He added, “If a photographer can capture what it was like to be there at that exact moment and translate emotion to an image so years later someone who sees that shot can still feel what it was like to be there, then that’s a perfect shot.” While older photographers might otherwise shy away from social media or downplay its far-reaching impact, Wells finds social media to be crucial in learning the trade and allowing his work to reach more people than ever before. “It’s nice to work in the age of social media as a photographer,” Wells said. “I have a lot of friends in the industry that I’ve learned from and picked up tips from along the way, just building an index of knowledge as time goes on, there’s always something new to learn. Photography is constantly evolving.” The West Virginia resident began vaping two years ago, by then he had already been shooting photos for a year. The vape industry has played a part in governing what Wells shoots and one of those outlets has been product shots. “Being able to control every aspect of a subject is really nice, especially if you have a style that is reassuring” Wells says. “You start to able to see a finished image in the viewfinder before the image even makes to post, you’re able to learn what does what before it happens.” Wells met Scenic Vapers cofounder Tyler Price through a mutual friend around four years ago and was instantly taken by Price’s work, saying that the way Price can combine nature with photography will really open a person’s mind to the possibilities.

PHOTOGRAPHER - Brett Hill (@organicjunky)

“Watching him turn what not very many people would

IN FRAME - Steven Anthony (@heaven_and_highwater) LOCATION - Point Reyes, California

#VAPEMAGAZINE

consider ‘interesting’ into an incredible shot pushes me as a photographer to want to explore new places.” Wells appreciates being a part of Scenic Vapers and contributing to the project because it “pushes this community of both photographers and vapers to get outside.” Lately, Wells has been focusing his efforts on portrait shots and street photography and while he has access to plenty of nature destinations in his state of West Virginia, Wells finds himself venturing an hour north into Pittsburgh where he has been able to develop his skills shooting in urban environments.

PHOTOGRAPHER - Matt Macaranas (@vapingscissorhands) IN FRAME - (Same as above) LOCATION - Redwing Park’s Asian Garden, Virginia

PHOTOGRAPHER - MeKayla K. (@mekaylavapes)

PHOTOGRAPHER - Tyler Price (@dripping_balls)

IN FRAME - (Same as above)

IN FRAME - Logan Wells (@mr_subohm)

LOCATION - Jefferson City, MO

LOCATION - Fairmont, West Virginia

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

“Pittsburgh is where I’ve developed a lot of my skills, it’s where I learned how to shoot, so Pittsburgh has a special place in my heart,” Wells said. “I think shooting in Pittsburgh is also where I learned to love street photography.” In the future, Wells wants to continue traveling to diversify his work and to experience new places and people. “It’s hard to tell where a camera lens will take you,” Wells said. “I don’t have any pinpoint goals with my photography career, but I do know though that I would like to try to make this a full-time job, something I can make a living off of. I know that would make me very happy.” Ultimately, what inspires Wells in his pursuit of photography as a calling is the joy and the happiness he sees people experience through his work. “I’m pushed by just the fact that I’m creating,” Wells says. “I love to create, I love to express myself in different forms of art, and photography has become one of my go to forms of expression.”

PHOTOGRAPHER - Jayson Magbanua (@mrpinoykid) IN FRAME - Isabella Livingston (@isabella_p_king) LOCATION - Lake Cushman, Washington

PHOTOGRAPHER - Brett Hill (@organicjunky)

PHOTOGRAPHER - Jayson Magbanua (@mrpinoykid)

IN FRAME - Steven Anthony (@heaven_and_highwater)

IN FRAME - Bijou Delgadillo (@gimpybitch)

LOCATION - White Sands, New Mexico

LOCATION - Bremerton, Washington

#VAPEMAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPHER - Brett Hill (@organicjunky) IN FRAME - Steven Anthony (@heaven_and_highwater) LOCATION - Yosemite National Park, California

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.

VAPEMZ.COM #VAPEMAGAZINE

DEPARTMENTS

Ask

By Nick Green

How are you feeling about the return of the squonk? - Ray Jeffries, New Orleans, LA I dig it! I love that squonkers are coming back in a big way. Back in 2010 was when squonking started taking shape. I rocked my MonkeeBox and Rio Grand on a daily basis. I’ve been holding off on jumping back into modern squonking with both feet because I feel like the technology has a little ways to go yet. Having RDAs with hollow squonk pins is a nice start. But a lot of them often times don’t perform as intended. I’m waiting for someone to release a squonk-only RDA. Something designed from the ground up to work flawless with a squonk device and disperse the juice a bit more evenly rather than flooding the juice well of an RDA (initially intended for dripping.) I’m excited to see some creativity in atomizer manufacturing that will further make the “squonk” a better and better vape.

I know you’ve traveled to a lot of shows over the years, does any one local vape community stand out above the others? And does a specific show stand out?

Just out of curiosity, what is your battery of choice? I know there is a lot of misinformation about batteries around, so I was just curious what you prefer to use.

- Alec Hernandez, Providence, RI

- Cynthia Colliff, Portland, OR

Hey Alec! Everywhere I have ever gone has always had a very strong / passionate local vape community. I love spending time in the South. Places like GA and NC always have fun events filled with great people. I love visiting the Chicago area as well. I always meet great people and have a great time in that area. Some stand out shows were last year’s ECC event in California. The outdoor vape event needs to be a regular thing. International shows are always fun, too. Places like Paris and the UK are filled with passionate vapers. It’s really easy to find lots of dedicated vapers no matter where I go.

Hey Cynthia! Generally my go-to batteries are the Samsung 25r. They are an honest 20a battery, they are also very tried and true in the community. Good all around batteries to have in your arsenal. I always steer clear of re-wraps with exaggerated amp limit or MAH claims printed on the wraps. I’m a loyal follower of BatteryMooch. I think he has single handedly done more for battery safety in the vapor industry than any person before him. He is always updating his recommended batteries. Mooch really puts these batteries through the paces. So generally speaking whatever Mooch says goes, in my opinion.

#VAPEMAGAZINE

FEATURES

#VAPEMAGAZINE

Matt Bradley gets to the meat of crab fishing, vaping and family

By COREY NOLES 2

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

e’ve all heard what a cutthroat business the vape industry can be. We talk about struggle and hear all the stories about everyone who “came from nothing” or “clawed their way to the top.”

As annoying as it may get for some of us, Matt Bradley has a different idea of “hard” work. That’s because Bradley is a veteran deckhand on the Northwestern crab fishing boat of Deadliest Catch fame. The job consistently ranks among the world’s deadliest. And if you watch Deadliest Catch, you know why.

Photos by Jeff Pond Photography and Matt Bradley

In his spare time from the world’s deadliest job, he battles one of the world’s deadliest vices — cigarettes.

#VAPEMAGAZINE

“On the boat I would smoke at least four packs a day,” Bradley said. “At home it was more like three.” Before leaving for three months on the Bering Sea, Bradley said he and his crewmates bought cigarettes by the case. By mid-trip, he would need another case. “I could feel my health seriously deteriorating from smoking,” he said. “That’s when my wife, Angela, ordered me an Ego-C Twist from Totally Wicked. I sent an email asking them if they’d even done any sponsorships and told them I wasn’t sure I was doing it right.” Shortly after, Bradley began doing promotional work for the company — and began learning more about the industry. “I had cut back on my smoking — down to almost a pack a day — but I was still skeptical it was going to do it for me,” he said. “They sent me starter kits and juice for everyone on the boat, but it didn’t go over real well. They were all convinced it was going to kill them.” It wasn’t long before James Jarvis and Jason Gang

contacted him to come out to Ohio for a store opening. “I was like ‘You have a whole store for this stuff?” he said. “When I got there I remember being blown away by how gung ho everyone was for this stuff. As soon as I got home I knew we needed to something like that in Seattle.” Bradley approached Scott and Dawnel Lowther, who agreed and decided to invest in the venture. He quickly purchased around $20,000 worth of eGos, iGos, e-liquid, coil packs, pre-loaded cigalike cartridges and everything else he could find. For a few months, he sold the goods out of his truck, quickly making back their initial investment. That’s when he found out people were driving almost 100 miles to the nearest vape store. “I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “That’s when I knew it was time for a retail location.” So Bradley and his partners opened Sky Vapor — the first strictly vapor store in Snohomish County. The store is quickly approaching its fifth year of business and grew into

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

a 2nd location. In the years since, the stores expanded into a distribution company — Sky Distribution Inc. The company is servicing several hundred stores around the country.

“When you have a tragedy at sea, it’s almost always all hands lost,” he said. “It’s happened before and there been a random survivor, but that’s a rarity.” Now at 45, Bradley knows he won’t be a crab fisherman forever, adding that the oldest fisherman he’s ever worked with was 54. “I love what I do, but I don’t want to be working the deck as an old man, that’s for sure,” he said. Despite the danger on the seas, it remains a lifelong love affair. And he’s had his share of close calls. Early in his career while on a trawling boat fishing for cod, the vessel he was on began to take on water. The water was coming faster than they could pump it out and at one point the boat was half underwater. “Another big wave came and suddenly we were waist deep in water on the deck,” Bradley recalled. “The captain started running the boat in circles (an evasive maneuver use to clear the deck of water) trying to keep us out of it as we worked get it draining. “Thankfully there were boats within five miles so we probably would have been rescued, but it was a wakeup call. We addressed the problem and went right back to fishing.” That incident, however, cemented within him a deep respect for the destructive power of the Bering Sea. A recent loss of five very close friends on the F/V Destination only further instills that respect.

