VAPE Magazine June 2015 by Matt Schramel

NEWS, BUSINESS & CULTURE VAPE Magazine is the only international vaping industry focused magazine with more than 35,000 readership in the United States, Europe and Asia, where vaping professionals find the latest news, products and trends. EDITORIAL Editor in Chief Alyssa Stahr content@vapemz.com 800-958-6427 x2 Executive Editor Laura Batty Art Director Van Avanzado Graphic Designers Joe Buehner, Laura Camp, Matt Ritzenthaler Webmaster Axel Gillespie

letter from the editor Communication never has been a one-way street. Consistent dialogue, feedback and courtesy, I believe, are some of the top keys to effective open communication. As the editor of VAPE, I don’t necessarily consider myself a member of the “media,” at least when it comes to the media our industry feels is battling against our cause (except for when I had to pay for WiFi at a recent event in order to promote said event). VAPE has and always will strive for and promote vapers’ rights, culture, business and news. One of our most exhaustive investigative pieces debuts in this issue: Legislative 50. Myself and our trusty executive assistant, Erin Hedrick, scoured the country for information about legislation in all 50 states. However, the important piece of this puzzle was communication. We called shops in each state to get your opinion about the current state of affairs, how it’s affecting your stores and what you’d like to see changed in the future. Some results surprised me. A lot of stores refused to speak with the “media,” even when hearing about the allimportant topic we were discussing. Some stores sent us straight to their corporate offices, which ironically is exactly the hoop that a lot of legislators make vapers who want to be heard jump through. Erin was even hung up on once. However, the majority of people had a ton of points to communicate. Vendors want to fight. They want to save their businesses. They want to be responsible owners. They want to help you quit smoking. I am here to remind you, the readers, that VAPE is and will always be a two-way street. I invite you to call me, email me, write me a letter to the editor. Each voice in our industry is powerful, and we must speak up and speak out to preserve what we have worked so hard to build. Happy reading.

MAGAZINE

ADMINISTRATIVE Chief Executive Officer Matt Schramel Chief Operating Officer Alyssa Stahr Vice President Jon Laverde National Event Coordinator Alyssa Stahr Executive Assistant Erin Hedrick ADVERTISING Mike Schramel, mike@vapemz.com 800-958-6427 x1 Jon Laverde, jon@vapemz.com 800-958-6427 x4 Jacob Barger, jacob@vapemz.com Tim Artz, tim@vapemz.com 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 Employment jobs@vapemz.com

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Contributors Steffanie Atkins, Norm Bour, Dave Cross, Bryan Gateb, Nick Green, Jan Halili, Erin Hedrick, Leigh Oates, Susan Oser, Tony Ottomanelli, Arvid Sollom, Maria Verven

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table of contents Columns

59 The VAPE Meet Scene: Vapor Hot

87 Malice Doll Sends Edgy,

61 Scenic Vapers #CloudCheck

67 VAPE Vixen

90 Mods On Mods

114 VAPE Talks Shop: The Vapor Room

96 VAPE Investigates: Legislative 50

Positive Vaping Message

118 Vapenet Hosts PuterGeek

Features

and LASD Channel East, West Coast

17 On the Road Again:

Through Own Voices

A Vapor Association Tour Update

Mastering the Vape Space

Vape Shop of the Month:

Events

24 Crowd Chasers

Waldo Vapes

33 #NotATradeShow: VapeBash 4

26 Let’s Ask GrimmGreen

46 19-Year-Old Entrepreneur Leads

30 Vaping From the Outside

E-Liquid Revolution

Mod of the Month

The Billet Box

106 Eurozoned

76 ECig East Coast: The UN of Vaping

Departments 20 VAPE Visionary 36 VAPE Talks Shop: Vapure 44 Juice Judge

The O.C. Vaper’s Meet

105 Vapecation Prepares to Set Sail 111 Everything’s Bigger at

Five Pawns Grandmasters of the E-Liquid Game

VAPE Photo Spread

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79 There’s WHAT In My E-Liquid? 82 The Lies Told By Our Mods

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The Vapor Shop in Denver, Colorado (left to right) Jim Root with Store Manager Andrew

By Alyssa Stahr Photos courtesy of Jim Root The Vapor Association is an organization for vape retailers across the United States. A goal of the Association is to conduct research to identify trends in the industry and then create programs to benefit retailers. Jim Root took his research on the open road in Houston on Nov. 9, taking a look at the brick and mortar industry across the United States, with the aim of identifying regional trends and determining the most pressing needs for retailers across the country. As of press time, Root has made his way through the Salt Lake City region, visiting shops in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. The tour will head to Arizona next and finish up in Los Angeles. VAPE: Tell me about some standouts since we last spoke. What are shops doing right? Root: I have been very impressed with the passion and drive retailers are showing in such a new and volatile industry; everyone wants to improve and give the best service they can to customers—but there are a couple shops that are doing a GREAT job.

iVape - Salt Lake City, Utah This store located just south of Salt Lake City has put a tremendous amount of time and attention into EVERY detail of their store. The tasting bar, the coil building station and the product area are all well stocked, staffed by amazing people and the atmosphere is inviting and clean. I often suggest other stores look to them as an example of one of the best stores in the country. Clouds the Limit - Seattle, Wash. This shop is an example of focus and service to a small niche of the vape community. Located just north of Seattle, they have created an atmosphere that is clearly for the advanced user, and they have everything a cloud chaser will need—amazing coil builders and e-liquid lines that cater to the largest clouds. VAPE: On the flip side, without mentioning names, what are some things that shops are doing wrong? Root: It seems like the majority of mistakes in vape shops is a combination of the immaturity of our industry and also the lack of business experience by the owners. The biggest mistakes I have seen are easily solved with a little hard work —stores that do not have knowledgeable staff, a dirty retail environment, poor lighting and a lack of selection of products.

VAPE: The tour comes to an end soon. Do you have a ballpark on how many shops you’ve visited on the tour? Root: I sat down a few nights ago and started listing all the shops I have visited and I surprised even myself—I have personally walked into more than 1,000 shops covering 35 states on the tour. VAPE: You no doubt have a ton of data compiled. Can you tell us a little more about your plans with what you’ve learned? Root: I have so much data it is a little difficult to quantify, but I will try! I expect to have a complete report within a couple months to share with retailers and the vape community. I have developed a number of metrics about vapor retailers in order to make the data a little easier to manage. It is my hope that accurate information about our industry will help us dispel some of the misinformation that is circulating through the mainstream media and also government. Data points will include: average shop size, age of shop, No. of product lines they carry, average revenue and customer traffic (total number of customers, age and type). Although this only is scratching the surface, it should give us a good place to start. VAPE: What does the future hold for The Vapor Association? Any other big projects coming up? Root: The future looks exciting and scary (for the industry and The Association alike). Since no one can tell for certainty what the future will look like, we will continue to gather data and work directly with retailers to find ways to protect and build the retail environment. One thing we have learned from the tour is the need for regional representation and influence. The Vapor Association will be moving forward with several satellite offices to better service retailers and gather information about the industry. Our next big project will be to identify e-liquid manufacturers from around the country; we met several amazing companies that are not getting the kind of exposure they deserve, and we want to make retailers aware of the local options they have for purchasing the products they need. If e-liquid manufacturers want to be included in our program, they can contact me Jim@TheVaporAssociation.com or or call (866) 365-0173.

