Vape News Magazine February 2019

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 19

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NEWS, BUSINESS & CULTURE VAPE Magazine is the only international vaping industry focused magazine with more than 35,000 readership in the United States, Europe and Asia, where vaping professionals

EDITORIAL Publisher Matt Schramel content@vapemz.com 800-958-6427 x2 Editor in Chief Corey Noles

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Managing Editor Chris Mellides

@VAPENEWSGO

Letter from the Editor Dear readers, As you’ve already noticed by the cover, we wanted this issue to be impactful. Given the current climate of the industry, we wanted to impress the fact that we’re always one stroke of a pen from being gone.

Art Director Van Avazando Graphic Designer Anil Verma Social Media Manager Angela Garrity Director of Photography Ezra Zuniga

For that reason, we chose to have a black cover. Given ongoing (and very recent) threats by FDA Director Scott Gottlieb referencing an “existential threat,” we wanted you to see what that would look like.

Contributors Corey Noles, Norm Bour Tony Ottomanelli Chris Mellides, John Castle Susan Oser, Todd Richard Angela Garrity

Writer Angela Garrity takes a detailed look at the recent statements and dives in to what they could mean for our industry.

ADMINISTRATIVE

In lighter news, we have full pictorials from Vape Shop Events in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Vaper’s Carnivale in Oklahoma City.

Chief Executive Officer Matt Schramel Executive Assistant Erin Aly ADVERTISING

We also have a variety of new hardware reviews this month including the Crown IV, another Purge, the SMOK SLM and the Aspen Mod Co. Monarch. There are lots of good ones to check out this month.

Jacob Barger, jacob@vapemz.com 949-910-2138

Another interesting story this month focuses on the industry’s drug/alcohol addiction recovery community and shares the story of several who have fought that battle. This has long been an industry of second chances for people from all backgrounds, and in many ways, that’s the real beauty of the business.

CONTACT

Stay warm, spring is just around the corner!

Thanks for reading, Corey Noles Editor in Chief VAPE News Wholesaler VAPE News Magazine

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F E B R U A R Y

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2 0 1 9 FEATURES

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California grown E-Liquid

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Drop the Shame Vape Visionary: Mark Fagan

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AKA VapnFagan

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Flitz or Die Will the FDA turn the lights out on Vape?

REVIEWS

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UWELL CROWN IV: Worthy of a Crown

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Aspen Mod Co.: Monarch Dual 20700 Parallel Box Mod

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Purge Mods: Back to Basics V4 Mechanical Tube Mod

EVENTS

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Vapers Carnivale: Oklahoma City 2019

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Vape Shop Events: The Barometer of the Vape Space

BUYER’S GUIDE

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76 81

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Hardware Prospects Just In Juices

CALIFORNIA

GROWN

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E-LIQUID

SHOWS HOW TO LAUNCH IN TODAY’S WORLD

@VAPEMAGAZINE

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BY NORM BOUR NORM@VAPEMENTORS.COM

he dream of starting your own e-liquid company still exists today, but is more difficult than ever before. Timing is everything, and those that were ready, bold and took the initiative in the early years of 2010 until 2016 had it easy. Or at least easier.

Federal regulations were not on the table and just a few states had their own limitations or taxation. Although the competition did grow like a mushroom.

From 500 or so liquid companies (estimated) in 2013 when I started VapeMentors, to somewhere around 8,000-10,000 liquid companies out there now, that’s an enormous growth curve.

“Even a stopped clock is right twice a day” is a cliché that says that even by doing nothing you can still be right some of the times. Right place, right time. And many that started in the early days did have it easier, but they still had to follow Business 101.

Today, the climate is different.

The deeming regulations took effect August 8, 2016, literally a date that should go down in Infamy, like Pearl Harbor. That epic tome of 500 pages stopped the launch of “any new products,” but it took a while for that to be fully defined.

Can you change a flavor after 8/8?

Can you change a brand name? Or a label? As the dust has settled it has been determined that yes, you can launch a liquid company, but only if the products were registered with TP numbers with

the FDA. If you wanted to create a new flavor today and sell it legally, it cannot be done.

We know it is being done as many flaunt the rules but California Grown E-liquids did it right and did it well. In just over 12 months in business they have made a mark in a very crowded field.

the vape space and worked for large liquid companies that had significant success.

prior companies and wanted to do something innovative,” Evans said.

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“We wanted to Having But they knew cover all the experience they eventually demographics wanted to do and create a helps! their own thing, product that Jeff Nelson is one which they would not of the co-owners did in October embarrass 2017 when they of California them when started California they vaped.

Grown, along Grown. with Jeff Evans We formed and partner Alex two different Breish. They all companies, “We had plans knew each other to exit when we California Grown before entering and Fresh worked for our

brand,” Evans continued.

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Pressed and we knew we wanted to use the word ‘California’ in the name. The ‘fresh’ was also intentional since we wanted our brand to instill confidence in the quality of the product.”

As we spoke about the process of starting a company today, there are three different tracks to run down: l

If you properly registered a product, along with flavors and labels prior to August 8, 2016, and have an associated TP

(tobacco product) number, you are OK l

You can purchase a product that was properly registered prior to Aug 8 or

l

You can license a product that was properly registered prior to Aug 8

The first one is pretty easy, but the other options are negotiable and can take many forms.

“We knew we wanted to buy or license a line that was legal but not super well known. We wanted a flavor line we liked and one we could brand the way we wanted to

The process of buying or licensing can take many forms and ownership can be shared with royalties or sold entirely and can be relabeled as long as the product and ingredients stays the same.

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“We thought it important to get into the market since we see that eventually most brands will be gone and there will be a limited quantity.”

I asked: “How would the FDA know that a formula has been tweaked?” and the truth is, there is no guarantee that they would ever know.

Over the last few years the FDA has been actively doing audits and confirming the predicate date and formulations within the product, so it’s inevitable that some will get caught adulterating the original formula.

There’s theory and there is reality and so far the California Grown team has made its mark. When I asked if their projections at the end year one was on

the mark, Evans slyly said, “Even with our high expectations and lofty goals we hit the numbers we wanted.”