In his downtime from the boat, if you can even call it downtime, he bounces between his businesses and doing promotional/advocacy work for the industry. Most of all, though, he spends as much time with his family as possible. “Being gone for three to four months at a time then home for a month is tough,” he said. “I miss my wife and kids a lot, and I know it’s been hard on them over the years too. You miss a lot of life stuff.” With that said, he knows the sacrifices he’s made have helped to give his family the life he wanted for them. But after 24 years, a broken down body from extreme conditions and extremely intensive hard work he still has a love for the sea, it is in his blood. And he’s still slingin’ crab. And trying to get his captain Sig Hansen to quit smoking. For more information on Sky Vapor or Northwest’s Finest, visit http://www.sky-vapor.com. - Corey Noles is Editor in Chief of VAPE Magazine. He is owner of Busted Knuckle Vapor Fluids/Inked Up E-Liquid Co.

#VAPEMAGAZINE

COLUMNS

Celebrity Vaping Does

help normalize our industry?

#VAPEMAGAZINE

By Shilo Platts

n the glory days of cigarette smoking, premium brands were often marketed by celebrities. American icons from John Wayne to Mickey Mantle were featured in advertisements touting their personal favorites as the best on the market. Decades later, government regulation—as it so frequently does— imposed a ban on television ads. Chain-smoking celebrities in both print and television ads went the way of the spotted owl. The Big Tobacco companies made no mistake by arbitrarily selecting which household names would puff on their cigarettes for millions to view. Take the two names I previously mentioned as examples of strategic marketing. John Wayne represents the rugged, masculine American male while the youth, athleticism, and vitality of Mickey Mantle appealed to a generation of new, young smokers. If Mickey Mantle plays baseball and smokes Vice Roys, then the habit is mainstreamed among the all-American family.

Enter the relatively new phenomenon of celebrity vaping. That Hollywood actors and politicians alike have been seen sporting their favorite cig alike or mod on public television, speaks volumes about

where the industry as a whole is headed. Leonardo DiCaprio is perhaps the most widely acknowledged celebrity vaping advocate. He has been sighted puffing on his vape right in the hallowed halls of the Academy Awards. In fact, his transition from smoking to vaping is so prevalent in the consciousness of the vapor industry—and among those who vape—that online

VAPEMZ.COM

memes featuring him are blasted all over social media.

If more politicians who currently smoke publicly make the transition to vapor products, we would gain favorable traction in the public policy arena without question. Politicians are not only responsive to their constituents, but also their own personal life experiences.

DiCaprio isn’t the only famous vaper. The list extends to Simon Cowell, Jack Nicholson, Kate Moss, and rockstar Tom Petty. Apparently “tiger’s blood” isn’t the only resource sustaining Charlie Sheen either because you can add him to the list of vaping fame as well. The aforementioned list could be increased ad infinitum with myriad other members of the rich and famous. In many of the same ways celebrity cigarette smoking made the habit more appealing to the American mainstream, so too does the newer reality of tobacco harm reduction alternatives like vaping.

At the most basic level, if more famous people are exploring smoke-free alternatives, then it logically follows that the public at large is doing the same thing. After all, celebrities — as much as many of us idolize or

Congressman Hunter made himself a hero of the smoke-free alternatives community when he infamously whipped out his vape pen and took a drag off of it right in the middle of a committee hearing. Since that time, the young politician has aligned himself with legislation to mitigate the damage done by the FDA deeming regulations.

It is no secret that former President Barack Obama tried many times to kick the habit of smoking by incessantly chomping on nicotine chewing gum. Ironically, his administration took such a closed-minded, nanny state approach to the vapor industry when the president himself made countless vain attempts to rid himself of cigarettes. We--as vapers--could not ask for a better representative of tobacco harm reduction than the President of The United States, which is why an incredible opportunity was squandered during the Obama years. President Trump claims to have never smoked a cigarette in his entire life. So, for at least another four years, we won’t bear witness to a vaping president. We are, however, presented with a unique perspective on Capitol Hill from Congressman Duncan Hunter, a Republican from California. Congressman Hunter made himself a hero of the smoke-free alternatives community when he infamously whipped out his vape pen and took a drag off of it right in the middle of a committee hearing. Since that time, the young politician has aligned himself with legislation to mitigate the damage done by the FDA deeming regulations.

lionize them — are just people trying to find a healthier alternative to combustible tobacco. They are a cross section from the same America of which you and I are a part. I believe there will undoubtedly be a day in the not too distant future when movie scenes will feature actors and actresses vaping, rather than smoking, to the same degree we see them puffing on cigarettes now. We, as vapers, are part of the future, not the past. Our philosophy of tobacco harm reduction unites us in our effort to preserve it as a viable and sustainable alternative, regardless of whether we are John Q. Citizen, or the Hollywood elite.

#VAPEMAGAZINE

9 Unique Flavours

80 VG 20 PG

3 NICOTINE STRENGTHS

MADE IN THE USA ESTABLISHED IN 2011

Love your flavour.

an intricate mixture of pomegranate, fresh berries, and citrus fruit.

POM BERRY MIST:

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OUR OTHER PRODUCT LINES VISIT SIMPLYVAPOUR.COM.

SMARTY PANTS POM BERRY MIST MAD MELON ORANGE DREAM SIGNATURE TOBACCO APPLE PIE Á LA MODE SIGNATURE MENTHOL NILLA MINT BLUE RASPBERRY

SimplyVapour.com VAPEMZ.COM

WARNI NG: THESE PRODUCTS CONTAI N NI C O T I N E

FEATURES

San Francisco

Flavor Ban

#VAPEMAGAZINE

The Line Must Be Drawn By John Castle

On Monday, April 17, 2017, legislation was proposed in the city and county of San Francisco by Supervisor Malia Cohen. The subject: a ban on flavored tobacco products - including menthol cigarettes.

VAPEMZ.COM

The problem here is one vapers are already familiar with: conflating vapor products with tobacco products — essentially lumping a harm reduction strategy in with the very harm to which it was created as a less hazardous alternative. In fact, it was the city of San Francisco that was among the first to engage in this practice, which is why this latest move is problematic — and not just for residents of the city and county of San Francisco, but for all of us. When San Francisco deemed vapor products to be tobacco products back in 2014, the State of California soon followed suit, and the FDA was not far behind. That’s bad news for all American vapers, because if that trend holds in this case, it could mean copycat flavor bans not only across California but across the U.S. To Daniel Masarsky of Frisco Vapor, who learned of the proposal via the local press the day after it was announced, it came as unwelcome news, but not a surprise.

“We’ve been seeing (vaping) businesses shutting down here since 2014,” he said. “Ever since San Francisco decided that vapor is the same as tobacco and started to treat our products like tobacco products, shops have been closing their doors. The regulatory environment just became incredibly hostile, time consuming, and expensive to navigate and stay open.” Research confirmed that quite a few of the retail vapor shops that could be located were reportedly closed. Other shops which weren’t listed as closed were unreachable by telephone or email for comment on this story. Sadly, that reduction in the number of vape retailers is, itself, a component of the story. With the already onerous regulatory environment in the city by the bay, businesses have already been folding for years. This proposal by Supervisor Cohen could be all but the final nail in the coffin of the bay area vapor industry, with one notable exception. While Masarsky tells me that his last retail location in San Francisco will close, he points to one avenue of survival for his business: Frisco Vapor is a nationally distributed e-liquid brand in its own right. That part of his business may survive, but his real concern is for San Franciscans and, more broadly, Californians should the state once again follow San Francisco’s lead on regulation. Elaborating on that, Masarsky mentioned the dark side of the same dynamic that brought vaping from being a little-known alternative to smoking to being one of the most popular and widespread methods of tobacco harm reduction: a phenomenon that first appears in large metropolitan areas soon spreads from there and out into the rest of the country.

San Francisco

Flavor Ban The best course of action available was suggested by Masarsky and seconded by Chu: San Franciscans should contact their representatives in municipal and county government and voice their opposition by every available means at the local level.

But Daniel Masarsky pointed out something even worse; Mac Chu may not lose 95% of his customers if Daly City follows the lead of San Francisco and Oakland — he may lose all of his retail customers. Why? Because while Supervisor Cohen and others have decided that eliquid is a tobacco product, it is of course not a tobacco product. Because of that, even tobacco flavored eliquid is flavored eliquid. Even tobacco eliquid would be prohibited for creation, distribution, or sale under the flavor ban.

In short: what is being proposed merely as a ban on flavored tobacco products is, in fact, a de facto ban on vapor in the city and county of San Francisco, period. The best course of action available was suggested by Masarsky and seconded by Chu: San Franciscans should contact their representatives in municipal and county government and voice their opposition by every available means at the local level.

This is not an empty cause for concern, either. Across the bay, Oakland faces a similar proposal spearheaded by City Councilwoman Annie Campbell Washington.