MAGAZINE

(left to right) Regional Sales Manager John and Jim Root

waiting

for ok

Photos by CJ Johnson from vWo Chris Freeze’s path to becoming a vaper is similar to a lot of people. He tried Blu e-cigs in 2009, mainly because North Carolina had passed the “no smoking inside” law, which was about to go into effect. He wanted to be able to stay inside, but the Blu e-cigs didn’t work for him. He tried a few eGo kits over the years until early 2013, when his best friend Mooch, who had been off cigarettes for about a year, told him that he needed to stop playing and vape. “Our buddy and (TVA) show guest Charles suggested a ProVari and a Vivi Nova. So, armed with that device and Peach Green Tea on the Rocks from Pink Spot, I finally quit smoking for good,” Freeze said. Freeze has gone through many devices. Currently he runs a DoubleDee OK-L Chip in a VaperSlam edition box and a Chump Box Raptor VaperSlam edition. Those are when he leaves the house. He works from home, so he mainly uses his VapeMania 14 edition MastMod Mini with a VapeWell atty. “I use mostly VapeWell attys (top cap air flow), and I love them,” he said. “Recently I grabbed two Arctic tanks and have been using those as well. Juice wise I am a Polar Bear fanatic (Grizzly Vapes/Steammonkey), but my other two current obsessions are Hedon’s Bite from NJoy’s Artist Collection and Cinndrix from Karmic Vapor.” Freeze and Mooch’s TVA Show has been renamed to Totally Vaping Awesome. The show reached more than 250,000 listens last year, and the pair started a video show, which can be seen at www.thetvashowlive.com. “We have funny concepts, we believe, and people dug it. We are considering doing them periodically, but we won’t be returning to the every single week format,” Freeze said. As far as the show itself, after expanding to two shows a week, they’ve been working on coming up with some new bits with people’s favorite characters. As always, the TVA Show will keep being an entertainment show first, performed by two guys who vape, sponsored by vape businesses; but Freeze’s goal is to take his comedy to the actual stand up world and see how it goes on stage.

On the serious side, Freeze said the No. 1 issue with vaper is how spread thin they are in regard to efforts to fighting bans and regulations, meaning way too many different organizations asking for money. “Together we stand, divided we fall. I’m on team media, meaning one of our organizations needs to step up and say, ‘We want money for PR/GR firms and we need it now,’” he said. “I want to see a clear goal and a message on billboards and commercials. Tobacco is beating us because it has completely curved the public perception to equate what we do to smoking, and if the public believes that it’s the same, they will champion the bans and regulations.” Freeze said that also understands politics happen on golf courses and through greasing palms; but our industry doesn’t even have the money to do ads in Time Magazine, because no one is doing it. “If I could, I would helm the project, but my plate is very full. And, my form of activism is in a different realm. The first organization who comes forward with a media blitz/PR plan, I will back that 100 percent,” he said. “I also understand that our niche is one percent of the one percent, that 95 percent of the industry is cigalike customers from gas stations who won’t be affected by anything the FDA and local government is proposing, so it’s tough to make them care, let alone educate them.”

NotBlowingSmoke.org is a great idea, according to Freeze. “Put it on the billboard with simple text: ‘Tobacco is Lying to You about Vaping. Find out why.’ Then put the website. We don’t need huge production and such, but we need to do something media based,” he said. As for being a personality in the industry and feeling a responsibility as a role model, Freeze said that when people shake his hand at a convention and thank him, it means the world to him. “I never really thought that I have to watch my actions, but I guess that is important, because in my town being the guy who’s partly behind the conventions means some sort of recognition,” Freeze said. “If I can be a role model, I hope it’s for people to say: ‘I want to do a podcast,’ or, ‘I want to do a meet/convention in my area,’ or simply, ‘I want to make money doing my dream.’” Freeze said if the can be a role model to those people, then that is satisfying to him. If by saying what he and Mooch says on the TVA Show somehow inspires someone to do something to better themselves, then that makes it worth it. In addition, VapeMania 15 (www.vapemaniacon.com), the third of its kind, is coming Sept. 4-6. VapeMania 14 was voted third best in Guide to Vaping last year, and VaperSlam this past March crushed that convention. Freeze said that they have huge plans, the first and foremost is to finally attached the brand to the very thing the convention names suggest. Not only is it going to be more than 50,000 sq. ft. of convention space with more than 100 vendors, VapeMania 15 is free to attend for those 18 and over and will be a three-day convention with three hours a day devoted to B2B.

“We have also worked out a deal and partnered with PWX Wrestling. They will be utilizing the upstairs part of the entire building to put on wrestling shows throughout the weekend. I’m trying to convince them to let CJ and Andrew from vWo (who are trained wrestlers) do a match to bring that co-promotion full circle,” Freeze said. “Southern people love wrestling. Southern people have a higher per capita of smokers, who happen to love wrestling. By partnering with PWX we are going to be cross promoting in their TV commercials, radio and with their shows leading up to our event.” VapeMania 15 is five miles from RJR’s headquarters, and Freeze wants to “shove it all up in RJR’s face when we pack out the city with vapers from around the world.” Freeze feels that theirs is a revolutionary design inside of vaping, as they are branching out into another subculture. “When we named our conventions VapeMania and VaperSlam, people kinda laughed it off and didn’t understand how the wrestling world works. But, we have been approached by so many people who get it; and now we get to finally bring those two things together: vaping and wrestling,” he said. “You can come to VapeMania 15 and not see any wrestling whatsoever, but if you want to it’s there, and just another way to entertain you.”

Mastering

the Vape Space

By Norm Bour

Secrets to Running a Successful Vape Shop

Some pockets of the country have a particularly high density of vape shops. It’s no surprise that Southern California, Ground Zero of the vaping movement, is home to hundreds of vape shops.

“Stores are closing, not due to saturation, but because of badbusiness practices,” Jim Root, president of The Vapor Association, said. Root has been visiting vape shops across the country, gathering information about the regional differences between retailers and gaining a better understanding of the issues facing brick and mortar shops.

But Oklahoma City, Okla. is home to a staggering 300-plus shops, despite the fact that there’s only about a million people in the entire metro area. Back in October 2013, when I talked with the owners of Vapor Hub, they complained there were about 70 to 80 shops. So there’s been four-fold increase in 18 months. Just as in any other city, some will excel and some will fail.

“If we look at any other industry, we are in line with most,” Root said. “But since we’ve seen explosive growth, the ones that close are noticeable.”

It All Starts with Good Customer Service Successful vape shops do several things right. Here’s a list of three areas that must be done right for a vape shop to succeed:

The number of vape shops has escalated from an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 shops in 2013 to between 6,000 and 8,000 shops, according to various trade directories.

Customer Service: Customer acquisition, service and retention are paramount in the vaping industry, since we’re helping people switch from an insidious habit and teaching them how to use these new devices. Customer service starts when you walk into the shop to the way you’re treated during the sales process. Many shops forget all about customer follow-up, but it should be the first step in your customer retention strategy.

The vaping industry is not for wimps. A few years ago you might have been able to succeed with a half-baked plan, but those days are gone. Shops are closing and everyone has excuses, but what are the real reasons?

But, this growth is slowing down and there actually could be a drop this year. “I see huge consolidation and a drop in the number of stores over the next few years,” Michael Guasch, CEO of Molecule Labs, said. Guasch predicts that the consolidation will affect the oversaturated e-liquid market, as well as brick and mortar stores. “It’s easy to blame competition,” Root said, “But we don’t hear Pepsi complaining about competition from Coke, do we?” Successful Shops Across the Country Since November 2014, Root has met with more than 600 shops in 37 states. He’s now nearing the end of his cross-country tour. We asked him to share some noteworthy shops that are doing well and the reason for their success. In each case, they carved out a unique niche: RU Vaping, near Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J., is a great example of customer service enhanced by technology. Using an ultrasound machine (for about $100), they clean every mod and RDA they work on. “For the cost of the machine, they’re stepping up well beyond normal customer service,” Root said. Smoke Alternative is a shop just for beginners. No mods, no high-end devices. Just starter kits and e-liquids, and lots of them. Their goal is to help cigarette smokers make the switch, and they’re crushing it in Pittsburgh, Penn. At the other extreme is the Charlotte, N.C.based The Art of Vape, which only carries only high-end mods and high quality e-liquids. No starter kits, no

beginners, just aficionados in this shop. They are also doing extremely well in their 2,000-square-foot shop that converts to a lounge on weekends.