“We make a point of supporting our retailers and advocacy groups and we stay involved. All products should be branded responsibly.

The retailer is the face of the industry so it’s important that they be responsible with what they buy

and what they sell.”

“If they do that we’ll have a safer and more healthy market. Avoid public controversy when you can; avoid anything that implies child pandering or attracting kids. If they avoid things like that it will help us all.”

Many times, the question of “Is it too late to get into the vape game?” is asked.

The answer is “Only if you think it is.”

There is always room for vapreneurs in all sectors.

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

Contact him at norm@VapeMentors.com

24 FEATURES @VAPEMAGAZINE

Drop THE shame

BY ANGELA GARRITY ANGELA@VAPEMZ.COM

S

cott Gibson is likely better known within the vaping community as Black Cat/ White Face. Before he was known as a YouTube Reviewer, Gibson had a deep-seeded struggle with addiction.

around drinking to ensure that by the time bedtime came for him, he was “good and hammered.”

Gibson’s personal battle with alcoholism is very typical of someone who feels awkward around others and who lacks self confidence. He admits that once he learned he could out drink others, it became part of who he was.

“I can actually pinpoint the day I realized I was an alcoholic. I was 26 sitting in my one-bedroom apartment.

My girlfriend of five years had just left and I was just sitting there blaming her and feeling sorry for myself,” Gibson said. “Then it came to me, ‘I’m an alcoholic’. A sane person would try to do something to change that. I just sat there and accepted it as just who I am.”

Throughout his young adulthood, he drank in excess as much as possible.

Gibson would schedule his routine

When he started his career, he didn’t change like the other adults around him did, who grew out of their party stage. He continued to drink daily.

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That was 20 years ago for Gibson.

He found his sobriety on June 12, 2017.

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November of 2017, Gibson started doing live building tutorials on Instagram. He was very open about his past and his recovery. Through his honesty, he soon gained the attention of Mike Meadors, best known as Yetisuncle.

Meadors would stop in and chat during the streams and they would discuss building or different mech mods they both have a shared love for. Their friendship grew.

Meadors doesn’t feel his story is much different nor more important than the millions of other addicts in the world. He too struggled with alcohol and opioid addiction.

Meadors addiction to pain pills was so severe, he had to pack up his family and moved 100 miles away, to make his new start, surrounded by new people.

Meadors says his foray into addiction was from immaturity. “I spent my entire 20s and the first several years of my 30’s drunk.”

Meadors said.

“It was in the new location, I hit rock bottom,” says Meadors.

In his moment of bottoming out, he found a recovery center that accepted his insurance along with therapy sessions, which he found was exactly what he needed.

At 34, Meadors cleaned his life up from alcoholism but there was soon to be another lurking for him to battle with.

“I got addicted to opiates by complete and total accident. I was taking my prescription, as directed, due to a shoulder injury.

The duration and strength of the medicine wasn’t enough to keep the pain away and soon one pill became two, then in no time, I was taking handfuls of pain pills at a time,” he said.

Meadors contacted Gibson and asked if Gibson would come onto his channel and discuss his recovery. Meadors wanted to show viewers that recovery is possible and wanted to get the community talking about it. The first show consisted of Yetisuncle, TommyVaperz, NikkiB and Black Cat/White Face in January 2018.

The feedback was overwhelming, as they had no idea how many

of builders are in recovery. Not only in recovery but in good recovery.”

people within the vaping community have dealt with addiction and were in recovery.

Within weeks, Meadors partnered with Gibson to co-host a weekly recovery show and Drop the Shame was launched.

Drop the Shame has had an entourage of guests such as Nick Devine, Fresh03, M. Terk, Brian from The Vapor Chronicles and many others.

“If a man is an addict, they must have gone through something horrible in their lives that makes it almost acceptable for their addiction. However, if a woman is an addict, she must have done something wrong to put her down that path.” Solazzo said.

“Both substance use disorders and gambling behaviors have an increased likelihood of being accompanied by mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety or other pre-existing problems,” according to an expert at Psychology Today. “Substance use and gambling disorders not only engage many of the same brain mechanisms of compulsivity, they respond to many of the same

Meadors is thankful for his wife and kids for sticking by him while he found his sobriety. “Somehow, they stuck with me when I would have given up on myself. For that, I will always be grateful and will never forget,” he says.

Gibson dreams of the day that his vision of coil building becomes an activity at treatment centers. He has seen some that have started this on a very limited scale. He can see what it is has done for his friends and knows firsthand, what it did for him. “Maybe we are onto something bigger than we could have ever imagined,” he said.

Time, technology and adaptation from those holding degrees in the medical fields will tell.

Psychology Today reference link: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ us/basics/addiction

VAPENEWS.com

She feels there is a stigma on women in particular who are addicts.

This last sentence may hold the key to this direct correlation between vaping and recovery – a topic that Meadors and Gibson have discussed in detail. They agree there is definitely something that connects the two. Gibson says, “The number of builders that are in recovery is staggering. Without doing a survey, I would guess that 70 percent

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Christine Solazzo has struggled with her demons of alcoholism, sex addiction, anorexia, bulimia, diet pills and laxatives. Her addictions stemmed from undiagnosed mental disorders.

approaches to treatment.”

“I think we all understand, maybe at a basic sense, how overwhelming addiction can be and/ or how difficult it is to stop something we know is killing us,” Gibson said.

“Understanding not only the addict and their behavior, but the impact on the family. Providing support instead of judgement. Accepting that we are a community and that addiction and recovery are part of our community.”

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Gibson credits the show as being a vital part of his personal recovery.

It keeps him motivated to go to a meeting or to speak with someone struggling. “Sobriety has given me so much – family, friends, sanity, confidence, peace and most importantly, acceptance,” Gibson said.

Maybe the vaping community can do more to be supportive of those fighting for sobriety. Gibson says that vapers are a unique group because in a sense they’re all in recovery from tobacco addiction.