There is nothing more important than opposing overreach like this — for any of us. Because this won’t stay in San Francisco. Because every inch of ground we lose anywhere, every right we lose anywhere, matters everywhere.

I spoke with Mac Chu, the owner

of Sensual Cloud Vapor in Daly City, which is just across the line in San Mateo County, only five short blocks away from being in San Francisco itself, and asked for his take on the possibility that San Mateo County or Daly City specifically may follow San Francisco’s lead in adopting a businesskilling flavor ban, he said, that he expected that less than 5 percent of his customers would continue to vape if tobacco was the only available flavor: “The fact (is) that people that have quit smoking got their senses of taste and smell back, so the flavors enhance their vaping experience and differentiate that experience from the experience of smoking.”

#VAPEMAGAZINE

FEATURES

Summer of

Shows By John Castle

Summer is here, and the vape meet, convention, and trade show season is about to roll across the vaping world. While the vape show circuit has seen tremendous changes over the years, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeing a rapid resurgence in the quality and energy on the trade show floor.

So whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a business owner, a consumer, or both, let us take you on a quick tour of some of the biggest and best events you can experience in summer 2017.

VAPEMZ.COM

Midwest Vapor Expo The Midwest Vapor Expo comes to the Ohio State Fairgrounds, Lausch Building, at 717 E 17th Ave in Columbus, OH from June 3rd from 10AM-8PM, June 4th from Noon-8PM. Special Guest Grimm Green will be in attendance, and exhibitors will include brands such as Squeezed, Mod Fuel, Stateside Vapor, Mayhem, and more!

VTC Mexico City On Saturday, June 10, starting at 10 a.m., Mexico City will host the most important vaping convention in Latin America. They promise a platform for the best brands, where distributors and consumers in the industry will be able to gather, socialize, and make new their products and innovations known.

MEDIA SPONSOR

Attendees can expect to find the liquids, equipment and accessories they are looking for, including national (produced-in-Mexico) and international brands. There will be contests promising a total of $50,000 pesos in prizes and gifts.

VCC Tampa Coming to Tampaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Florida State Fairgrounds at 4800 U.S. Highway 301 North Tampa, FL from June 24-25, exhibitors will include Amoretti, Aspire, Bank Card USA Merchant Services, Drex Drips, Madtown Vaper, and more! VCC Tampa will cater to Business to Business, Consumer, and Industry Advocacy themes, so come one, come all!

MEDIA SPONSOR

#VAPEMAGAZINE

NVE Dublin On Saturday and Sunday, July 1-2, the Convention Center Dublin in Dublin, Ireland is the place to be for U.K. and visiting vapers from around the world! Presented by National Vape Expo and GiantVapes, exhibitors will include Bomb Sauce E-Liquid, Elysian Labs, Vapor Jerry’s, Fresh Leaf and Savage Distribution! Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available!

Vape South America Expo Medellin, Columbia’s Yellow Pavilion at Plaza Mayor will host the very first Vape South America Expo from August 31st to September 2nd. Attendees can expect to browse, sample, and purchase a vast array of vaping products, many from international brands to be introduced to Central and South America for the very first time at this Expo, while businesses will be networking and promoting their wares.

MEDIA SPONSOR

Vape Expo India On September 9-10, New Delhi, India’s one-of-a-kind Indian Exposition Mart will host Vape Expo India, bringing the industry to life in one of the newest and richest places on Earth. Sponsors and exhibitors include Vampire Vape, Diamond Mist, Vapemate, Avaria, and more!

MEDIA SPONSOR

VAPEMZ.COM

Vape Expo Paris The Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris will host Vape Expo Paris on September 24th and 25th. With a solid reputation for excellent events going back to its first in Bordeaux in March of 2014, Vape Expo Paris is set to once again bring the best of the vaping industry from around the world to attendees, and promises to showcase American brands in its “American Village” attraction. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available!

MEDIA SPONSOR

Summer of

Shows 46

MEDIA SPONSOR

This summer of shows may be the best we’ve seen in a couple years, and we’ll keep you up to date with all the coverage you need to enjoy each and every one to the fullest — whether you go in person, catch all the latest right here in these pages, or both, we’ll help you get all the details you need to make the very most of one long, epic event season!

#VAPEMAGAZINE

FEATURES

#VAPEMAGAZINE

PURGED OUT OF THE ASHES:

The Rise of

Matt Kleizo By Lavender Lee

our years ago, Purge Mods owner Matt Kleizo was a crossfit trainer who went through a very nasty divorce. He was forced to sell his crossfit training business to pay his attorney’s fees. He left with three bags of clothes and moved into a 900-square foot house with his brother. The house was left to him and his brothers by his mother who had passed away from cancer. He was at one of the lowest points in his life. Kleizo took a job at a division of Staples and was promoted very quickly. What no one knew was that he was a closet smoker. “Friends and co-workers would smell the cigarette linger on me and I’d would blame it on the guy outside. I’d even blame Kenzie!”, Kleizo laughs remembering how he’d blame his girlfriend, Kenzie Cox, for his bad habit.

VAPEMZ.COM

“I decided I was going to try one more time to quit smoking. I got my first vape setup and I’ve never touched a cigarette since.” Kleizo says. Matt was pretty impressed with how he was able to quit smoking once he found vaping. “I started looking at the vape industry, saving money, looking at growth.” Kleizo said. “I opened Fast Eddies with $40,000 because I wanted to start a business and opted to not buy a house. I did this to help people quit smoking.” “The mech community has the vaping culture. A lot of companies are making great mods. Fast Eddies Vape Distro has distributed other brands for years,” Kleizo says. “The inspiration for the Purge name actually came from Joey Jux, who is a

“Purge also has a King Titus and Turbo editions coming, as these guys are both on the Purge Team. The Back to Basics Purge mod is a straight tube that are a more affordable Purge option for the comper,” says the Purge Mods owner. “Tornado” Tate Hearn is one of the newest members of the Purge Execution Squad. “I think Purge is unique because of the fact it was built from the ground up. Matt is very kind and is so passionate about what he does. The team is very different than any other team I’ve been on. Everyone on the team posts because we want to. It is honestly a family. If anyone on the team needs anything, we all figure out a way to make it happen.” Hearn says. “Purge mods are made like a piece of artwork, [they] are American made products and stand behind stellar customer service,” adds Kleizo. “I cannot do this without Steve Danaher, my business partner, the Purge team at Fast Eddies,” he says.

great guy and a great friend. Joey would fly down to MC cloud comps anytime I threw a bash. I would listen to him countdown ‘3, 2, 1, Purge!’ and the name was born.” Kleizo says. Adding, “I was poised to come out with something different. It’s a blessing. We did it right.”

“I wanted something sort of hybrid, but Purge is unique. It consists of two pieces, a male and female piece and I’ve patented this. It cannot be copied. Everything is hefty and interchangeable with Purge. The male/female parts, housing, buttons, all of it.” says Kleizo. “Mat Hagermann is the artist. I asked him to draw up the designs. His artwork is on the Suicide Kings, See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, Koi and Serenity editions of Purge mods.” “The Dragon, which is coming, is also fully artist rendered by Hagermann.” adds Kleizo.

#VAPEMAGAZINE

Purge launched in October of 2016 and has over 9,000 Instagram followers since creating an Instagram account in November of 2016. All of the followers are organic. Purge is hitting the vape scene hard and was awarded “Best in Show” at Vape Jam UK and won 3rd Place in the Hardware category at Vape Dynasty Expo in San Antonio. Matt Kleizo, owner of Purge, is like a phoenix rising from the ashes. He started this company with a desire in his heart and a vision in his mind and is successfully running with it.

VAPEMZ.COM

EVENTS

VAPE MAGAZINE LAUNCHES ASIAN EDITION AT IECIE 2017 IN SHENZHEN. VAPE Magazine recently VAPE Magazine ASIA, a separate publication translated into Chinese Mandarin. We are now able to reach over 20,000 business owners operating in the Chinese vape market, which includes a large consumer readership as well. Everything is published through all online and social channels through China.

China is the fastest growing consumer market on the planet. We are very grateful to IECIE for partnering with us for the launch of this magazine at the Shenzhen Ecig Expo in Shenzhen, China, April 14-16, 2017. In addition to putting on one of the best and arguably the largest trade expo ever, IECIE gave VAPE Magazine ASIA exclusive access and schedule interviews for us with executives at the largest Chinese companies at the show! Here are the highlights and photos from the Shenzhen Ecig Expo.

#VAPEMAGAZINE

Innokin VAPEMAGAZINE: As a market leader, what

kind of changes are you seeing in the global market for Innokin?

MARIN LIU FROM INNOKIN: The growth in

the UK market.

VAPEMAGAZINE: I have noticed this

change as well. Just last week I was in London and almost everywhere I looked I could find someone vaping. It wasn’t too long ago I remember being in London and feeling very out of place as a vaper. I was asked on several occasions why I was “smoking a synthetic cigarette”

YIHI SX Mini VAPEMAGAZINE: Tell me why your prod-

ucts are so beautiful.

CARI FROM YIHI SX MINI: Our boss,

Mr.Chen is a software and hardware engineer, as well as a designer. These products are a result of his vision.