Adequate Inventory: Shops actually will close due to lack of inventory or improper product selection. Starting with the list of products that will sell the best, VapeMentors also can make recommendations on which distributors to work with that can easily fix this problem. If money is an issue, we can even help you secure financing. Proper Branding & Positioning: In the eyes of the public, every vape shop is the same. But the unique vape shop examples listed above disproves that assumption. Every shop should develop their competitive position and then brand and market it strategically. In this issue of VAPE, be sure to read about the latest Vape Shop of the Month, Waldo Vapes, in Waldo, Mo. They excel in all of these areas. The vape space is generous to vapreneurs willing to listen and learn, but unforgiving of novices. This may well be the year when we’ll see a huge shakeout and a drop in the number of vape space businesses. Those left standing will be the ones that get it right. Norm Bour is the founder of VapeMentors, which offers online educational programs, services and resources for anyone in the vape space, including vape shops, online stores and e-liquid brands. He’s also host of Vape Radio, a podcast series that interviews the masters of vape and thought leaders in the vape space. Contact him at norm@VapeMentors.com.

Crowd Chasers: How to

in the Vape Space

Sticky Strategies:

How to Retain Loyal Customers

By Maria Verven

Getting just one customer to walk into your “shop” (I use the word loosely to cover both online and brick and mortar shops) can be extremely expensive and time-consuming. In my April column, I outlined several strategies successful vape space businesses are using to attract new customers. Since any business that sells vaping products can’t use Google Adwords or Facebook advertising, many have turned to special events and social media to generate sales. Driving new traffic to your shop is just the beginning. Once there, a new customer may take up to an hour of staff time learning how to use vaping hardware and experimenting with different brands and flavors of e-liquids. Translate all this into dollars and cents, and you’ve spent at least $100 per customer getting him or her into your shop and teaching how to use the devices. All this time and money will go down the drain unless you have a solid strategy to retain customers by offering incentives and good reasons to visit your store again. Don’t Forget to Follow Up David Collins, owner of the e-liquid manufacturer California Vaping Company, was curious. Also owner of a marketing company for real estate agents called Real Estate Marketing, Collins successfully has created marketing campaigns for hundreds of agents, helping them make more than $10 billion in sales. Collins conducted a little experiment to see if vape shops were following up with their customers. He paid anonymous visits to seven vape shops, spending about $100 in each store. Only three of the seven stores followed up. “The personal touch was just killer,” Collins said after the employees from those three shops called to ask him how the devices were working and if he had any questions. “In the world of marketing, it takes at least eight contacts with a product to create brand awareness,” Collins said. “Following up via text, e-mail or even snail mail not just once but several times will build a more loyal following and can make a significant impact on your bottom line.” In most cases, Collins said vape shops don’t ask for customers’ contact information, so they’re unable to follow up with customers after their purchase or lure them back to the store with deals and discounts. This is a huge missed opportunity, Collins said. “Vape shops should encourage or entice customers to at least give them their e-mail addresses so they can follow

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up with them,” Collins said. “But the trick with e-mail is you don’t want to overdo it,” he said, adding that the ideal e-mail frequency is about once a week. Since e-mail is so ubiquitous, vape shops can cut through the clutter by sending postcards or a newsletter via snail mail, or using SMS (short message service) to send text messages promoting store specials. “Let’s say you start carrying a new e-liquid brand or a new flavor. Or better yet: you keep track of which brands and flavors your customer purchased,” Collins said. “You could send a text alerting them when you’re offering a special discount on the brands and flavors they prefer.” Unique E-Liquid Lines: A Key Retention Strategy Developing a unique e-liquid line that’s only available in your shop is a key strategy many vape shops are using to retain their customers. Otherwise, customers may Google the brand name of the e-liquid they bought at your store to see if they can find it cheaper elsewhere. But if they can only buy that special yummy flavor from you, they’ll keep coming back to your shop over and over again to replenish their supply. Thanks to a unique partnership between VapeMentors, which offers educational programs and resources for vape space businesses, and California Vaping Company, anyone, regardless of budget or experience, can easily develop their own line of e-liquids. “It’s important not to have any more than six flavors of any one brand, because a customer will decide they like or don’t like a brand based on just one or two flavors,” Collins said. The more brands of e-liquids the better, he advised. However, Collins cautions against creating a brand of e-liquids with the vape shop’s name. “Think about it: when you go into a grocery store and see the grocery store name on a product, you immediately assume it’s the low-cost brand,” he said. An e-liquid branded with the vape shop name also limits distribution, since other vape shops won’t want to promote a competitor’s e-liquid line. Creating a brand is easier said than done, Collins said, adding that the most important consideration is identifying and appealing to a certain target market. “If your target market is a 40-something-year-old guy, consider what music they were listening to when they were most impressionable—18 to 20 years old,” Collins said. “For me, it was Led Zeppelin. So a brand called Zeppelin Vapes would really appeal to me.” For more information on the best practices in creating a line of e-liquids, visit www.VapeMentors.com. The original Vaping VampTM, Maria Verven is partner and chief marketing mentor of VapeMentors.com.

By Nick Green

Photo by Metal Jeff

How does NamberJuice plan on dealing with the upcoming FDA deeming regulations? And how do you see the regulations affecting the industry as a whole? -Alex Hey Alex. The climate of the industry is certainly changing. Obviously, NamberJuice is doing everything we can to stay ahead of the curve. We already produce our liquids in a worldclass, AEMSA-certified, ISO 9001:2008 clean lab. We practice GMPS, and our liquids are tested by a third-party facility on a regular basis. Additionally, all our bottles come in tamper-evident and childproof packaging, including childproof caps. Which, in this day and age, is a no-brainer, in my opinion. The worrisome part of the proposed FDA regulations is that they want to ban things like fruity flavors and flavors that appeal to children. What we’re doing, in addition to what NamberJuice and other juice manufacturers are doing, is educating the public. To make a difference, we need to show up and testify at state and local government health committee meetings. I do believe that, in the end, real science, like the studies being done by Dr. Farsalinos (Konstantinos, formidable e-cigarette researcher), will prevail in the face of overwhelming bureaucracy. -Nick So, I’m pretty new to mech mods, and I just recently picked up a EHPro Maraxus. Would my LIR 18650 2200 mAh 3.7v battery work in this mod, or is it something I should watch out for? Can anyone give me a lil insight? -A Timmeh Ree Hey there! Battery safety is a long process to explain, but I’ll try to keep this brief. Mod batteries are the things you do not want to skimp on. Cheap atomizers, sure; clone mods, absolutely. Cheap batteries? Never! It generally depends on what kind of atomizer you are running on your mod, as well as what Ohm your atomizer is set to. The most crucial piece of information you need is your battery’s amp limit. The lower Ohm you use, the more amps you need from the battery. If the battery cannot supply the amps that the atomizer requires, bad things tend to happen. Batteries heat up, short out or, in more extreme cases, vent toxic gasses. From what I can tell, there is no amp limit listed for your battery. I assume that it is not intended for the purposes that you want to use it for. What I would do is pick up some new batteries—I recommend MXJO 18650. They have a nice, high mAh, as well as a continuous 35a limit. It’s important to know the limits of your batteries and to stay well below those limits when you are building. -Nick

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Vaping From the Outside:

Educate the Masses About Vaping

By Susan Oser

MAGAZINE

I was in a chatroom the other night. Two of my friends recently converted, and got kits to celebrate their first day of vaping. One of them was ready and had said that he was interested in quitting. The day came, and it was great chatting with them about their new kits, as well as chatting with other regulars on their show. However, there were a few people in the audience who made me want to put my hand through the screen and smack their typing hands. They made lewd jokes about vaping to those who said that vaping was just a trend, or said that vaping was worse than smoking. There was one chatter in particular who had quit smoking 22 years ago, and he was very proud of this fact. According to him, he had tried vaping before and thought it was worse. When I asked this chatter where he got his information, I never got a response; he just kept going on and on about it. What made it more annoying was how he told my friends to quit vaping now and save themselves, or if they’re coughing and choking, go back to smoking they’ll feel better. Now, I’m happy that this person quit, but he didn’t need to go on a rampage about vaping being no better. Of course, when I saw this, I put on my activist hat and looked for links to not only help my friends, but to try to give this man the facts. I kept repeating in the chat that it’s not smoking, it’s vaping. My evening in the chatroom raised a question that I’ve asked on my own show and would like to put to you, the reader: How well have we been educating the public on vaping? Are we only sharing the information among ourselves, and not with the world? Are we aware of the misinformation that’s out there? From what I’ve seen, there’s room for improvement. Almost every day, news stories report the dangers of e-cigarettes, or the latest proposed e-cigarette bans. It almost seems like we are fighting against something, rather than fighting for something. Where is the education? Has someone ever thought of coming up with a show that offers an educational service to the public about vaping, e-cigarettes and smoking cessation? What about contacting more than one news station to do a positive e-cigarette story to appeal to those who are undecided? If something like that exists, I’d like to hear more about it. Maybe we should talk to other activist groups and find out how they do it. Perhaps they have an answer or a clue to something we’re missing. Maybe once they hear about our struggles and what we’re about, they can support us. Talk about a great way to reach out to the public in a positive way as a vaper right? Vapers have a scarlet letter emblazoned on their chests, and about most of the community doesn’t realize it. This is why we need to share what we know with the rest of the world. You never know who might be interested. You never know who could help us. You never know who might be listening. Susan E. Oser aka Angelwriterspeaks is a host on Monday nights on Vapenet (http://vapenet.com/) (https://www.facebook.com/CreativeAngelwriter). For her day job she is an online tutor and part time freelance writer. She is a passionate activist for vaping rights. Find her at http://angelwritercreations.weebly.com/ http://twitter.com/angelwriter78 and https://www.facebook.com/Angelwriterspeaks?ref=hl . You also can buy her knitted accessories (esp for you the vapor) at https://www.facebook.com/knitzyknitz. To contact her, email angelwritercreations@gmail.com.

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#NotATradeShow: Words and photos by Alyssa Stahr

VapeBash 4

"I feel like it’s more of a vape meet than a trade show. The hotel is cool, there is a place to hang out—that’s really important to me. You have the show and then you get to hang out after the show. It’s business and it’s fun." - GrimmGreen The Windy City Vapers Club would agree. In fact, their T-shirts specifically brand the fourth VapeBash Chicago as #NotATradeShow. Sixty-nine vendors, including yours truly, graced the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Ill. for a three-night two-day meet for vapers, both old and new. Mary “Danger Girl” Tobin, treasurer and co-founder, echoed GrimmGreen’s comments. “It’s a meet. It’s not a come and buy, buy, buy. It’s come, hang out, get to meet the fellow vapers … get to meet vendors and it’s a community to me at least. And we don’t make any profits at all,” she said. “I hang out with my friends.” Scott Riddle, president of the Windy City Vapers Club, said that if there’s anything left over financially, it goes to the advocacy groups who were in attendance at this year’s event: CASAA, The Vaping Militia and Vape a Vet. “We don’t want anything from this. Meeting people like last year who come up to you and say ‘You guys got me started on vaping just because of VapeBash. You changed my life. That is more valuable to me personally than any amount of money that we could ever make off of this event,” he said. With VapeBash not being a trade show, vendors were more on an even playing field at Pheasant Run. Chris Tobin, the club’s vice president, said that the booths aren’t oversized and no one booth is bigger than the other. If you have the (left) Lucas Stimach and Ed Stimach. Lucas, who attends Millikin University in Decatur, Ill., is writing an argumentative paper about why vaping is better than smoking. The elder Stimach wants to raise the attire bar for vapers. “If you were a politician and looked through the doors, what would you think? I’ve seen people at Harley conventions dressed better.”

We try to make every show that we can. We’ll be in Vegas at the end of the month and San Antonio in August. Mark Engle, Vaper’s Knoll money, it doesn’t matter. For up-and-coming vendors, this makes it a great meet to attend to get their names out. “Someone could spend more money and do a little bit better than someone else, but you don’t have to have a map to find out where you’re going to. It just makes it work out better for the vapers to come and actually have a good time,” Tobin said. Pheasant Run was a new venue for VapeBash 2015, with more space and approximately 2,800 attendees had flowed through the doors by midway through day three. Tobin said that it was tough to gauge how many people were there as of interview time because it’s not a smaller ballroom atmosphere where people are rubbing elbows with each other. “We didn’t want to get trade show big where vendors have to spend an excessive amount of money. We wanted to keep it cheap for the vendors to attend, and we found a decent space this year,” Tobin said. While not a vendor this year, Jackie Zhuang, deputy general manager of Stand Point Vapor, came all the way from China to attend his first show in the United States. While a key player in the vaping scene in China, Zhuang had never attended a show here. His company is launching a major multi-million dollar marketing campaign in China in early summer, waiting for the right moment to launch.

“This show is very B2C. It’s a good place to test your liquid. We may want to advertise at this show next year,” he said. “It could be a great marketing tool for us to introduce after CECMOL (China’s first trade show, which happened last month).” In addition to the meet portion of the event, raffles, a skybox talk from CASAA and The Vaping Militia and a costume contest on night three were other VapeBash highlights. The Windy City team had to take time out of the interview to thank VaperCon, the first ever event in vaping, for its help in starting VapeBash. “We took our cues from VaperCon. They did it right and we wanted to do it, and we copied them and credit goes to them, “Tobin said. “VapeTV and Luciano (Manente) especially gave us contacts and helped us grow into what it is today.” Riddle continued in saying that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and that the reception from VapeBash’s vendors, staff and the hotel has been awesome. “There’s been nothing but people walking up, and the first thing out of their mouth is this venue rocks. We work well as a group. We work so well together. We might have our tiffs, but in the end I’m glad we are the team we are because I think that’s what makes this event so awesome,” he said. The team also gave kudos to its special volunteers. “We have a lot of volunteers from the club. Without them this wouldn’t happen. We can’t be everywhere, and we have a good group of people,” Tobin said. Danger Girl agreed, “Not only do we get volunteers from the club, we get volunteers from VapeTV. Taz and I host a show on VapeTV, and we have viewers that say, ‘I want to help. Please let me help.’ That’s awesome. Some don’t even live in Illinois. They live in different states and they fly in to help.” Danger Girl said that her favorite part of the weekend was Thursday. Normally in the past, the problem was that everyone flies in, they have missed their friends and they want to hang out and see everyone again—and there was no where to go. People would filter into a hotel lobby or wherever they could and it wasn’t good for other guests of the hotel. So, this year they wanted to have the event room open so everybody could hang out.

(left) Erin “SheSwizzy” Swiatek, executive manager of conventions, and Laurel Peacock Milsteat, assistant executive manager of conventions debut American Vapor Style apparel at VapeBash 2015

With that in mind, the team has no plans to change anything major for VapeBash 5, coming next April.

“No. 4 was actually the key for us. We know what to expect. We know where to put people and handle situations a hell of a lot better than the first day,” Tobin said. “We’re trying to get everyone working together, talking together and working it all out and learning from each other (when it comes to advocacy groups) and getting the same idea.” The interview then turned to advocacy and legislation. “Originally we were all fighting the FDA, and they figured out how to divide and conquer us. They’re going to go to each individual state and change the law a little bit at a time so you don’t notice it as much or that it doesn’t affect groups that no one cares about,” Tobin said. “That’s the hard part for CASAA and those guys because they have to round everybody up in every state now. It’s not one person to go after. It’s multiple legislators and multiple counties.” Riddle said that it’s “depressing” to him because he speaks to Julie (Woessner) from CASAA, and she tells him that responses are not strong. “I think people turn a blind eye and are immune to it. Because there are so many call to actions, but they are so important because it gets a foot in the door and it’s like a train wreck,” he said. “They have to back peddle really quickly because tobacco sales are going down each year and the pharmacies too—they are losing their money.” Tobin continued that it’s not about health when it comes to a lot of the proposed legislation—it’s about tax revenue.

“It might have been a little confusing because it was the first year that we did it, and some people thought vendors were going to be selling. They didn’t get that it was just actually somewhere to go hang out. Hopefully they’ll learn this year, and next year there won’t be so many questions,” she said.

“That’s the sad part. And they’ll lie to your face and tell you it’s about your health. It’s not about my health, it’s about the money that you spent already and you gotta make up the tax revenue,” he said.

Riddle agreed that with the new size and growth, that they’ve learned little lessons along the way.