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@VAPEMAGAZINE

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AKA YouTube Vape Reviewer, Hardware Designer and Guitar Fanatic

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BY CHRIS MELLIDES CHRIS@VAPEMZ.COM

ike many other vapers, 41-year-old Mark Fagan found relief in switching to vaping after years of smoking and longing for a means to transition to a less harmful alternative.

Fagan began smoking cigarettes when he was roughly 15 years old and continued indulging in what became a pack-a-day habit for many years. He says that his cigarette use eventually took its toll on his health and

when he developed serious lung issues it was time to take action.

In his adulthood, Fagan began searching for a way to break the chains of his smoking habit and would eventually find the means of doing so when first discovering vapor products.

A member of the vape community since 2009, Fagan relishes the sense of community and support he has received from other like-minded vapers he’s met, whether online or in person. So much so that he decided to share his experiences with others.

32 FEATURES @VAPEMAGAZINE

“I always loved watching YouTube reviews and one day decided to fire up my webcam and put out a short one-minute video on an e-liquid stand I made,” Fagan said. “After that, I was hooked and started out with reviewing liquids and products I already owned.”

Adopting the name VapnFagan, the titular reviewer started releasing online videos and before long his channel grew. To date, Fagan’s channel has reached over 130,000 subscribers.

Fagan believes that he has gained the unique “ability to help people” whether that means helping them to quit smoking or furthering their knowledge of vaping with every upload. Fagan says that there have been other personal benefits he’s experienced to be certain.

“I have gained lifelong friends that I wouldn’t have normally met if it wasn’t for vaping,” Fagan said. “I have gained the enjoyment of using, testing and reviewing new products.”

The biggest challenge for me on YouTube is trying to make everyone happy, which I found is not possible. No matter what you do, you will never accomplish that, so all you can do is be yourself and hope for the best, he added.

Fagan takes a practical approach to reviewing hardware. He first assesses his list of products and then selects a device that he’d already been using for at least a week. He thoroughly researches and writes down all of the technical specifications and measurements of a given product and then he jumps into filming the review.

“I then shoot the up-close portion of the video. After the up-close I record the up-top shots,” says Fagan. “Once the video is recorded, I drop it into Final Cut Pro and edit. Depending on how many edits, clips, graphics, etcetera, the editing process itself can take anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours.”

Once the video is complete, Fagan usually takes 15 to 20 photos and selects the best one to use as the video’s thumbnail image before editing and eventually uploading the full video to YouTube. “The whole

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but believes that the industry will continue to thrive.

“I think vaping will continue but will eventually have a heavy restriction and a lot of the rebuildable stuff and custom mods we see will end up in the black market, Facebook and private vape forums,” he said. “I think most products will still be available, they just won’t be as easy to obtain.”

When he’s not swept up in the vaping fervor, Fagan does what he can to relax and focus on other areas of entertainment to break up some of the monotony he faces.

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process takes anywhere from five to seven hours,” he says.

@VAPEMAGAZINE

Being exposed to a plethora of product over the years, Fagan understands what characteristics and features work best in a piece of hardware and what don’t. It was only a matter of time before he’d be able to take this knowledge and incorporate it into original designs that have led to collaborative efforts between Fagan and well-known hardware companies.

So far, Fagan has worked with manufacturer Tigertek to release his NADA RDA, amid mixed reviews, and would also release the BTFC RDA with Augvape, which in Fagan’s opinion was a big homerun.

“With the NADA RDA, I used the Drop build deck and put my own spin on the airflow design,” Fagan said.

“Now the BTFC RDA was my favorite, the build deck is by far one of the easiest to build on. It’s my favorite RDA to build and vape on and I am not just saying that because I designed it.”

Fagan admits that the NADA RDA didn’t get “that great of feedback” but that the BTFC “has gotten nothing but love from everyone.”

One of the benefits of being a part of the vaping community for Fagan is

“I love playing guitar.

When I am not shooting getting to meet other vape reviewers, friends and fans at the various vape videos or doing anything expos held each year. vape-related, I like to “I hang out with them online all week long but turn off ‘VapnFagan’ and just jam out for a few getting to meet them hours,” Fagan said. “I in person was such an also love one star and two experience for me. It’s like reuniting with a high star low-budget Netflix school best friend,” Fagan movies, I am serious, I love watching the worst said. “The vape expos movies ever made.” for me are more about Asked what advice he’d give to a smoker considering the transition to meeting my followers and vaping, Fagan is steadfast in his belief “vaping has done so many good hanging with my friends, that things for so many people” and that it a much “healthier alternative.”

I hardly ever go to check is “For the price of two packs of smokes, you could buy a decent starter out new products.” kit just to give it a try,” Fagan said.

When it comes to the future of this industry, Fagan is unsure about the accessibility of certain vapor products

“Don’t believe the news or the stories you hear. Try it for yourself, you have nothing to lose.”

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BY SUSAN OSER ASUE78@AOL.COM

f you have ever been around the vaping or gaming community, you might’ve come across a guy who has a penchant for horror movies and has funkycolored hair. Maybe you’re good friends with him, maybe you’re not. Either way, this cat is a pretty interesting character.

He goes by the name of Flitzanu Narcissus. He’s a caster on Tuesday nights on VapeTVLive and a caster the other nights except for Sundays on Twitch. He’s also the creator of a website called Vapeordie.com.

So, who is this Flizanu character anyway?

Well, that’s exactly where his name came from, a character name he thought of while working on a high school creative writing assignment. He needed

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a good monster name for a sci fi/ horror story he was writing and soon the character name became a nickname that has stuck to this day.

Interestingly, a variation of the Flitz name has been seen in the gaming world and as a character on Smosh. So sometimes, people think that Flitz is him….but it’s not. Also, there is a Flitz. com which is a metal polish product that he uses sometimes. So of course, some people think he invented the product.

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Flitz is one of the veterans of the vape community. He’s been vaping for at least 10 years. While waiting for his first vaping product to come in from China, he started making D.I.Y. juices using Lorraine’s flavoring.

It was close to Chinese New Year when he first ordered his product. That product was an EVO device which still works to this

day. As soon as he started vaping (beginning with 12mg), he stopped smoking immediately with a Green Apple as well as a Tobacco flavor.