VAPEMAGAZINE: These are some of the

INNOKIN: Yes, the change has been very

fast.

VAPEMAGAZINE: What are the most popu-

lar products in the UK right now?

INNOKIN: The Coolfire Mini, Kroma and

the MVP4. We are launching our Coolfire TC150 very soon in both the UK and USA markets.

most innovative products I’ve ever seen. I believe there is a demand for higher end vaping devices for consumers that view vaping not as an alternative for cigarettes but rather a lifestyle option like luxury cigars and pipes.

VAPEMAGAZINE: So, what is the secret of

YIHI: Exactly. The SXmini is specifically focused on this luxury market. The SX branding is similar to luxury car branding. This is our market position, this is our direction.

backed with engineering excellence. We only use grade A materials and we design our own chips. We have over 50 designers and engineers. Then we utilize our strong marketing sales team for promotion to more and more counties.

VAPEMAGAZINE: What markets are you

going to take this direction?

YIHI: Our market covers more than 50

success? Innokin has long been a pioneer of vaping devices. Is it more about the manufacturing technologies or the marketing?

VAPEMAGAZINE: How have you adapted

to recent changes in the global vaping marketplace?

SMOK: Most importantly we keep a close watch on all markets. Now we are paying much more intention to our Chinese market. As you know, there are some policy changes that have restricted the vape industry since last

INNOKIN: For us it’s all about design

VAPEMAGAZINE: You design your own

chips. Is it what makes sure the device safer?

countries. We are seeing high demand in the Middle East and in specific European countries like France and UK.

INNOKIN: Yeah, that’s the main point.

VAPEMAGAZINE: What product are you

VAPEMAGAZINE: Promoting safety in the

most excited about?

SMOK

Safety is our priority.

industry is our priority as well.

year in the United States and Europe, so companies are turning to the consumer market in China. We are also partnering with more vape stores, also the online business, especially Tmall.com. VAPEMAGAZINE: It seems the only

YIHI: The G Class. You can configure

constant in the global vape market is change itself. How do you prepare for the future?

hundreds of combinations of precise settings on the device itself on your phone or computer using a bluetooth connection.

SMOK: While the Chinese market is getting more important to us, we are not losing sight of the rest of the world, the United States and Europe are still the largest segment of the industry and there is huge growth in many other countries. We continue focus on the global market as a whole.

VAPEMAGAZINE: Right, we have smart

cars, smart homes, this is a super smart vaping devices.

YIHI: You can even change the background wallpaper or use your own.

VAPEMZ.COM

ASPIRE

With the largest stand at IECIE, Aspire set a new standard in trade expo presence, with several new product reveals, constant giveaways and visitor activities. Aspire also showcased their first vapor vending machine that produced quite a bit of buzz from the retail community. Aspire also announced they will be launch several lines of new products soon ranging from high wattage, high end devices to casual, entry level vaping products. According to Aspire, both categories are important and essential to their future development, however theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re has been a shift into a product category that merges the two: A high quality, easy-to-use product that is convenient and satisfies the demands of most vapers.

ZTVAPE

ZTVAPE is a premier distributor with a global strategy bringing many of the well-known brands from the US and Europe to the China Market. Some of the these brands include Cafe Racer, Slush, VAP AMP, Loch Ness and Top Hat Mods. A key strategy for the success of ZTVAPE in this market is a focus on market specific pricing, which opens up a massive consumer sales market. ZTVAPE has their own brands as well, such as the BROV, which capitalizes on the growing trend of minimalist, yet high quality devices. On the marketing and promotion side, ZTVAPE is very involved with the vaping lifestyle and culture, sponsoring and participating in both vaping and mainstream events to promote their brands.

VAPEMZ.COM

Teslacigs

It took Teslacigs three years to develop their product technology and supply chain to position themselves as a leader in vape manufacturing. The company attributes its success to reinventing and analyzing even the tiniest details for what a vaping device should be. According to Tesla, one of their most important market goals is to create and present products with a clear message so consumers know exactly what product is best for them. The Nano, Invader and Stealth have been at record demand since their release.

#VAPEMAGAZINE

IJOY

IJOY considers product development and brand operation as their core competitiveness, with their customers as the center. They also predict that the B2C manufacturing model will shift into a C2B manufacturing model, with the growth of mass-customization and user-oriented concepts. IJOY has a novel marketing approach, they are focusing heavily on firms and movies to promote their brand and vaping culture. According to IJOY, the range of exposure will be multi-channel, multi-burst, multi-platform across 18 kinds of media, including local media promotion, to reach more than 100 million viewers, not just for IJOY, but the entire vape industry.

VAPEMZ.COM

SIGELEI

SIGELEI combines R&D, production, sales, service and distribution in one managed organization. Starting from scratch six years ago, SIGELEI has risen as a leader in China, the largest vaping product manufacturing base in the world. SIGELEI has internationally advanced laboratory equipment and testing equipment, backed by their own R&D team. They have also built a worldwide sales channel that includes the USA, Germany, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Russia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and more. SIGELEI has multiple sales channels, such as retail stores, online stores, mall retail, and service centers to support foreign market partners.

#VAPEMAGAZINE

KangerTech

The vape industry, like everything in the world, is in a constant process of development for KangerTech. The industry grew so fast that it has quickly taken a large share from the tobacco market. Unexpected by most, but a prediction of the Chinese vape market, According To KangerTech. Now, after 10 years in the vape market, KangerTech will make the focus of their next 10 years on product perfection, fashion and health.

VAPEMZ.COM

FEATURES

#VAPEMAGAZINE

Tried And True Of The Red, White And Blue

Vaping In The Military A

By Lavender Lee

s civilians in the United States, there are day-to-day things most donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really think too much about. Vaping for civilians is one of those little freedoms to be enjoyed that our active duty service members must sacrifice. Vape News Magazine respects the US military and the jobs they do every day. The soldiers interviewed are provided anonymity to allow them to continue to focus on the jobs they do every day. There are rules that must be adhered to with regard to vaping for our soldiers.

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

A Specialist for the Army states,

A Petty Officer Second Class for the Navy, says

“I can only speak for the Army, but vaping falls under the same rules as all other tobacco products. You can’t do it inside government buildings and it is only allowed in designated smoking areas.”

“The only real coping mechanism is the vape community itself. There are many vaping vets that a fellow veteran can reach out to and they have a lot in common to talk about. One of which, is they meet in a vaping group or at a vaping event.”

The Specialist adds,

“From personal experience, vaping has been helpful for me to cope with stress both while overseas and after returning home. I prefer it to cigarettes, honestly, and I smoked for years. It helps me relax more so than cigarettes ever did.” 64

#VAPEMAGAZINE

A former Army officer named Andrew, stated

John, also a former Army Staff Sergeant adds,

“Although I did not vape during my time in service, I certainly knew plenty of soldiers that did and I consider vaping to be a safer alternative to cigarettes or chewing tobacco, two of the other most prevalent nicotine products of choice. Not only is there no open flame, which can be a liability around live ammunition, but vaping also presents less health risks to the respiratory and oral areas of the body.”

“Vaping helps vets cope by using proper CBD and helps them relate to flavors of being home. These relaxing moments ease their mental strain with smell and taste therapies, instead of reminding them where they are. Even if it is just for a little while, it still helps.” “It’s an easy relief where they don’t see the effects of the physical downfalls to their bodies and doesn’t impact their fitness requirements in a negative aspect. It’s very easy to sustain a working device that functions in and out of field movement and garrison life.” John adds, “Some units don’t allow cigarette users. So, vaping is an easier option. From smokers quitting to help rid their bodies of tar that sticks to their lungs to moving to vaping, where it pushes it out is a better option for these soldiers than just going cold turkey. Their endurance and stamina should show no signs of faltering.”

The Soldiers and Sailors of the US Military are the epitome of what freedom, dedication and sacrifice look like. They are the true heroes of this country’s story. - To show gratitude for their service, Lavender Lee has donated her payment for this article to a pro vaping/pro military cause of her choice.

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

SPECIAL

FIRST PURCHASE DEAL! Call Us For Details

WHO LESALE INQUIRIES 8 01-888 -1291

.com e c i u j r e k wholesale@chubbyba

THECHUBBYBAKERJUICE

THECHUBBYBAKER

DEPARTMENTS

VAPE Talks Shop 1

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

Vape n Chase By Corey Noles

“Within 24 hours, the plan came together,” Huynh said. “I wanted to bring together something more modern, more contemporary, than the shops I’d visited. Most of all, it was a place where we could help get people off of cigarettes.” “I just wasn’t that impressed.” That’s why Vape n Chase co-founder Tommy Huynh decided to step into the industry. Working in the cellular phone industry for years, Huynh travelled regularly. When on the road, he enjoyed visiting vape shops and just seeing what the industry had to offer. Overall, though, he found most shops to be disappointing. Whether it was

mediocre customer service or a store that wasn’t aesthetically pleasing, he always felt like he could do better given the chance. That’s when he approached Mike Khoury, a local entrepreneur in the Detroit suburb of Canton, MI. Huynh, a regular customer at one of his businesses, walked in one day and suggested they open a vape shop. The next few months were spent getting things in order. They chose a location — a former tanning salon. The whole shop was purple.

location. The juice shelves were handmade, and between them hangs the Vape n Chase sign. “That sign was important to us,” Huynh said. “We visited sites like Etsy looking for inspiration and decided what we were looking for. After some searching we found a guy who could cut a metal logo with LED lights on the backside. It took about a month, but it was so worth it.”