For more information on VapeBash 5, coming to the Windy City next April, visit http://www.vapebash.com/.

“You do every time you do something. You don’t just say, ‘OK this is how it’s going to be. You learn little things; you hear

little things. And you grow upon it and learn from it. We’ll probably have a couple of little things that will change,” he said.

MAGAZINE

By Alyssa Stahr Photos courtesy of Vapure In late 2006, the vaping market was mainly an online scene. Christine Gentry was a smoker, and Anthony Piretti was an online marketer with a personal vendetta toward cigarettes. A lot has changed in the past eight years, all due in part to a fateful day spawned out of curiosity. Piretti lost someone very important to him during his childhood due to the deadly side effects of smoking. With that memory held very close, he never once smoked. He did, however find the electronic cigarette industry intriguing, and saw the potential for a life-changing product. “No time was wasted on this project, as he knew there would be no chance to pass up something that would soon be paving the way for a smoke-free community,” Christine Gentry, chief of operations of Vapure, said. Within months, Vapure went from an idea to one of the first brick-and-mortar stores in the United States. Located in San Diego, Vapure’s first store doesn’t look like a typical vape shop. In fact, it’s housed in an office building. The past eight years have provided a history for the company that Gentry doesn’t want to change, as she recalls her own path down the road into the vaping life. Gentry smoked her first cigarette when she was 12. She started smoking daily at 14, in a state where smoking was commonplace. “There wasn’t as much of a health conscious thing there [in Oklahoma],” she said.

MAGAZINE

She quit a few times, and then, at the age of 18, ran a vegan restaurant, which prompted her to quit once again. The restaurant shut down, and she started working at a casino, which threw her right back into the smoking scene. She was up to two packs a day for three years, between her own pack and the second-hand smoke she inhaled at the casino. When she was in her mid-20s, her boyfriend tried to quit smoking and found an electronic cigarette company. Gentry quit cold turkey, but still had problems.

“I was like, ‘What’s the point of vaping?’ It was like switching from Coke to Diet Coke,” she said. Gentry’s boyfriend started leaving every Saturday for two to three hours at a time, piquing Gentry’s curiosity. She went with him one Saturday to see what was going on, and met Alex, the shop’s sales rep, and Tony, the owner. She picked Tony’s brain about everything, from regulations to, “Is my boyfriend going to die?” to how the devices worked. Tony needed an office manager and, impressed with Gentry’s thorough nature, offered her the job. “It was only that one location at the time - one little office building. He was selling little cigalikes—there was no industry yet; there was nothing,” she said. “He was telling me where he wanted to open retail stores and where people could get educated in San Diego. Even though I thought it was a great idea, I didn’t think it would work the way he had planned.” Over the course of two years, Vapure opened seven stores and a lab facility. They now distribute to more than 200 companies worldwide and employ 70 people.

“As far as we know, there were no other [brickand-mortar] stores before 2006. A little office in a three-story building is not cute, to say the least. It’s a month-to-month lease, and we could get a fancy, awesome store, but I don’t want to. We feel it is part of history, and we plan to keep it just where it is,” Gentry said. “Our first store was truly made by our customers. As customers kept following the return address on their first ‘Vape Mail,’ we kept making little changes to our corporate office to make it more inviting for our drop-in guests.” Lines formed out the door, and Vapure’s first Americanmade e-liquids were born. San Diego was on the path to being smoke-free. All of Vapure’s stores look a little different, but when you walk in, you know it’s Vapure. All of the stores have the doors open, fans going and have a breezy, clean look. Fast-forward to 2015, where Vapure’s main focus is increasing e-liquid wholesale and moving to a more global reach, which includes Korea. When Vapure first started, Piretti received liquids from different companies. He spent a year making recipes, researching pharmaceutical companies for good nicotine options and running OSHA standards for the clean room laboratory. The lab has grown from one woman who handbottled and labeled e-liquids to an 8,000 sq. ft. facility dedicated to e-liquid production. Vapure offers more than 170 flavors and has close to 2,000 different recipes that can be uniquely morphed for wholesale clients. Current best sellers include Screaming Nemo, a champagne/mimosa flavor, and Strawberry Mango Freeze, a menthol/strawberry flavor. Gentry said that it’s important to realize that the company’s standards have been the same for more than five years because of Piretti’s extensive research. Until last year, the company hadn’t made one e-liquid cold call. Everyone came to them. “Our main focus has never been numbers or flashy displays; it has always been education, quality service and our customers’ well being. With every new customer that is educated on electronic cigarettes, we know there are a few more family members whose lives will be changed forever,” Gentry said. “You see how many people are trying to ban it and push it away, and it’s so frustrating, this fight we keep fighting. The news comes out - now there’s formaldehyde, and people are making juices in their bathtubs. People aren’t being safe and people are thinking that supermodels vaping big clouds is what it is. People on the outside think that it’s a fad or it’s passing, and it’s frustrating.”

In addition to the original store, Vapure’s two main philosophies haven’t changed. Gentry doesn’t hire people based on sales or vaping experience. She hires based on personality alone. “We realize when someone walks in and is [struggling] with an addiction, they aren’t looking for someone salesy. They are looking for someone who they can feel comfortable with,” she said. “I can train you about the products, the cash register. I can’t train you to be a nice person who has a nice smile and who touches people.” Vapure has become a family unit, and Gentry said that sales numbers aren’t a goal. She doesn’t go into the cash register to see who has sold the most. The company does not have requirements for people to hit numbers; instead, the goal is that every single person who comes in leaves more knowledgeable. Her main goal is education about the product, including a two-week employee training course with battery safety and a rundown of companies that aren’t following liquid standard. Gentry’s family and friends have even served as secret shoppers, making sure that employees give each customer tender, loving care. “We’re the opposite. People may come in all day and ask questions, and we may not sell. There are stores who are focused on cloud chasers and, don’t get me wrong, we have people who come here to do that, but that isn’t our main focus,” she said. Customers constantly ask for the latest and greatest inside of Vapure, so the company employs a research and development department called Vapewerx. Vapewerx manufactures mods, does research and tests in harsh environments. Vapure also employs a social media expert who researches what’s hot in the industry. “There is so much new stuff. We actually got to a point where we were focusing on our liquid line, and the industry was so flooded that we were like, ‘Let’s just stop for a second and not try to carry everything that’s out. Let’s look out for the new people,’” Gentry said. “Shops were not carrying the bare essentials, and customers were coming in asking for smaller stuff. We took a break for maybe three to four months when it came to getting new stuff and made sure we had the basics.” The Vapure family may never get back the loved ones they have lost as a result of cigarette smoking, but Gentry said that being such a big part of improving others’ lives for the last eight years has been all the motivation they need to keep pushing the industry to be better and focus on the core values of what they originally created in the San Diego vape scene. For more information, visit http://www.vapure.com/.

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Beating The Competition at Its Own Game O WALD S VAPE When staff from competing vape shops come to you for e-liquids and great service, you know you’re doing something right. These are just two of the reasons why Waldo Vapes in Waldo, Mo. is crushing it and was selected to be this month’s Vape Shop of the Month. Keep reading to find out how to dominate your market and nominate your vape shop for this honor. After a few months of working with VapeMentors, Jon Brower discovered that his passion and focus was in the areas of customer service and selling only the best, high quality e-liquids.

Words and photo By Norm Bour

While he had originally envisioned opening a second store, he’s holding off for now. “I’d rather have one shop crushing it than lose focus with multiple locations,” he said. Product Selection Was Critical Factor in Waldo Vapes’ Success Brower said product selection and placement were the major factors in Waldo Vapes’ success. The first thing customers see inside Waldo Vapes is the vape bar and not row after row of products. About 30 percent of its revenue is hardware; the rest is e-liquids. Other key reasons for their store’s success:

“These were the two things that bothered me the most when I started vaping,” Brower said. “I sometimes felt like I was bothering vape shop employees and they were there more for themselves than for me.” As he developed a taste for better quality e-liquids, Brower said he was surprised those shops were able to stay in business. At first, Brower ran the shop entirely on his own, regularly working 100-plus hours every week. After about five months, he added two employees, whom he carefully screened before hiring.