Over the years, Flitz has used those pre-pod products like tea bags and other atomizers that are no longer in existence anymore.

As far as starting at VapeTV, he heard about it from an online vaper named Vaping Val towards the end of 2010. He was asked if he wanted to do an internet vaping show at the time when those podcasts were just making their mark. When he did so, he connected with Luciano Manete and worked closely with him to get VapeTV.

com up and running.

sophisticated audience…. just kind of like his website.

With VapeorDie.com, Flitz wanted it to be an interactive information portal for vapers of all levels. It started as Flitanu.com and then just melded into the domain name it’s known for today.

The website name was a natural slogan that just fit. It was created in 2012 and became a creative outlet for him to express himself and vaping. However, talking about vaping or vaping news was a hit or miss at the time.

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Life took over and eventually the website became a bit stagnant.

In addition, it was just too hard to keep up with vape news that ended up in a tsunami thanks to vaping regulations, etc. He also had tech information that the newer vapers probably would have never heard about. Some of the videos he posted on the website can still be found today on his YouTube channel for anyone to see.

So, today the website that Flitz once started has been refreshed and

These days while Flitz has his day job and enjoys his nights podcasting online, he will sometimes talk about those days when one could go to a national vape meet just to hangout with people. That was not only part of the charm of the first national vape meets, but the fun of it.

Unfortunately, because of the regulations that came through around 2016 “the social aspect of vaping dropped.” However, one can always hope and wish that idea becomes recycled again as well. reorganized. There are still links to vendors and vape companies he trusts.

It also highlights Twitter feeds from trusted vape news sources that he feels need to be highlighted including from CASAA, SFATA, Not Blowing Smoke, Royal College of Physicians, etc.

It is just a portal for information and communication if need be about vaping. There are no ads or sponsors to help him. It’s just him. He has his contact information placed on the website and will get a vaping question occasionally from someone who just happens to come across the site.

Interestingly, #vapeordie has become a common label with the more useful vaping information that is out there. In the early days it was not. This doesn’t matter to Flitz because it helps keep the information out there as well as a good reference point for his website that he hopes to keep going in the long term.

Speaking of the long term, Flitz has said that a lot of things that were not cool in vaping before are becoming cool again. Because of regulations there really isn’t any new ideas, however some of the older mold mods from at least 8-10 years ago have been modified and updated for a newer or more

Don’t forget to check out Vapeordie.com where you can get your vaping information needs and learn some cool things about vaping that you may or may not have known before.

If you want to get to know Flitz or chat with him, there’s several ways to do it: Tuesday nights on VapeTVLive at 9:00pm ET – vapetv.com/vapetvlive Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and sometimes Saturdays on Twitch at 8/9:00pm ET (just look for the Flitzanu name) – http://twitch.tv/flitzanu On social media: Twitter - @flitzanu Instagram - @flitzanu Facebook - facebook.com/glitzy. flitzy/or facebook.com/flitzanu. narcissus Email contact - flitzanu@flitzanu. com or flitzanu@vapeordie.com Susan E. Oser is a teacher by day and creator, activist, and VapeTVLive host at night. She likes good discussion and enjoys her weirdness now and again.

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Will the FDA turn

@VAPEMAGAZINE

the

on Vape?

BY ANGELA GARRITY ANGELA@VAPEMZ.COM

arkness, confusion, fear, apprehension all vividly describe the current state of the vaping industry after the FDA meeting that took place January 18, 2019. The conference was listed as, “Eliminating Youth Electronic Cigarette Use: The Role for Drug Therapies Public Hearing” but what actually took place was a grandstand circus that could trigger the sunset of the vaping industry.

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Citing data from the 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey, Gottlieb and Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams have both publicly referred to youth use of e-cigarettes as “an epidemic.” When the average consumer of public information hears government leaders referring to e-cigarette use as “an epidemic”, their minds automatically go into apocalyptic virus territory and their own misguided fears take over and spread. There is the actual epidemic.

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During this time under a partial government shutdown, Scott Gottlieb was still running strong and at full force in his ironclad commitment to “eliminating youth use of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products. Specifically, the FDA is focused on the potential role that drug therapies could play in hopes of eliminating e-cigarette and other tobacco use among young people, as well as the appropriate methods for evaluating such therapies.”

H.P. Lovecraft said, “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the older and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” This quote by an author who died almost a century ago still holds its worth in describing the current state of thoughts, feelings and emotions of those on both sides of the vaping hyperbole.

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Gottlieb continues to state that youth use is growing.

“I fear that the survey data that we’ll get for next year will show continued increases in youth use of e-cigarettes. We’ll be in the field between March and May with the 2019 National Youth Tobacco Survey. I’ll tell you this. If the youth use continues to rise, and we see significant increases in use in 2019, on top of the dramatic rise in 2018, the entire category will face an existential threat.”

That last line rung loudly within the vape community — existential threat.

Since May 2016 when the FDA announced it was regulating the vapor industry, there have been a whole lot of questions on both sides, as each attempts to try to learn about the other. The FDA has laid out its pathway for compliance,

however, hasn’t provided much guidance, to helping vaping companies clearly and effectively complete all the steps required to complete this task.

Combine the frustration that stretches back two years in addition to the constant attacks on the vaping industry that is centered around “flavors attracting kids,” how does anyone actually know what the FDA’s next move is?

“I find myself debating with tobacco makers and retailers the merits of selling fruity flavors in ways that remain easily accessible to kids,” Gottlieb said. “But if the epidemic continues to mount, I’m sure that the debate will change to one of whether these products should continue to be marketed at all without authorized pre-market tobacco applications. It could be “game over” for some these products until they can successfully traverse the regulatory process. I think the stakes are that high. And would be a blow for all of the currently addicted adult smokers who, I believe, could potentially benefit from these products.

“But the major marketers of these products don’t seem to fully understand the scope of this challenge, or they don’t seem to be fully committed to their own stated commitments to curtail this youth use.”

Twitter has been flooded with comments from both sides putting pressure on the FDA about vaping. Anti-vaping group ParentsAgainstVaping tweeted “So proud of our teens for giving front-line testimony today at the FDA public hearing about youth and e-cigarettes including JUUL: Big Tobacco 2.0! We hope the FDA will immediately ban the flavors that research proves are hooking our kids!”