The two, along with some friends who worked in construction, went to work. Now what was once a lavender nightmare has been transformed into the duo’s vision.

He wanted a feel like visiting a skate shop back when he was a young man. A place where you come in, hang out, talk shop with your friends. Not just somewhere ready to take your money and send you packing.

The store has a super modern feel. The lights are dim. The furniture is largely contemporary leather, with televisions and lounge areas throughout the

Vape n Chase is located at 8489 N. Lilley, Canton MI. Visit the store online at https://www.facebook.com/ VapeNChaseCanton/.

#VAPEMAGAZINE

DEPARTMENTS

By Chris Mellides

S E I D CAN

s Trolli deliciou e h t pote k st li et is a s tastes ju t you g a d ar h n a u W s t ! ve oin chy g is on p of crun w and lo le o le fi n k o k r l in u p r m o r 0 y sp ’s flavo e fire! 6 gs that k and a Phoenix ice is th each rin llow kic a ju p y m is d h h s n T r a . c or ma gummy reamy eet flav with a c t the sw u h c o a d e n p on to rou coating crystal ble. a is avail pricing .com e pergat www.va

PHoOmEVNapIeXrgate fr

HEtRioSn S U G Y R R E LUE RASPB Kandy Kollec

from eTdhewith punchy frumit efl.cavom/ or.

dy fill apefa http://v erry can . b le p s b a a r il ava ’ blue ricing is A rockin 60ml p

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

M.oBm.YS.iCc .Boy

DESSERTS

sweet reamy c h it vanilla . ew pralin a touch of s d n flavor just .C. ble some s e .Y d w d .B a a M nd ruly eam a nd out a t / ice cr u o b-y-c r m/mrd to o a t .c s s u e c p iantva www.g

STRAWBERRY

from Shortcake

COSMIC

from Esnaxx

Take lush st rawberries and pile them a sugary bed high on of flaky fun nel cake for and delicio a sweet us vape that â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sure to sa pricing is av tisfy. 120ml ailable. www.esnax x.com

Man E-Liquids

This 70VG/ 30PG blend is a lite stra with candy wberry sho glazed stra rtcake topp w b erries and w ed pricing is av hipped crea ailable. m. 60ml www.vapef ame.com

UNICAK

from BLVK EUnic

orn

This 70VG / 30PG ble nd is a de cious crum lible cake b aked to p fection an erd blended with a fre handful o sh f blueberr ies guaran to make th teed ose mouth s water w envy! 60m ith l pricing is available. www.blvk .com

#VAPEMAGAZINE

FRUITs UNImABPLVPKLUEnicorn

. It’s Fuji apple ly picked sh e fr h in this a is n fi to h a tart a bite in it g w in y k tl c ta e e rf Imagin atched pe ble. l taste is m g is availa in c ri p crisp initia l m 0 6 . d n PG ble 80VG/ 20 .com k lv www.b

fro

ARC

from SHuANGEL per Cha The b est se rged He lling the

aven

st state of Mic rawberry a www.s nd cr h igan. uperc eam li harge quid dheav in en.co m/arc hang el

FRZN CHEE

from BLVK

Unicorn

This bla st o an explo f sweet lychee s with a sion of hit of c fruity a never e ool me nd chill xperien nthol c fl a c v e or the li d befor www.blv reates kes of w e. 60ml k.com hich yo pricing u’ve is availa ble.

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

s e g a r e v be INE H S N O O M KBERRY ine E-Liquid

BLoAmCSaffire Moonsh

berry , Black e it and b f nt o ggers bootle t amou f h o ig r a r e . ee ee st th u to th enness with ju te of T orts yo s p a Sweet, s t n e a r h t hine t erience Moons els. Exp v m a r o t .c t uid moonli ineeliq oonsh .m w w w

ESPRESSO

from Chuck

CLDS

This 80V G/ 20PG blend giv sweet cre es you a am com n espres bo on th donut o so and e inhale a n the ex nd a van hale. www.ch illa bean uckclds.c om

WILD CARD

CRSPEsnaxx from

e vaping experienc t-of-this-world ou an r fo lf ur se yo ur Prepare yo the tart notes of vor that captures a silky-smooth with explosive fla combines it with d an al re ce ity favorite fru icing is available. rprise. 120ml pr marshmallow su www.esnaxx.com

#VAPEMAGAZINE

PREMIUM E-LIQUID AVAILABLE AT

mojovapor.com brett@mojovapor.com (760) 436-8273

opmhproject.com eddy@opmhproject.com (502) 592-9992

giantvapes.com wholesale@giantvapes.com (855) 482-7375

apothecaredistribution.com apothecare@icloud.com (949) 202-8515

sicboy.net • sicboy@sicboy.net • (907) 217-0035

DEPARTMENTS

VAPE VISIONARY

David Yoshikawa Vaper, Entrepreneur and Musician By Chris Mellides

nbeknownst to David Yoshikawa, a brush with the law was exactly what he needed to go from selling vape starter kits from his home to becoming the owner of a hugely successful e-liquid and hardware company. Yoshikawa, 40, started vaping in 2009 and says that he fondly remembers having fun during the early days of the vapor industry and that growing his business seemed like the natural evolutionary path for him to take. “I ended up getting a DUI in February 2013, and the court awarded me this killer piece of ankle jewelry,” said Yoshikawa, owner of Vapergate. “So, I had a lot of time at home to kill.” When he was in high school Yoshikawa began smoking Camel Lights before switching to Newports and had been smoking for a total of 16 years before he started vaping in 2009. “I just kind of hit that wall where smoking was 0% enjoyable, and I could feel it killing me from the inside out, and I get that enough from drinking,” Yoshikawa said with a laugh. When he finally made the switch from smoking to vaping, the Vapergate owner immediately saw the value in vapor products and this opened him up to the

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

possibility of helping smokers make the transition to vaping as he had successfully done in the past. This year Yoshikawa says that Vapergate is focusing more on brand visibility, and admits to attending more shows than normal, and having a national sales team whose members drive around the country to bring the Vapergate brand to stores while also promoting it at events. Vapergate has just over 20 original e-liquid flavors that range from candied fruit concoctions, to robust dessert selections. Yoshikawa says that some of these flavors were “shot straight from the hip and tasted awesome first try” and yet others took weeks and even months to perfect. “Making a good flavor isn’t that hard these days,” he said. “Making a great flavor that you want to put your name on, that’s a little different.” Assuring both quality and consistency in his e-liquid products are top priorities for Yoshikawa who produces

People got into this industry for so many different reasons, but whatever it was, if you run it like a club or a hangout then it’s bound to fail.

his line of liquid in an ISO-7 room with a separate automated touch-less bottling room to guarantee that quality and consistency in his inventory. “Being an e-liquid company in the current vape landscape is hard,” Yoshikawa said. “There is a lot of competition and having to hold your integrity and sales to a hype company, it can weigh on you.” In order to run a successful e-liquid company it needs to be treated as any other business, according to Yoshikawa. “People got into this industry for so many different reasons, but whatever it was, if you run it like a club or a hangout then it’s bound to fail.” In 2015, Yoshikawa launched his first piece of hardware, the 22mm Alliance RDA. The Colorado resident admits that he wasn’t sure how to go about the manufacturing process, but that creating an RDA was an idea worth entertaining. “Whenever I think of hardware ideas during the creative stages of it all, it has

#VAPEMAGAZINE

to be functional above novelty sizes and gimmicks,” he said.

There has been a fair amount of hardware that has come to market that did something unique or different just for the sake of being unique or different, without improving the vape experience! THAT’S PRETTY SILLY, RIGHT?

Vapergate has since released other pieces of hardware including its line of Mason RDAs, and through it all Yoshikawa is conscious of the large amount of hardware available on the market today, but that doesn’t put off what he and his company set out to do. “There has been a fair amount of hardware that has come to market that did something unique or different just for the sake of being unique or different, without improving the vape experience,” Yoshikawa said. “That’s pretty silly, right? I don’t think Vapergate ever reinvented the wheel, but I’d like to think that we make some pretty good wheels.” Outside of vaping, Yoshikawa has spent 25 years as an active musician. Having played with a number of outfits,

VAPEMZ.COM

he found the most success in a former band called Lola Black. Lola Black played with the likes of Slayer, In This Moment, Breaking Benjamin, Godsmack, and Rob Zombie. When he began taking his vape business more seriously, he had to choose one life over the other, and decided to roll the dice with Vapergate. “We toured the country and had quite the good time. But it’s really hard to do that AND run a company, so I had to make a choice,” Yoshikawa said. “I was part of Lola Black, but I own Vapergate. This is much more rewarding.” That determination has led to a company that has succeeded well beyond Yoshikawa’s expectations. And he’s proud of what he was able to accomplish in such a small window of time. “I trip on it on the daily. Never in my wildest did I ever think it would actually be successful like this,” Yoshikawa said. “I was working selling phones and had been for the past 9 years. I was going to lose my mind if I did it any longer, so I had to do something for myself.”