“I used to buy every flavor of every brand, but now I only carry their best sellers,” Brower said.

“It’s not just about being a good technician,” Brower said. “They must have a great attitude and personality, and show the same degree of commitment to customers that I have.”

Since customer service is one of Waldo Vapes’ hallmarks, they often spend up to 90 minutes with a new customer.

Within 60 days after opening his store in June of 2014, Brower was grossing $10,000 a month, the revenue target VapeMentors had set. Brower said revenue has continued to grow steadily, increasing about 10 to 20 percent every month.

They only sell authentic brands—no clones—and have been committed to that from day one. They carry about 12 brands, with about 100 flavors.

The company’s best-selling e-liquid brands are Charlie Noble, Ripe Vapes and Five Pawns. Hardware winners include Kanger products, Aspire Nautilus and iStick by Eleaf.

“People knew they could trust us from the beginning,” Brower said. Brower said they’re considering starting their own line of e-liquids. But after going through VapeMentors’ VAPE U course, he now knows it shouldn’t be named after the shop.

“Working with VapeMentors before I opened my business was one of the best decisions I have made,” Brower said. “They’ll make you think about things from the right point of view.” Waldo Vapes uses the Five Star Loyalty program to follow up with new customers with reminders for the first 30 days and provide incentives for them to come back to the store. Their biggest social media channel and marketing tool is Facebook, which Brower swears by. “We’re not as big on Instagram as I know we should be, but our Facebook crowd is a loyal one,” he said.

It’s never too early to get focused or too late to refresh or refocus your direction. We’ve seen many shops close and reopen with new energy and focus. Even shops that are just getting started can get started on the right foot by learning the best practices in running a vape shop. Every vape shop that participates in a Vape Shop Review is nominated for the Vape Shop of the Month, and will enjoy a profile here in this column as well as on Vape Radio. We’ll also send a news release to your local radio, TV and print media! For more information, visit www.vapementors.com/vapeshop-of-the-month.

Future Growth Plans Brower said Waldo Vapes has surpassed the $1,000 daily revenue mark; he wants to double that before considering expansion. He feels they’re still learning and growing and believes that by focusing on their core strengths—customer service and product selection—they can become an even larger player in a very crowded market. “If you treat people right, they will treat you right,” Brower said. How to Qualify for the Vape Shop of the Month Any vape shop, regardless of how long it has been open, can qualify to be a Vape Shop of the Month. To be considered, the shop must participate in VapeMentors’ comprehensive Vape Shop Review, an objective process designed to identify weak areas that are costing you customers and precious revenue.

(from left to right) Jon Brower, Patrick Rives, manager, Corbin Lowry, customer service/sales

Words and photos by Steffanie Atkins

Twelve Monkeys Vapor Company “Tropika” 6 mg TASTE - 4 VAPE - 3.5 THROAT HIT - 1 This Canadian company has really hit the nail on the head with Tropika. It’s a 90/10 blend, which makes it very smooth for dripping, and it contains a lot of flavor unlike some other higher VG blends. It’s a pear and tropical fruit flavor that is very refreshing, almost slightly floral like fresh laundry. The only thing that it lacks is a good finish. The pear comes in strong, but then it fades out quickly. Overall though, this was a very pleasant flavor. The vape production is slightly above average, which is to be expected with a higher VG blend, and the throat hit was minimal, which also is to be expected from a higher VG blend.

The Vapor Girl “Dripping Kitty O.G. Kitten” 3 mg TASTE - 2 VAPE - 3 THROAT HIT - 2 The Vapor Girl’s O.G. Kitten flavor is a vanilla custard flavor. It’s very plain with no complexity. For what it is, it’s a good flavor. However, it could use a complement flavor or something to spice it up a little bit. Vanilla custard flavors are a dime a dozen, so I’d like to see something more in the flavoring. The vape production was average and the throat hit was decent. But again, it’s a run-ofthe-mill flavor that most vape companies already have.

Ascent Vapor “Silk” 3 mg TASTE - 3 VAPE - 2 THROAT HIT - 3

The Juice Judge Judges are picked from respected members of the vaping community to give unbiased reviews of e-juice. The VAPE Verdict is reached by an initial blind taste test, and the review is written afterward. Want to have your juice judged? Email jj@vapemz.com. Reviews do not reflect the overall opinion of VAPE Magazine Steffanie Atkins is the self-proclaimed most pickiest vaper she knows. She has to be head over heels in love with a juice before she vapes it regularly. A baker and a foodie, Atkins is particular when it comes to taste and flavor. She loves long walks on the beach, candlelit dinners, tattoos, art and rocking her face off at concerts. She is forever on the search for the perfect Oreo flavor.

MAGAZINE

I’m a chocolate lover, and if you’re a chocolate lover, this e-liquid would be good for you. It’s a smooth milk chocolate with a dessert finish. It’s not very strong, but it’s a well done chocolate. Sometimes I’ve noticed it’s hard to hit the mark on chocolate flavors. They either taste burnt or fake, but I was impressed. The only recommendation I would have is it needs some umph. After checking the flavor profile, it claims to have some caramel finish, and it was just drowned out by the chocolate. If it’s going to go full on chocolate with added happy endings, we need more happy ending. The taste was average, but if they added a little more at the back end, the score could easily go up. Vape production was a little less than average and the throat hit was decent, not too harsh and not too light.

Vaporfi E-Liquid “Unknown Name” 6 mg TASTE - 1 VAPE - 2 THROAT HIT - 2 Upon first glance at the Vaporfi bottle, it’s hard to determine what I’m reading. Unless you truly know how e-liquid is made and the percentages involved in creating flavors, you’d probably have no idea what the numbers mean. There is no name of the flavor per se; there was a sticker on the bottom that listed flavors that I’m assuming were supposed to be in the e-liquid. Maybe it was just the sample bottle they sent, but it’s very confusing. The e-liquid starts out kind of light and fruity and ends on a really bad note. It almost tastes like burnt tires. I know that may sound harsh, but it’s the truth. The aftertaste leaves something to be desired, and it’s not something I would vape in the future. Vape production was less than average and throat hit was all right, but the flavor needs help.

Walking Vaped “Maple Waffle Mania” 6 mg TASTE - 4.5 VAPE - 3 THROAT HIT - 3 How refreshing Maple Waffle Mania was! It seriously tastes like breakfast on a Sunday morning. It’s a well balanced buttery waffle blend with sweet maple syrup and it’s spot on. Kudos to Walking Vaped. I definitely would vape this again and again. It’s not too sweet like some breakfast blends with the syrup try to be. Vapor production was about average and throat hit was the same, not too harsh and not too light. I certainly was impressed.

19-Year-Old Entrepreneur Leads E-Liquid Revolution By Alyssa Stahr Photos courtesy of CurrentPr

Propaganda has been used for many negative promotions and biases throughout the years. Used to encourage or discourage types of behavior, to create an opinion for certain purposes or as a misleading term, propaganda can sway the masses into doubtful thinking. However, 19-year-old business owner Nick DeNuccio wants to influence vapers in a positive way. Santa Ana, Calif.-based Propaganda e-liquids provides a new type of sway–an edgy spoof on government propaganda– with #JointheRevolution and #BelievetheHype serving as the company’s taglines. Having hit the one-year mark in February, Propaganda shows no sign of stopping, with an output of 50,000 bottles per month and a 20 percent monthly growth margin. The company distributes to nearly 500 international brick-and-mortars and sold more than a quarter-million units in its first year. It’s been a whirlwind for DeNuccio and his 23-year-old business partner Nicholas Bull—and they’re just getting started. DeNuccio and Bull met through mutual friends and share the same passion of vaping. DeNuccio’s dad was a packa-day smoker, and around the age of 13, he finally let the curiosity of cigarettes laying around the house take over. “For a couple of years before that, I was wondering what it was all about. I saw my dad having social interactions with people, and I equated it to, ‘oh, he smokes, so he’s cool; he’s my dad,’” DeNuccio said. “I would sneak a cigarette every once in a while, and then I would go to the park and spray Axe all over myself.” Over time, the cigarette smoking escalated for young DeNuccio. By the time he was 16, he was up to a packa-day or more habit. His dad caught him smoking a few

times and tried the “you’ll smoke a whole pack right in front of me” gimmick to show DeNuccio how awful it was. He did, and it furthered the addiction.