Charles A. Gardner, PhD., responded to ParentsAgainstVaping with a swift “There

is ZERO evidence “flavors” are “hooking our kids.” No evidence banning flavors reduces teen vaping. Tons of evidence of smokers are more likely to quit with flavors that don’t remind them of tobacco.

Flavor bans have nothing to do with kids.

All about punishing an industry.”

Who actually is looking out not just for smokers but the children on panicked parents? Vapers. We are the pioneers of pushing back against overregulation by government on our industry. I have a feeling the CBD industry is going to need our help with their own fight that will come to their doorstep sooner than they expect.

Some days feel like small victories for vaping and the excitement spreads and invigorates everyone who chose to be an entrepreneur dedicated to helping others quit smoking. While other times feel like in the blink of an eye, we could be left in the center of Chernobyl with no way out.

It’s always an up and down ride but what I will say is this – When it feels like the ride is too scary and we are heading downhill, don’t jump off the ride.

VAPENEWS.com

The FDA is actively pursuing some form of edible or oral lozenge to curb youth nicotine use. ‘Candy’ for kids that some parents will reach out to their child’s pediatrician for a prescription to because they are terrified of nicotine effecting their child’s brain. All because that is what why have been led to believe by government leaders, doctors, and mainstream media.

Anyone else interested in seeing that list of potential side effects?

FEATURES

Why are governing bodies of the UK and New Zealand promoting and encouraging vaping as a tobacco harm reduction method, not fear mongering nicotine and have no zealots screaming out about it?

Why won’t the FDA in the US or TGA in Australia listen or consider their findings in the UK?

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Make no mistake, 2019 is going to be a year of ongoing fighting outside of the threat of elimination from just the FDA. Tobacco21 legislation is appearing in states bills, cities are holding city council meetings during the daytime hours and passing vaping bans with zero notice to the public until after the motion has been passed. Where the forecast was once cloudy, its starting to look gloomy. There is a whole myriad centered around vaping being judged by the court of public opinion and not many listen to what we are pushing back with, outside of our vaping circles. We know that vaping helped us quit

years of tobacco chains, however the rest of the world doesn’t seem to care.

Uwell Crown IV

Worthy of a

Crown?

48 REVIEWS @VAPEMAGAZINE

U

BY NICK GARRITY NICK@VAPEMZ.COM

well is back in full fashion with their flagship tank, the Crown.

This is the fourth iteration of the tank, and in the company’s lifetime, the Crown has usually done very well with critics and consumers alike. But does the Crown IV hit the mark or is it not worthy of a crown?

There are five color options: purple, green, blue, white/ stainless and gold.

The box is comprised of mostly a soft, light plastic with just the door and opposite side being metallic. The box has a small, rectangular, but well-lit screen that provides all your vitals, battery life, wattage, etc.

Let’s start with the basics--the specs.

For the purpose of this review I have the Crown IV Kit, I have seen some places dub it the Checkmate Kit as well.

Pros: Lightweight, matches the Crown IV perfectly, fits comfortable in the hands, display is bright and informative.

Cons: Very cheap feeling, dual 18650, only will match the Crown IV, unreliable chipset.

In the box you get the normal array of spare O-rings, a 6ml bubble glass, as well as two coils, both being of the stainless steel variety. The Crown IV also has an available mesh coil, which is not included in the kit or the tank, these must be bought separately. You will also find the mod, a 200 watt box that boasts a temp control option. This review will be in two parts, the mod and then the tank.

The 200 watt box mod is a palm-size device that accepts two 18650 batteries.

Admittedly, that’s all there is to this box. There aren’t any extra features that make it standout. It looks very nice, but the cheap plastic chassis ruins the aesthetics as soon as it is in hand.

All Photos By Nicholas Garrity

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REVIEWS VAPENEWS.com

50 REVIEWS @VAPEMAGAZINE

The Crown has some very unique and useful features this go around. A standout option is the self-cleaning airflow. Somehow, Uwell manages to design a tank that if juice gets down through the coil head it redeposits it back into the tank. What’s even better about this is that it works, very well.

I purposefully squeezed juice into the center of the coil head to see what this claim was about, there were no leaks, no wet hits, nothing, it was like I never spilled any juice. The tank will hold 5mls of liquid with an optional 6ml bubble glass, that is included. As far as the coil heads go, go mesh. The two different stainless steel coils had very little flavor. The press fit coils are not bad, but the mesh coils allow this tank to really shine.

Pros: Visually stunning, decent juice capacity, exceptional flavor (only with mesh coils), non-

turbulent airflow, easy to clean and assemble, leak resistant.

Cons: Only 510 drip tip compatible, default coils are lackluster, top cap is entirely too loose fitting and requires little to no give to open it up.

All in all, the Crown IV really is a good tank, as long as you use the mesh coils and preferably put it on another device. I had issues with the box mod misreading ohms as well as battery life.

I would recommend just buying the tank, throwing out the stainless-steel coils and replacing them with mesh.

This tank can hold its own that is for certain, but the best available coil head has to be bought separately and the juice volume is passable.

This fourth incarnation of the legacy

of tanks is not tarnished here, I would say give it a shot. Buy the mesh coils, toss it on a reliable mod that you own and enjoy. But the box and stainless coils should just be avoided.

I do feel that the kit would make a wonderful starter kit for a new vaper as it has all the safety features as well as boasting a reliable sturdy device that is not drop resistant but certainly more resilient than other devices I’ve dropped.

If you are an experienced vaper, you will not see the value in this kit.

However, for a new vaper, a leak resistant tank, a simple to use device and press fit coils, might make this Uwell pairing a contender for the best starter kit for people transitioning from smoking to vaping, all in one package.

Uwell did a great job with this tank, made an affordable easy to use kit for smokers and that’s what I care about the most.

You can get the Crown IV, Kit (Checkmate Kit) at your local retailer or online at myuwell.com for $99.99

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REVIEWS VAPENEWS.com

Aspen Mod Co.