This year Vapergate has branched out officially into the UK and Canada, which are great for our future non-domestic sustainability.

Yoshikawa has a strong upper level management team that he thanks for

#VAPEMAGAZINE

Vapergate’s success, but believes that making an impact and connecting with prolific vapers in the days when the industry was at its infancy were crucial in creating sustainability within his company. Of course, that doesn’t stop Yoshikawa and his staff from enjoying the experience and having fun in the process. “I’d like to think Vapergate has always tried to keep fun as one of the fundamental principles of the company,” he said. “I don’t take myself too seriously and I don’t think other people should either.” As for the future of Vapergate and the vapor industry in general, Yoshikawa was overwhelmingly positive and offered his perspective. “This year Vapergate has branched out officially into the UK and Canada, which are great for our future non-domestic sustainability,” Yoshikawa said. “If you really want to know though, I don’t think all this FDA stuff is going to stick. Every week there is something positive coming out about vaping and with the new administration, it seems like the future is brighter than what we thought even just two months ago.”

FEATURES

By Norm Bour

he Millennial Generation has been criticized and accused of being selfish and irresponsible. That generalization may have some truth, but there are always examples that break such an impression. KILO E-liquids is a company that proves millennials will be leading this industry into the future. Co-owner James Kim spent four years in the military, including two years in Iraq and summed up how he and partner Jon Lee feel about (mostly) millennial employee empowerment.

The partnership of Kim and Lee is an impressive one. James Kim started smoking at age 15 and became one of the “cool kids.” He shunned college because, in his words, “Why would I go to college and think I’d take it more seriously than I did high school? But I saw a ‘Go army’ commercial on TV and off I went.” “I wanted to try something new; to set myself up for success and avoid the lure of bad things. Truth was, I didn’t take life or responsibility seriously.”

“We lead by example and have tried to make it cool to be responsible. The Army taught me about setting people up for success.”

During four years in the military, he grew up. He saw action, made and lost friends. And he learned that life was valuable and precious.

The reality is, the majority of those in the vape space are probably Generation Y, which today means between ages 26-35.

Except that he continued to smoke. “Smoking was a huge stress reliever in the service,” he confided, “and the military almost encourages it.”

It’s All About “The Story.” When I first met Kim at an event several years ago, that is what I told him. Over the years, the story has grown. He and partner

Lee have evolved and created an example of “business done right.”

Upon exiting the Army in 2012 he was tempted back to his old ways and tried to avoid his old gangster buddies. Including his current partner. #VAPEMAGAZINE

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

Committing himself to quit smoking, he also committed to college, but decided to take part of his military income and buy a vape shop first, which he did, with current buddy, Jon Kim. Vapor Life opened in the South Bay part of Los Angeles and was an immediate success. How could it not be? They were at the right place and the right time.

The two partners work well together and their bond is close since they helped support each other when things could have gone another direction. There is authenticity and obvious love and respect for each other.

But their shop was just the beginning as they realized that Lee had great skills that weren’t being used.

I knew what I wasn’t good at and I knew what he wasn’t good at, so we focused on each of us carrying that weight.

KILO Begins

- Lee

“2013 was the vape shop opening high point with new shops opening every weekend,” Kim says.

Even though Lee was one of the “bad crowd” Kim initially tried to avoid, they found strength in each other. Kim confides that, “Jon was part of my bad past when I came back, but fortunately the good rubbed off on the bad!” Back then there were few ice cream and dessert e-liquid flavors on the market, but Lee’s mixology abilities soon became evident as they launched Honey Dew and cereals in mid-2013. They were one of the first and committed to only offering the highest quality. The early success of those unique blends helped KILO develop a following. For the first six months, it was just conventions and marketing and they went to every show week after week until they could afford larger events. But the risk was worth it. KILO also did something unCalifornia like and focused on the East Coast, where there was less competition. They also were smart enough to seek out help. They nurtured relationships and partnerships. “Even back then I knew we had to work in a collaborative way. We didn’t have a surplus of confidence so learned from more experienced people,” Kim said. Soon they were in 40 shops and continued to grow the company by maintaining those relationships.

The Synergy And The Future

and never go toward cartoonish imaging,” Lee beamed. He attends every symposium and educational program available and says you can never know it all. We spoke about how running their business today compared to the earlier years. “We’re now operating like a professional business and always do the smartest thing. We know that you can’t recreate a bad reputation and believe in karma,” was the response. Both partners are just hitting the 30year mark and shared their thoughts on the next two years.

The respect they offer each other transfers to their 30-plus employees.

“The competition will be weeded out and we plan to be one of the survivors. We want the rest of the industry, as well as consumers, to believe in vaping like we believe in it,” they said in unison.

They are selective with their employees and only hire those with the right attitude and mindset. They offer opportunities for them to grow and excel and give them a chance, including cross training and learning other skills.

“No CBD or pot in KILO’s lineup, but possibly a totally new line,” they said. “It won’t be commingled.”

“People are profits,” they said. “Was there a point when you thought you had ‘made it?,’” I asked and they uniformly agreed that “There was always someone else out there that was killing it, and bigger than us, so we never let up.” “Even now we don’t take anything for granted.” KILO currently offers 24 flavors and Kiberry Yogurt is number one internationally and domestically and sales are equally split inside and outside the US. They acknowledge that they have too many flavors for the long haul and will cull it down to the top five or six, but are not worried about losing market share. “Our brand is so strong that I think we can dilute a bit and people would like it,” they hoped. But one thing you can count on. “Our branding will remain consistent

#VAPEMAGAZINE

Speaking of weeding, we spoke about the new and exploding alternative market. Their conclusions:

They do see medicinal and recreational marijuana as a new frontier, but acknowledge, “This will all take time and we must be patient.” Yes, millennials sometimes do get a bad rap. Do they have a problem with accountability and responsibility? The answer in many cases is “yes.” They see their parents work hard and don’t really want to do that. The good news is that aging matures us all and we learn along the way. The two KILO owners are smart enough to learn from others’ mistakes. They will probably be around for the long run. -

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. As a founding partner in the Vape Industry Business Exchange (VIBE), Norm is committed to supporting the vape space into this Brave New World. Contact him at norm@VapeMentors.com.

Limmless MOD COMPANY

SUB OHM TANK

- 25mm Diameter - 2ml Capacity - .5 Î© coil - 1 Extra Coil - Extra Glass - Adjustable Airflow - Top Fill BIG PERFORMANCE - SMALL FOOTPRINT

For Wholesale Inquiries: Email: info@limitlessmodco.com Tel. 805-309-0530 Web: LimitlessModCo.com

T H E D I F F IC U LT QU E ST IO N S

FEATURES

Will New

Prohibit Small Towns

By Tony Ottomanelli II

Anti-Vape

B R I E F E XC E R P T F R OM IOWAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; S H F 2 9 5 L E G I SL AT IO N :

The bill prohibits a county or city from adopting an ordinance, motion, resolution, or amendment that sets standard or requirements regarding the sale or marketing of consumer merchandise that are different from, or in addition to, any requirement established by state law. 86

#VAPEMAGAZINE

Iowa Bill

&/or Counties from Passing

Regulations? The Legislative Act in Perspective

While dipping or chewing smokeless tobacco could certainly be labeled figuratively as the half-brother to cigarettes - there is never any direct hypothetical “blood relation” between any harm reduction approach and the actual harm it is literally reducing. In short, why are harm reduction tools being set on the same pedestal as the products causing the harm?

Clearly, we are absolutely living during uncertain times. Whether a City Council votes to install a city ordinance by imposing a vapor ban or a specific county regulatory fines and fees or perhaps they feel it is necessary to create confusing boundaries by raising the smoking age to 21, which sadly coincides with the use of vapor products. Thus, once again, allowing a tobacco harm reduction method to be categorized as a tobacco product, consciously lumping it into the “traditional tobacco cigarette family tree” is not only ignorant but also you’re responsible action somehow fueled by an apathetic arrogance

Will this ultimately be beneficial for the vapor industry? Could this legislation be an advantageous model for other states to emulate? Could this prevent local municipalities from imposing fines for using vapor devices while simultaneously strolling through or vaping bans in regards to vapor products?

VAPEMZ.COM

Summary of Iowa’s HF 295 Legislation

To quote this summary directly from a trusted source for accurate information in this era within 21st Century, www. LegiScan.com says, “A bill for an act prohibiting counties and cities from establishing certain regulations relating to employment matters and the sale or marketing of consumer merchandise, providing for properly related matters, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly HSB 92.) Effective 7-1-17.” According to www.legis.iowa.gov, there is a section of this bill also states: (1) A county shall not adopt an ordinance, motion, resolution, or amendment that sets standards or requirements regarding the sale or marketing of consumer merchandise that are different from, or in addition to, any requirement established by state law. At first glance, when reading Iowa’s HF 295 bill, it seems as if this is definitely a positive shift for the vape community in this one state. Due to the fact that a number of local municipalities have been taking it upon themselves to install unnecessary and counterproductive outdoor vaping bans or even raising the age to buy, sell and use tobacco products to 21. Unfortunately, vapor devices and all accessories needed for vaping, from batteries to the protective cases used on mods, are all categorized as tobacco products. For example, the anti-vape affiliates who are proud members of Tobacco 21, the group who has been working their way throughout the country, especially the state of Missouri, urging local governments to raise their smoking age to 21. In nearly every case, they have been all too successful. Even though vaping nicotine is not technically tobacco, it’s miscategorization by the FDA is forcing this harm reduction method of vaping to ultimately be lumped in with the far more health hazardous behaviors of smoking. The Local Preemptive Provisions Act has been passed by Iowa’s Republican

majority in both their State House, State Senate and signed into law by Republican Governor Branstad. Therefore, the bill was passed on March, 30th 2017 with 100 percent progression.