Once DeNuccio turned 18, he started working out again. He was a former soccer player with running stamina. Unfortunately, as a smoker, the stamina had worn off. He had a hard time breathing and was coughing up “gross stuff.” His friend bought an e-cig, and after trying it, DeNuccio thought it was crazy that you could get the same sensation as smoking and that it didn’t taste as bad. Slowly weaning himself off cigarettes, DeNuccio switched solely to vaping within a month. Vaping turned into a hobby, and DeNuccio not only started working a vape shop, but vaping became a lifestyle. He bought different types of gear, experimented with creating different flavors of e-liquid and dove head first into his local vaping meets community. After trying flavors at the shop, he bought a few essentials for $200 and played around, creating a few different flavors at home. “We did a lot of research to make sure it was the proper ingredients that we were buying, that they were safe to inhale and to use, and that our percentages were accurate,” he said. “There’s a lot of controversy over PG food grade and industrial grade. If you buy the wrong grade of PG, you are buying a product that everyone is talking about with antifreeze. Food grade is used in a lot of things that people don’t realize—toothpaste and asthma inhalers.” Propaganda’s PG is kosher and from a food grade facility. Its vegetable glycerin is completely antibacterial. DeNuccio said that the most interesting research that he came across was regarding nicotine. “Everyone says nicotine is poison and it’s terrible for you. If you use it in a normal manner, it’s actually the equivalent to a cup of coffee; it’s just a natural stimulant,” he said. Once the home mixing began, unofficial focus groups began with friends to see if they liked the new liquid. They did, so the pair thought maybe the general population would

MAGAZINE

like it as well. A broader spectrum of people started asking local vape shops to carry it, and the phone calls began. “We weren’t even a company at that point; we just started making juice as a hobby. We asked ourselves, ‘Should we move forward with this and make a business out of this?’” DeNuccio said. The answer was yes, and with hard work, a lot of passion and a $5,000 parental loan, the business plan formed. The duo wanted a premium product to offer people, and they had no capital. Originally, Propaganda was in a plastic bottle, and they didn’t like that. They switched to amber glass bottles so no UV light could enter and affect the liquid. Childproof caps were added, and a certified lab became a reality so batches could be consistent. “When we went to a lab, that was the most important thing—consistency,” DeNuccio said. The next step was to unveil a brand that was recognizable to all audiences: social media, radio, print or whatever the platform was. They started with an eye-catching logo and various propaganda themes throughout the years. The five flavors are available in 15 and 30 ml sizes. Subliminal, a sweet and sour razzmatazz candy flavor, signifies Uncle Sam making the statement: “We Want You to Vape.” Illuminati replicates the logo and is Propaganda’s trademark bottle and top seller. It is a blend of blood orange, pineapple and strawberry. Widow Maker was a common theme in the Army, so the bottle reflects that era. It tastes like Bavarian cream-infused blueberries. Wild Fire depicts Smokey the Bear and an eye-catching theme with a toasted almond and mezzaluna cookie flavor.

Hannah Purdy, publicist, and Jim DeNuccio, partner of CurrentPR, enjoy their vape at Vape & Co. in Irvine, Calif.

Treason is the newest e-liquid in Propaganda’s line, launched at Las Vegas’ Vape Summit at the beginning of May. While Subliminal and Illuminati are DeNuccio’s favorites, Treason is quickly becoming his new go-to vape. He said that all of them are an all-day vape, not something that you get sick of. While DeNuccio and Bull are in the younger demographic, Propaganda’s own demographic is a wide base. “It’s pretty funny when we go to trade shows; I expect the younger crowd to swarm the area, and they do, but we get the older crowd, too,” DeNuccio said. “Initially it’s geared toward the 20s area, but it definitely reaches a fair amount of the older crowd. It’s pretty cool to see everybody show love and support for something that you’ve created.” As a 19-year-old, DeNuccio feels that the e-cig purchase age should be 18, not 19 or 21 as some states have adopted. “My personal opinion is 18, and the reason I say that is if you’re gonna pull me out to fight for my country in a war in a draft, I think you should be old enough to vape. You can be tried as an adult in a court at 18. I don’t think it’s right to say 21 when you’re technically an adult at 18,” he said. While DeNuccio has found the past year as a first-time business owner challenging, he said the biggest thing is keeping up with legislation. The company is in the process of a label revamp, including larger warning labels and bar codes. Most importantly, DeNuccio said, is staying ahead of the curve and making sure his product is here to stay for vapers everywhere. “For a long time it was almost … I had to earn my keep a little bit more if that makes sense. I do receive a lot of shocked faces when I tell people how old I am,” he said. “I do believe that we’re all a community here. People are proud of me and happy for me, and that’s really great to experience in such a tight-knit community.” For more information, visit http://www.propagandaeliquid.com/.

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The VAPE Meet Scene Brunches Offer South Florida Vapers a Nibble of Togetherness By Alyssa Stahr Photos courtesy of Vapor Hot Believe it or not, Amber Ripley has wanted to host vape activities at Vapor Hot for quite a while. After some false starts with hosting parties in the store before, the largest location of the two provided the perfect framework to gather vapers for an organized meet. The general manager of both Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., stores, Ripley sought a uniform time when people could get together and not just “hang around.” “I’ve been trying to organize this for a while, and a lot of the vape groups who have been meeting in South Florida have disbanded,” she said. “We hoped to have those people come to us and join our groups.” Vapor Hot’s first store has been open for about five years, and the second store just opened about eight months ago. Both stores aren’t far from one another, so vapers who frequent both can easily come to the larger store for the monthly brunches. The first brunch was held in March, marketed mostly through flyers, Facebook and word of mouth. In an area with more than five competitors in a five-mile radius, Ripley said that customer service, catering to a wide range of vapers and the brunches “taking off” are making all the difference.

“Previous to doing our brunches we had been running giveaways, and it got a lot of people interested—and we started flooding. I started doing posters to little towns that weren’t too far away from Ft. Lauderdale, and we advertised in the New Times, which is a local entertainment magazine down here in South Florida,” Ripley said.

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Twenty people (and Lucky, the store’s golden retriever) attended April’s brunch, which included Beard Vape Co. e-liquid and T-shirt giveaways. A cloud contest, bagels, cinnamon buns, coffee, tea and mimosas highlighted the gathering. In addition, a tasting bar was set up with Beard’s latest and greatest, along with a PowerPoint presentation running on the big screen adding visual cues. “It was our first time carrying Beard, so it was the release party for them,” Ripley said. “Two of the girls who came to the party were raving about it.” Ripley said that she thinks the monthly brunches add a more personal element to Vapor Hot, in an industry where a lot of people have gotten into it for the money. “Let’s be honest; it’s blowing up. We’ve been in it since the beginning, and we’ve grown with this and have the knowledge that can help them [vapers] make better decisions,” she said. “We want them to come participate and help support our store.” Next month’s Sunday brunch will start a little later, with more swag. “I think having a later start time encourages people,” Ripley said. “Free stuff and mimosas all the way.” For more information, visit http://www.vaporhot.com/.

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MeKayla Klein (@mekaylavapes) In the fields of mid Missouri Holding: Sigelei 150w with a Dotmod Petri atty

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TJ White (@Renegaderevival) Burney Falls in Burney, Calif. Photo by Brittney White (@mrsbrittneywhite)

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Amanda Mumper, known more commonly as NewAge Cleopatra on Instagram @_newagecleopatra_, started pinup modeling four years ago, She’s now doing more “alternative” modeling, which always has been a hobby. It’s something that she always loved to do, even if she wasn’t getting paid. She said that VAPE is her first time being published, and she hopes to have more opportunities in the near future. Cleopatra was a pack-a-day smoker for more than seven years; nothing could help her quit. “One day I woke up and said, ‘This is enough; I need to quit,’ she said. “Vaping was the only thing that could help me.” She has been cigarette free for more than two years, and her health has benefited. She has so much more energy, and she can enjoy long runs again. Very picky on what she vapes, Cleopatra prefers creamy dessert flavors. Ever since she got her first box mod she hasn’t used anything else. In addition to meeting the most “amazing” people in this industry (they are the reason she does what she does), she loves seeing people change a bad habit to a healthier alternative. She loves everything about VAPE Magazine and the industry, and she only sees positive things in the future. “I want to be there to help and show support the best way I can.”