Monarch Dual 20700 Parallel Box Mod 52 REVIEWS @VAPEMAGAZINE

T

BY CHRIS MELLIDES CHRIS@VAPEMZ.COM

he Monarch from Colorado-based manufacturer Aspen Mod Co. is an American-made and hand finished mechanical box mod that supports two 20700 batteries running in parallel.

These devices are released in small batches with great attention paid to each step of the manufacturing process, resulting in some of the most functional and beautiful mods this reviewer has seen in quite some time.

The Monarch is fashioned out of stabilized wood and resin, so no two mods look exactly alike. Each device is uniquely its own and what’s interesting is that rather than serializing each mod Aspen Mod Co. chooses to name their devices instead. For example, the device

currently being reviewed is called “Skol”.

Other names used in the past have included “Candice”, “Ghost” and “Riley” and this practice of assigning names rather than serial numbers is a nice touch and goes to show just how much love goes into creating these devices—from sourcing materials to building and polishing, there’s a lot of care and effort put into each and every Monarch.

As mentioned, the primary body of the Monarch is fashioned out of a block of stabilized wood and colored resin and is machined to give it uniform rounded edges that feel very ergonomic and comfortable to the touch. The body of the Monarch is hand-sanded and hand polished and this level of craftsmanship definitely shows.

The device’s firing button is crafted from the same blank used to create

53 REVIEWS VAPENEWS.com

All Photos By Chris Mellides

continuous use, the problem seems to have worked itself out.

Keep in mind that this mod is generally lightweight and could be damaged if dropped. The brass upper assembly adds some heft to the device to be sure and when batteries are installed along with an atomizer, the Monarch feels substantial.

Just handle it with care.

Device performance is excellent.

Depending on your build you’ve got a good amount of battery life to play with and building lower is something that’s far more forgiving since you’ve got two cells sharing the same amp load.

54

the body of the mod and only adds to the cool aesthetic. The button is magnetic and surprisingly has a very nice tactile feel that clicks with each press.

REVIEWS

I’ve never experienced a single misfire.

The button is very responsive and is an absolute pleasure to use.

@VAPEMAGAZINE

A nicely machined and polished brass upper assembly features a self-adjusting Varitube V2 510 connection which ensures that most all of your 510-threaded atomizers will screw down and sit flush. In my experience, any atomizer over 25mm in diameter will run the risk of hanging over the edges of the assembly. So, 24mm and 25mm attys look best on the Monarch.

The brass upper assembly slides off for easy access to the dual battery compartment. Once your 20700 batteries are installed, simply line up the brass assembly with the two tracks machined into the top of the main body and push until you hear a click. Lastly, attach your RDA and you’re good to go.

Something worth mentioning is that the tolerances of your battery compartments might be a little tight, as was the case with Skol. Getting the batteries in and out of the device proved difficult at first, but with

I typically use a 0.12 ohm dual coil build, which is my go-to build type for mechanical mods and this particular build positively cooks on the Monarch.

This is thanks in no small part to the solid copper contacts worked into the device.

I get great performance, like what you’ve come to expect from a single 20700 mechanical tube mod, but with double the battery life in a great-looking package the Monarch is hard to beat.

It’s clear to this reviewer that the Monarch is not intended for the general vaper and is instead focused on satisfying a niche market of seasoned vapers and collectors in the community. By now the reason for this should be obvious—the Monarch is high-end, and so it comes with a price tag that reflects that.

The Monarch mod sells for $425.

At the end of the day, that’s an expensive purchase, but what you’re getting is a very well-performing American-made device that oozes personality, is carefully crafted and allows for a satisfying vape experience overall.

Keep your eyes glued to the aspenmodco Instagram page for batch release updates, and to purchase your very own Monarch visit: www.aspenmodco.com

Purge Mods

Back To Basics V4 58

Mechanical Tube Mod

REVIEWS

BY CHRIS MELLIDES CHRIS@VAPEMZ.COM

@VAPEMAGAZINE

T

he Back To Basics V4 is the latest addition to Purge Mods’ budget line of products. Borrowing some of its design cues from popular, albeit more expensive Purge devices, the B2B V4 does so without compromising on quality or performance.

The first thing you’ll notice when handling a B2B V4 is just how hefty and solid it feels. The body of the mod measures 29mm in diameter and tapers to 28.5mm at the top where you’ll find a 510 threaded hybrid connection.

This means that you can get away with using just about any atomizer you want, but if it’s smaller than 25mm in diameter it will leave a noticeable lip.

Although, I do believe that Purge Mods

will be releasing a dedicated 28.5mm dripper in the near future.

Ventilation holes line the outside of the tube below your atomizer and add an extra layer of safety in the unlikely event that you should vent your battery.

Deep CNC engravings of a skull and the ‘V4’ distinction adorn the lower portion of the tube and really add to the cool aesthetic.

What’s also nice about the B2B V4 is that in addition to accommodating a single 18650 battery (with the included black delrin battery adapter) 20700 and 21700 battery types are also supported.

This is huge since more and more users have been moving towards bigger batteries and now, they’ve got a budget mod that can handle them.

59 REVIEWS VAPENEWS.com

All Photos By Chris Mellides

60 REVIEWS @VAPEMAGAZINE

Three strong magnets can be found housed in an updated switch assembly and offer a good amount of resistance each time the device’s firing button is pressed. The tension you get with the three magnets can be dialed back for an easier throw by simply removing one of the two smaller magnets housed in the switch.

on this product is virtually flawless and the general machining and overall construction is as high quality as it gets.

The switch is adjustable and can be tightened to eliminate battery rattle, which is something you see in just about all Purge tube mods that have been released over the years—taking up slack is made stupid simple.

The firing button is smooth and super responsive and has yet to misfire, the B2B V4 looks amazing, hits hard and is definitely more affordable.

As you might well imagine, being an American-made mod coming from a company you can trust in, the threading

Performance is what you’ve come to expect from a Purge Mods’ product.

Your mileage will vary, but a 0.12 ohm dual coil build positively cooks, and might give some of my more expensive Purge mods a run for their money.