It is therefore a Completed Legislative Action. This is considered as a Partisan Bill, due to strong Democrat opposition - though this time, the Democrat political base of Iowa was not upset because they typically support anti-vaping laws as well as anti-vape organizations, their dissatisfaction is mainly because this bill may very well be misleading and undefined by those who represent the Iowa GOP. Yet, the Dems of Iowa are very displeased since the bill does not necessarily ever mention “minimum wage. Four counties directly address the minimum wage reform. #VAPEMAGAZINE

It is therefore a Completed Legislative Action. This is considered as a Partisan Bill, due to strong Democrat opposition though this time, the Democrat political base of Iowa was not upset because they typically support anti-vaping laws as well as anti-vape organizations, their dissatisfaction is mainly because this bill may very well be misleading and undefined by those who represent the Iowa GOP. Yet, the Dems of Iowa are very displeased since the bill does not necessarily ever mention “minimum wage. Four counties directly address the minimum wage reform. The whole argument coming from the left end of the political spectrum is that the bill does not directly address the minimum wage raises which will now be overturned. There has been much speculation and uproar over this move by Republicans - the legislation may even be grounds for repeal if it is deemed unconstitutional. In the meantime, read along and please also do your own research as this is such a difficult legislation to explain, support or deny. Controversies surrounding HF 295 are primarily because of the raise in the minimum-wage promised to at least five counties that were to go into effect May 1st. However, via HF 295, the State Legislature of Iowa has just removed local municipality bylaws from those five counties. Sponsors Included The House of Delegates Local Government Committee. So many questions come to mind after learning of this legislative measure. For certain, countless questions and comments are being sent to the state’s legislature at this very moment as Iowans are not too pleased with this action. At the same time, there are some others who are perfectly satisfied with such a decision. While so much of the coverage reported on this situation has been largely focused on minimum wage, it

could still prove to be highly beneficial for avoiding anti-vapor regulations installed by local municipalities. Then again, this situation with Iowa could be helpful in other states passing outrageous tax policies, imposing outdoor vapor bans. That is, do you feel HF 295 will be beneficial for the state of Iowa’s vapor industry? Or will it simply separate and simultaneously increase the power of the Iowa State government has over local governments? Does the bill mean that local governments from having any control over their communities.

Since the bill is strongly worded, and vaguely described - completely lacking an explanation for what this legislative measure is truly targeting and specifically highlighting what it might protect. This lack of clarity very well may prove to be a great thing for vapers avoiding further restrictions. Needless to say, some residents in Iowa, are greatly displeased about the minimum wage debate, yet if more states enact this legislation without including the political scapegoat of minimum wage or taking back promises of already in motion - because that is far too familiar to the vapor regulations and most advocates would not support anything like it. Regardless, from the way in which this bill is left up to interpretation while also severely limiting the powers of local municipalities, I may be mistaken, but groups like “Tobacco 21” will not be able to push the same agenda they’ve been forcing in the state of Missouri, where now a group of counties have raised their minimum smoking age to 21. Therefore, for as much damage as this bill may cause, it might just allow a harm reduction tool to essentially perform its duty properly.

This is clearly an example of how deregulation is also a form of regulation. The state needs to control the local municipalities from installing or imposing restrictive ordinances or amendments that set standards or requirements. Regardless, if HF 295 can serve as a strategic approach to force ant-vape groups like “Tobacco 21” to pack their bags and hit the road, then I’m certainly in favor of it. VAPEMZ.COM

FEATURES

Educating Non-Vapers:

Easier said than By Tony Ottomanelli II

Focusing on education and teaching others about the facts

of vaping is a top

priority. However, when considering just how

many people there are that are unaware of

what the word “vaping” even represents, the

odds are surely stacked against us and the

number of others who do not wish to learn

about what we perceive to be exciting new

data is likely to be insurmountable. 90

e would love this concept to be as easy as the alphabet when expressing this fact. However, it has become a culture of vast complexities that can only be fully understood with a passion for learning more about the lifestyle. We can only hope, since it is much easier said than done when suggesting just how much the public doesn’t know that the public will one day soon show some general interest. The vape life is not for everyone; and as with anything, it is not as easy as putting on a free workshop. If vaping advocates were to host a free workshop about the facts of vaping products – do we think non-vapers would attend? Perhaps. Though, perhaps I’ll win the lottery. It is extremely difficult to hold a basic one-onone conversation with another person about the beneficial nature of vaping. So, when reflecting on having to educate not only the public, but also government officials, elected policymakers, and the entire capitalistic landscape, everything becomes far more challenging. How do we influence the entire capitalist economic structure and the system to think as we do? There are surely many ways to answer this. This could be as challenging as attempting to persuade a global economic system to alter its way of operating.

#VAPEMAGAZINE

Done?

Regardless, there is not much we can do but to stay true to our own ideals and move forward - we must stay dedicated to the education initiative for getting the truth spread about vapor products - this is the greatest challenge we face as vapers and as citizens. After all, we are bombarded with fake news and alternate facts every second of the day, according to our highest form of government. Does this mean people are more aware now of their unawareness for truth? Or, are they more certain of truth?

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

Vapers are persuasive,

resilient and also the most

amazing people I’ve ever met. Yet, the main point is, vape advocates need to remain

focused with our eyes on the prize with the right to vape

and educating others about

this harm reduction method. For the time being, focusing advocacy efforts on educating anyone and everyone is still hard to capitalize on. The challenges are unrelenting. If the anti-vape affiliates want to be an unrelenting force, our stubbornness needs to continue to influence another’s life in a positive way through that same education and advocacy that we need.

Promoting facts by using

educational methods and informing our neighbors and strangers about the

benefits of vapor products

through relentless advocacy

is and must remain a central focal point no matter how challenging it remains or grows to be. Most things

are easier said than done,

but that’s why actions speak

louder than words - it’s time to act.

Feel free to contact me at WhoAreTheVapersFilm@ gmail.com because I’d love to hear your thoughts or ideas about advocating. Insights, criticisms, feedback or advice are all welcome.

#VAPEMAGAZINE

ne sp abo all w ec ut us cu ial our st f om or er s

MODS & TECH

O c t o p u s

M o d s

OCTO

Squonk Verso Box

he Octo Verso is a mechanical bottom fed box mod handcrafted in Belgium and released by Octopus Mods.

The Verso is designed for squonking, and with the rash of 3D printed squonk mods flooding the market at the moment, the Octo Verso holds up just fine against the competition. If you are unfamiliar with squonking, it’s an easy concept to grasp. In the case of the Verso, a squeezable plastic bottle holds your choice of e-liquid and is located inside the mod’s enclosure below the 510 connector. With each squeeze of the bottle, e-liquid is fed into the 510 connector via a tube or a straw as it’s sometimes called, and is delivered into the hollowed out 510 pin of your atomizer.

The result is having a device with the ability to easily saturate the wicks of your RDA without having to drip your juice. The model I have is the ‘distressed black’ version. It’s very light and compact, so stealth vaping is assured. The contacts are made from pure silver and are said to be laminated by a Belgian jeweler. Whatever the case, the contacts have stayed put and allow for the mod to hit that much harder. The Verso makes use of front and back panels, which can be easily removed and replaced. These are frosted clear panels that feel very durable. My guess is that they are constructed from plexiglass or a similarly tough plastic material. It should also be mentioned that the front panel is held on by magnets and there is no play where the panel meets the mod enclosure

#VAPEMAGAZINE

Photos by Chris Mellides

By Chris Mellides

VAPEMZ.COM

whatsoever. Everything fits together well enough and has a solid feel. The included plastic bottle holds approximately 5mls of e-liquid, which is great. The way that I and most people I know squonk is that we use higher strength nicotine in our liquids and prefer to use mouth-to-lung atomizers. As a result, 5mls lasts me the entire day, and occasionally I’ll have to swap my battery out for a second, though it’s rare that this happens. Often, one filled bottle of 6mg or 12mg nicotine strength e-liquid and a single 18650 will last me the whole day. User experience might vary. Since this is a mechanical device you’ll have to have a good understanding of Ohm’s law and battery safety, which is something that I continuously stress, and for good reason. To that end, realize that your battery life and the output voltage will drop during use until the performance ends up in the toilet and you’ll need to swap out the cell. The more you use the

The Octo Verso has been a real joy to use overall. The bottlefeeding system works flawlessly and the compact size and light weight of the box means that carrying it with me never feels like a chore. device the likelier you’ll be able to gauge when to change out your 18650 before you risk over-discharging the battery. The Octo Verso has been a real joy to use overall. The bottle-feeding system works flawlessly and the compact size and light weight of the box means that carrying it with me never feels like a chore. #VAPEMAGAZINE

The mod hits well, thanks in part to its silver contacts, and I can honestly say that the performance is exactly what I would expect from this squonker and others in its class. With that said, the only criticisms that I have are that the tube or straw that comes included with the bottle is too long and needs to be trimmed. Secondly, you may encounter a small gap where your RDA is screwed down into the 510 connector of the Verso. Despite those faults, I think that the Octo Verso is well worth the asking price and performs like a champ. With the popularity and subsequent scarcity of mods like the Verso, grabbing this bit of kit is a surefire win, if only for its accessibility. The Octo Verso as well as a bunch of other similarly designed devices from Octopus mods can be purchased from Vapes by Enushi at vapesbyenushi.com

MODS & TECH

T V L

Magnum Mod and Competition RDA

By Chris Mellides

Photos by Allan Kwasnik

he Magnum Mod from TVL is expertly machined and is well on its way to becoming one of my favorite mechanical mods to date.

hardware line.