There are no real faults with this device. Because it accepts taller 21700 batteries, the mod itself is built taller to accommodate them, so that might be off-putting to some, but that’s just nitpicking.

The B2B V4 is a huge win in my book. Great performance, killer design with some smart engravings all at an affordable price. If you’re on the fence, you might as well just pull the trigger on one.

As with all Purge purchases, your mod will come packaged in a hard shell carrying case with spares and a certificate of authenticity.

The B2B V4 is available in: Brass, Copper, Murdered Out Copper and a Titanium Blue Brass starting at $160.

You can find this device in all of its different finishes at: www.localvape.com

FREE TO INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS ONLY

CBDMAGAZINE.com/FREE

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EVENTS

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Oklahoma City 2019

T

BY ANGELA GARRITY ANGELA@VAPEMZ.COM

he weekend encompassing January 26 and 27 was quit day for hundreds in the heartland all thanks to Vapers Carnivale. The expo took Oklahoma City by storm and 150 smokers gave up years of their big tobacco habit on Saturday alone.

Vapers Carnivale is a show “for smokers by vapers.” The dedication to this focus by the core team consisting of Ronnie Everett, Jonathan May and Mark Byrd holds steadfast and true.

Aspire supplied the starter kits to easily help smokers make the switch to their newfound vape life.

Advocacy had a heavy presence with CASAA, SFATA, BEAA, THR4Life and Vaping Advocates of Oklahoma all available and diligently speaking with convention goers about their efforts, their organizations and the future of vaping.

The Vape Radio stage area was the heartbeat of the expo and attendees were able to meet and mingle with Vape Radio DJ’s and

63

Ambassadors, such as James Jarvis, led groups of smokers through the convention and armed them with education and information about what vaping is, how it can help them kick the habit, introduced them to an

entire new world of advocacy, entertainment, comradery and life.

EVENTS VAPENEWS.com

personalities such as The Rodman, Scotty, Thick Nick, Bubba, Captain Nasty, Kloud Kween, Saturn Killed and Klowne. This was made possible by the generosity of Cloud Chasers Apothecary who sponsored Vape Radio’s presence at the two-day event.

Former Winston Man, David Goerlitz, hopped up onstage and dropped his truth on the attendees about how vaping is a viable alternative in tobacco harm reduction efforts, why advocacy matters, the lies spread by Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, the FDA and his own, personal realities about vaping.

A Billion Lives director, Aaron Biebert, was one of the many guests present and took the audience by surprise with his announcement of a new project in the works called “You Don’t Know Nicotine.”

Vapers Carnivale is an expo that shouldn’t be missed. It is a grassroots gathering organized by a few for the sake of millions of lives. Catch the next one in Chattanooga, Tennessee this June.

64 EVENTS @VAPEMAGAZINE

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EVENTS

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EVENTS

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68

The Barometer of the Vape Space

EVENTS

BY NORM BOUR NORM@VAPEMENTORS.COM

@VAPEMAGAZINE

January 2019 marked the third year anniversary of the first Vape Shop Event (VSE) and the most recent Scottsdale event proved that this process is one of the best indicators of the state of the market.

W

hen the market was in the doldrums just prior to August 8, 2016, that specific VSE mirrored the concern in the marketplace. Everyone was in a malaise and the mood was bleak.

Since then, and many events later, the industry is up and running and seemingly firing on all cylinders.

This format, called “speed dating for business�, involves 29 sellers/ manufacturers housed in a beautiful hotel resort room. In this case the classy, yet casual, Scottsdale Plaza Resort.

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VAPENEWS.com

partner up and co-brand their own products together, above and beyond what they came in with.

Several of the vendors no longer bother with booth shows any more. Yan Gleyzer from Vape Guys is one of them.

“Why should I bother?” he asked. “I can train my team to be here for one and a half days, meet with 25 or so buyers and we can generate tens of thousands of dollars in volume.

I won’t need to attend anymore since they can handle it all.”

Many of the vendors attending had such good results that they signed up and committed to becoming a Platinum Sponsor, which means four shows during the year.

Vape Craft is a Platinum member and we connect at every show.

“We always go home happy,” said Ben Osmanson, “and we will probably phase out of booth shows this year.”

The Flat World One of the benefits of the Vape Shop Events format is

70

Every 20 minutes a new buyer comes in, they sit and talk behind closed doors and they hash out a deal. There is little room for pretense or glamor and the distractions are few, unlike a conventional booth show environment.

EVENTS

The buyers represent large retail chains, wholesalers or distributors. And they have the ability to buy a lot of product.

@VAPEMAGAZINE

We asked a first time attendee, a Midwest buyer from a large 100 plus chain of vape shops what his budget was, and if he expected to stick with it.

He confessed, “My wife (and partner) told me to not go crazy, but I will end up spending half a million dollars in the next two days.”

Meals are shared three times a day in a beautiful setting and true friendships and bondings form. Many vapreneurs

71

the ability to connect with overseas buyers. At this most recent event, buyers from South Africa, France and South America attended looking for high quality juice, which is still led by US manufacturers.

EVENTS @VAPEMAGAZINE

Last August VSE held their first international event in Madrid, Spain, and this year will see the launch of the second and the third in March 2019 and in August 2019, both at the beautiful Palace Hotel in Madrid. They are also looking at locations (venues) in the Middle East, South America, and Asia, specifically, China.

“Finding venues that allow smoking or vaping is a real challenge,” confessed Mike Sessoms, one of the event promoters and owners.

“In the United States it is getting difficult, and that limits where we hold events.”

72

Along with the general mood and amount of business conducted at the Scottsdale event, two prime indicators were also noteworthy.

And nic salts? They were also everywhere with most manufacturers of any size offering these products.

These are potentially challenging times for nic salts since none of them were registered prior to the deeming regulations and JUUL has become a lightning rod for media attention and criticism. There is talk of restricting the nicotine content which would impact this market severely.

The FDA continues to be undermanned, made worse by the Federal strike that is taking place as this review is being written. Until that works itself out, the vape industry will flaunt the rules and gain the attention of many critics.

For information on upcoming Vape Shop Events in Madrid, Spain, Tampa, Florida, or Park City, Utah, contact Mike Sessoms: mike@ssegroupllc.com.

Norm Bour is the founder of VapeMentors and creator of the VAPE U and Vape Shop Certification online programs.

They offer services & resources for anyone in the vape space, including vape shops, online stores and e-liquid brands and work internationally with an office in Europe.

He’s also the host of Vape Radio, the largest vaping radio show in the world with more than 1.3M downloads.

Contact him at norm@VapeMentors.com

VAPENEWS.com

The winners will prevail as they continue to portray their unique and competitive positions.

EVENTS

CBD continues to increase in popularity and almost every vape company offers a CBD line, usually white labeled from another source. They are getting on the bandwagon, to coin a clichĂŠ, and what we see before our eyes is Vape 2.0, where everyone in the world is joining a very niche market.

Presented by:

Sponsored by:

Vape Shop Events April 28th-30th, 2019

Saddlebrook Resort & Spa Tampa, Florida

Gilley@SSEGroupLLC.com Nick@SSEGroupLLC.com Mike@VapeShopEvents.com (877) 220-9502

www.ssegroupllc.com

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76 BUYER’S GUIDE

Artery and Tony B. PAL 2 AIO Starter Kit

@VAPEMAGAZINE

The latest entry device in the pod system market from hardware manufacturer Artery is anything but ordinary. The PAL 2 was made in collaboration with Artery and Tony B. and promises a truly intuitive and satisfying vaping experience. Utilizing a durable high quality aluminum 6063 chassis that houses a 1000 mAh rechargeable battery, the PAL 2 maintains a sleek minimalistic design.

An LED battery life indicator is a welcome feature for this device and a MicroUSB charging port is easily accessible and works great.

www.elementvape.com

Cloudy Collaborations Inc. 25mm Strife RDA An absolute monster down to its core, the highly anticipated Strife RDA has arrived. It features three unique airflow sleeves giving users an optimal way of dialing in their preferred draw. Also included are three unique large bore drip tips for added customization. This atomizer has a dual-purpose deck design which will allow users the option of using either a clamp-style build deck or a Velocity style deck. Machining here is top notch and overall construction is excellent. The Strife RDA is available in the following finishes: Manaburn, Blue, Black, Purple Splatter, Red, Copper, Green and Brass. $60.00 – $65.00

www.cloudycollabs.com

www.rogueusamod.com

Pulse Dual 220W Box Mod The Pulse 220 watt box mod is a collaborative effort between Vandy Vape and Tony B. and is an updated version of the original regulated Pulse squonker. The new device houses two 18650 batteries, for a longer lasting vaping experience and added power for those that need it. While this mod is designed to be used with two batteries, it’s still compact and feels great in the hand. In fact, Vandy Vape claims that this device is one of the smallest dual 18650 squonk devices released to date. $79.95

www.vapordna.com

VAPENEWS.com

This American made mod oozes quality and raw power, but above all, it’s been manufactured with safety in mind. The RAINMAKER was designed to allow for a seamless battery swap between either a single 18650 or a single 20700 battery.

In the unlikely event that a battery should vent, the RAINMAKER is designed to safely release the energy through proper ventilation.

ROGUE USA has also incorporated the use of a proprietary, heat-treated stainless steel alloy spring for a recessed button and smooth, short throw. $440.00

Vandy Vape and Tony B.

BUYER’S GUIDE

The RAINMAKER

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ROGUE USA

Geekvape 78

Baron 24mm BF RDA

BUYER’S GUIDE @VAPEMAGAZINE

The Baron RDA from Geekvape measures 24mm in diameter and is squonk-ready. It features a notched external locking cap and a multifunctional internal airflow system that both work together in total unison. The build deck of the Baron features a dual post single terminal configuration and boasts a 6mm deep juice well. Along with the Baron RDA, expect to find two drip tips, a 7mm bore resin drip tip, and an 8mm bore PEI drip tip. The RDA is constructed out of 304 Stainless Steel and is available in a number of colors, which include: Black, Blue, Gold, Gun Metal, Purple, Rainbow and Stainless Steel. $29.99

www.vapesourcing.com

Wotofo and Suck My Mod Serpent Elevate 24mm RTA The Serpent Elevate 24mm RTA is the end product of a collaboration between Wotofo and Suck My Mod and integrates all of the standout features of the heralded Serpent atomizer line. Expect to find an elevated postless build deck and a solid top airflow design. The airflow is directed underneath and to the side of your coil which produces exceptional flavor. Standard capacity for the tank is 3.5 ml, but you’ll have the option of upgrading to a 4.5 ml bubble glass that does come included. $29.95

www.elementvape.com

FREE TO INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS ONLY

CBDMAGAZINE.com/FREE

ris Mellides

Compiled By Ch

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Naturally like any other. un r vo fla o truest tobacco cc A toba ide one of the ov pr to rs ga n ci sh of bourbon REAL Nicaragua ste. Add a spla ta er ev ill w ing. u ds yo now we’re talk flavored e-liqui to the mix and ble. la l pricing is avai 60ml and 120m .c rs om www.slawvapo

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WILD CARD LEO

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A perfect parf ait. Fresh rasp berries give w yogurt envelo ay to a smoo ped in a cinn th vanilla amon crumbl present in th e finish. Hints e inhale mak of granola are ing for an inte and tasty flavo resting r profile. www.twelveva por.com

86 BUYER’S GUIDE

S C I N SALT DRAGON ShSAijinLTVaNpoICr from

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cake topped lemon pound d ke ba g in er outhwat This product Dragon is a m wdered sugar. po d an e az gl mon d devices and with a savory le e in pod-base us r fo d ne sig ion. Nicotine is specifically de s. Use with caut er riz po va ut mg. available in 50 other low outp concentrations or.com www.shijinvap

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WWW.BORDO2.US EACH ORIGIN SALT BOTTLE COMES IN 30ML WITH 20MG OR 40 MG OF SALT NICOTINE FOR A BETTER VAPING EXPERIENCE MANUFACTURED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BY CRFT LABS