Available in several different styles and metals, the Magnum is a more streamlined successor to TVL’s Colt .45 line of tubes and it’s one hell of an update to the company’s

The model I’ve been kicking around is constructed from oxygen free naval brass and is dubbed the “scope.” The device features a hybrid connector at the 510, tapered sections at the top and base portions of the mod with a middle section that is fatter and contoured for a perfect feel in the hand. The device feels sturdy and weighty, which I like as it affords me the kind of confidence that comes with owning and using hefty mods. The Magnum utilizes a new button design not seen in TVL’s original mech mod lineup in that the switch is a one-piece design, where the button doubles as the device’s firing pin. What this means for the user is a more simplistic switch that’s easier to clean, and no doubt contributes to less voltage drop, which makes for a harder hitting device overall. Like the Magnum, TVL’s line of competition atomizers come in different finishes and deck styles to suit any vaper regardless of coil building knowhow and overall experience.

#VAPEMAGAZINE

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

A delrin insert sits on top of the firing pin and can easily be adjusted on the fly to take up for battery rattle and helps to displace heat. The look and feel of this device screams quality and while you can use just about any RDA in your arsenal, provided of course that the atomizer has a protruding 510 connection, the TVL Competition RDA looks to be the better pairing. 100

#VAPEMAGAZINE

I opted for the 24 mm fourpost brass atty with a stainless-steel base. While the TVL RDA and Magnum mod look positively great together, this deck type is well outside my comfort area. However, once you work past the initial nervousness, you’ve got yourself a build deck that incorporates just about any build you can dream up.

design allows for far less voltage drop when compared to other mech mods in its class. The ease of adjusting for battery rattle and disassembly of the switch are both huge positives. I have found that with hotter builds the tube does tend to heat up, but never to the point where it raises any concerns. Topped with the company’s brand of atomizer gives the Mangum a more uniform setup and the two together work well and make for a great combo. I have used many other attys with the Magnum and they’ve all sat flush and worked brilliantly. While I had been hesitant to add a TVL product to my collection, I was pleasantly surprised and glad that I finally bit the bullet. I likely would have been happier with a two post TVL RDA, which is available, but I cannot fault the Magnum mod itself.

If you’re looking for an American made mod, that brings a heap of quality and ruggedness to the table, you’d be hardpressed not to consider the Magnum for purchase. And if you’re feeling adventurous, the TVL Competition RDAs are also a worthwhile investment and look great sitting atop the Magnum. You can find the full line of TVL products at authorized retailers nationwide and online at localvape.com.

The Competition RDA has bottom style airflow, not unlike the Kennedy RDA, but it allows for a much airier draw. Similar to the mod itself, this atomizer is constructed from pure oxygen free naval brass and 99.9% pure terillium copper. The center post is removable and replaceable, which is great because copper does tend to degrade over time and after repeated use. As far as performance is concerned, the TVL Magnum exceeded expectations. The one-piece button

#VAPEMAGAZINE

101

Event Coverage

THE FIRST CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICAN

VAPE EXPO AUGUST 31ST - SEPTEMBER 2ND MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA

Network, Discover, and Promote your products in one of the biggest emerging markets for E-Liquid, Vape Hardware and other vapor products. Learn about the hottest eJuice brands, Mods, Tanks and more from companies across the world.

GET IN TOUCH

+1-631-777-3455 info@vapesouthamerica.com www.vapesouthamerica.com

Silver Sponsors

Ofï¿½cial Media Sponsor

EVENTS

Vape Shop Events

Continues to Reflect the Marketplace

VAPEMZ.COM

By Norm Bour

ape Shop Events has been offering a unique way for buyers and sellers to find each other for several years. What is sometimes called â&#x20AC;&#x153;speed dating for businessâ&#x20AC;? also mirrors the mood and the vibe of the vape industry. The events specific to vape shops are held four times per year in beautiful destination locations: Orlando, Florida; Scottsdale, Arizona; Park City, Utah, and La Jolla, California.

103

The most recent — and the first on the east coast — was in Orlando. The novelty of this event was that Smoke Shops Events (SSE), the sister event to Vape Shop Events (VSE), was held immediately before. The two gatherings ran together which made it great for buyers and sellers that cater to both markets.

The Line is Blurred Thanks to the FDA’s deeming rule last August 2017, tobacco and vape are now the same. Though we sell different products and cater to different buyers, from a legal standing, we are brothers in arms. “Several of those that attended Smoke Shop Events stayed for Vape Shop Events,” said founder Mike Sessoms. “Of the 29 sellers and 20 buyers for SSE, about six of them remained for the second show.” Logistically this makes sense for everyone, too, and avoids unnecessary travel. Though the sellers pay to attend these programs, the buyers’ fees are paid by the promoter. As the line is blurred legally, the same line may be blurring when it comes to the vapor industry itself. “Diversify or die,” one of the attendees stated, and “If you are just a vape shop, selling just vaping products, then shame on you,” said another. Are they blowing smoke (no pun) or are they reflecting smart strategies moving forward? Do you diversity, and if so, into what? Tobacco products? CBD? Marijuana? Can vape shops with just two major lines remain viable? The jury is still out. An interesting observation that mirrors the blurred line was the

104

#VAPEMAGAZINE

“Diversify or die,” one of the attendees stated, and “If you are just a vape shop, selling just vaping products, then shame on you,” said another.

VAPEMZ.COM

105

high number of those in the smoke shop trade that stayed over for the vape shop event. Until recently it was reversed.

three months, most companies are breathing easier and not worried about jack boots kicking down their door.

The International Scene

Why do the Smoke and Vape Shop Events work?

Any American liquid brands not selling internationally are missing a huge opportunity. Though the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) restrictions are severe, they are doable and well defined compared to the pending FDA guidelines.

This industry, like most, is driven by relationships. Telephone calls, texts, instant messaging, tweeting, Skyping, Facebooking, and all the other impersonal ways to communicate only go so far. And seeing potential customers and vendors at large gatherings doesn’t cut it either.

That international sector showed up at Vape Shop Events and of the 22 buyers, a half dozen were from outside the United States. “One buyer from Indonesia placed a 50,000-bottle order,” crowed Sessoms, “so that was a big day for both parties.” Many other large purchases were placed over the less than two-day event. The mood of this program in Spring, 2017, remained upbeat, and continued the trend we’ve seen from the past two shows in September 2016 and this past January. For most companies, it’s “business as usual” and now that the FDA has pushed back several dates for labels and ingredients by an additional

106

As Sessoms concluded: “Thse events offer a great chance to meet those people in person that you only spoke with on the phone. In 20 minutes, you can close a deal you’ve been working on for months.” And that, ladies and gentleman, is why I remain a fan. - 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. As a founding partner in the Vape Industry Business Exchange (VIBE), Norm is committed to supporting the vape space into this Brave New World.

Contact him at norm@VapeMentors.com.

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

106

107

#VAPEMAGAZINE

EVENTS

Vape Jam UK 3 An American Vaper in London By Corey Noles

108

#VAPEMAGAZINE

here was a time when U.S. vape shows were filled with excitement. People were stoked to try the next big thing and meet the people they watch on YouTube. For the most part, those times have passed.

But not in London. Vape Jam UK 3, which took place April 7-9, 2017, while slightly smaller than its previous year, packed as much energy as any US show for the past year. In fact, Suicide Bunny sold out entirely early on the second day of the show. Enjoy the next few pages with scenes from the hottest show in London!

#VAPEMAGAZINE VAPEMZ.COM

109

110

#VAPEMAGAZINE

WARNING: This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

$19.99 100mls + Free Shipping USA (Available in select countries Worldwide) whitelabeljuiceco

whitelabeljuiceco

whitelabeljuice

whitelabeljuiceco.com

Wholesale info: Sales@whitelabeljuiceco.com (760-842-5747)

V I S I T U S AT H A LO C I G S .CO M

LIFE IS ALL ABOUT MAKING CHOICES

FOR WHOLESALE INQUIRIES, PLEASE VISIT WWW.NICOPURE.COM, EMAIL SALES@NICOPURE.COM, OR CALL 888-270-2449