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Five Pawns.

Grandmasters of the E-Liquid Game By Norm Bour Photos courtesy of Five Pawns Rodney Jerabek, CEO and founder of Five Pawns and a true Master of Vape, is no stranger to branding.

mentor. He wanted to first prove to himself that he had the beginning of a successful business.

Before entering the vape space in 2012, he worked in the sports industry, helping to market big-name companies like Nike, Billabong, Quicksilver and Gotcha. It’s no surprise that Five Pawns has mastered branding and customer relations, two key factors in the success of any e-liquid brand.

Teaming with two old friends, Gavin Tucker, now COO, and Rob Fitzgerald, CFO, they came up with the chess theme. They ultimately named the company after the pawn, an often overlooked but vital chess piece.

Branding: A Major Key to Dominating Your Market The exact number of e-liquid manufacturers is unknown, but most guess it ranges between 5,000 and 7,000 brands. Separating yourself from that crowd is a challenge, but Jerabek developed the right formula at the outset. Since Jerabek also was a connoisseur of fine food and wine, he wanted to recreate that same level of quality in his e-liquids. A world traveler, Jerabek appreciated and enjoyed both. “Whenever I went to a different country, I fell in love with their food,” he said. “After I returned, I found a cooking class and learned how to prepare those types of meals.” He carried the same passion for quality into his e-liquid formulas. “We are a nation of connoisseurs and those willing to pay for quality,” he said. Jerabek secretly started working on formulas, telling no one, not even his wife or father, a successful executive and Jerabek’s

They contacted local shops, but in early 2013, there only were a few dozen shops in Southern California. Today there are more than 700 and growing. Five Pawns’ flavors were more complex than most other e-liquids on the market. Their e-liquids also were unique in that they only came in 30 ml bottles, which surprised many. They also decided not to compete on price, but strictly on quality. That strategy proved to be a smart one. Ultimately, Five Pawns found a receptive, “multi-dimensional and multi-layered” audience. One expensive but successful marketing strategy was sending out 1,500 bottles to members of the Reddit community. They also went outside the United States and found immediate success in the Philippines, their first overseas market. Creating Amazing Customer Relationships Five Pawns also focused on relationships with vape shops; every shop gets a branded Five Pawns tasting bar with tanks pre-filled with Five Pawns e-liquids. Two-liter casks, as well as

Daniel Phung, liquid tender

55-gallon drums that look like old fashioned oak barrels hang from the ceilings or walls of their retail locations. While the cost per unit runs into several hundred dollars, Jerabek said it is worth every penny. Branding experts such as VapeMentors’ VAPE U instructor David Collins says customers need to see a brand at least six or more times for it to make an impression. There’s very little doubt that Five Pawns makes a solid impression in every store selling their products. About 65 percent of their market is national, with hundreds of U.S. retail locations, but Five Pawns also is carried in 43 countries. They reached a significant milestone sometime last year in manufacturing their one-millionth bottle. In June 2013, after three months of development, Five Pawns launched the Castle Long Reserve, the first oak barrel-aged e-liquid. The comparisons to fine wine are easy to make since Castle Long Reserve has been steeped in a treated oak barrel for three weeks. “It is not about speed, but about quality,” Jerabek said. All flavors ingredients are composed of the best, locally sourced ingredients that are developed by Five Pawns and manufactured only for Five Pawns. The complex blend of Castle Long Reserve includes toasted coconut, roasted almond, brown sugar, two different vanillas (Madagascar vanilla bean and French vanilla), Kentucky bourbon and charred oak. Liquid extracted from the barrels was filtered using a proprietary filtration process before bottling. In its first week of launch the company sold all 25 barrels, then the next 100 barrel run, and it has not slowed down since. They moved in fall of 2013 into their 8500 square foot state-of-theart facility in Irvine, Calif. Five Pawns also offers its original Signature Line, which includes Grandmaster, Gambit, Queenside, Bowden’s Mate and Absolute Pin, five flavors that represent the five human tastes: sweet, bitter, sour, salty and savory. Other popular flavors available through retailers include Black Flag Fallen, “decaf double espresso infused with black truffle cream”, and their Mixology Edition. New flavors & concepts are currently in development and you can expect to see them very soon. The comparison between wine and high quality liquids was readily apparent when we were invited to visit the retail showroom. Daniel Phung, their uniformed “liquid tender,” wore a tie and carried the demeanor of a vintage wine tasting room manager. He is an expert at gauging what the audience likes and advising Five Pawns on making formula adjustments according to what its audience likes. As the vape space evolves, the strong brands likely will become even stronger. E-liquids from unknown factories will slowly disappear, while quality products like Five Pawns, made from the highest quality ingredients and aged to perfection, will take over the top shelves of vape shops and discerning vapers all over the world. Norm Bour is the founder of VapeMentors, which offers online educational programs, services and resources for anyone in the vape space, including vape shops, online stores and e-liquid brands. He’s also host of Vape Radio, a podcast series that interviews the masters of vape and thought leaders in the vape space. Contact him at norm@VapeMentors.com.

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Ecig East Coast: The UN of Vaping By Leigh Oates Photos by Jim Sweitzer Ecig East Coast welcomed spring at the posh Washington Hilton in Washington D.C. on March 31 and April 1. The UN of Ecig Conferences, this small symposium packed key players from the converging tribes of the vaping industry into one room. Not only were several nations from across the globe represented, but the communication felt like negotiation at times, with groups challenging one another and finding ways to cooperate while preserving their own interests withian intimate setting. The overall aim of Ecig East Coast was education, cooperation and information sharing to protect and preserve this growing industry. According to experts, vaping is expected to fully eclipse traditional smoking in the coming years. Vaping companies large and small eagerly anticipate the “exponential hyperflex”—a term used by Jim Murray of National Tobacco Company—to describe an anticipated shift in the usage of e-cigarettes. Most data collections were unable to track the vape shop sector, but even the limited data from retail Gregory Conley, president of the and convenience American Vaping Association, stores indicated giving a review of state bills big growth.

Day one focused on the need for cooperation in addressing taxation and legislation. Some speakers, such as Rob Dunham of Reynolds American, recommended that vaping companies stay proactive and cooperative in order to shape reasonable taxation legislation Dimitris Agrafiotis, “The Vapin Greek,” instead of being had plenty of interesting questions at the mercy of to ask during the event state lawmakers’ limited views on the industry. Other groups agreed with Brian Fojtik, director of External Relations of NJOY, that vaping does not meet the need for an excise tax due to the benefits it brings to the public over smoking. He argued that e-cigarettes should be affordable, available and attractive so as to disrupt smokers from using tobacco products, which kill 500,00 people every year. An excise tax, said Fojtik, targets unfavorable activity and reimburses the state for the harm caused by the substance. E-cigarettes are helpful in reducing harm, and so do not meet the burden of the excise tax. Dimitris Agrafiotis, COO of Mountain Oak Vapors, said, “I am attending the conference for the wealth of information I can get.” He stressed that “state legislation is more important than FDA regulations right now,” and that “taxation hurts our cause, because we can’t compete with the big tobacco companies.” Finally, he said that vapers “must defeat taxation bills or they will squash the industry.” Gregory Conley, president of the American Vaping Association, shared the many bills and laws being made in the states. State legislation, education and political action were key points; it is imperative for the e-cig consumer to stay informed and to join organizations like SFATA and CASAA, lest we are stuck with bills like Washington’s proposed 95 percent retail tax on all liquids and devices, or Indiana Senate Bill 539, which would essentially prohibit out-of-state manufacturers of e-liquid and put severe restrictions on in-state e-liquid manufacturers. The need to further develop e-cigarette technology to provide safe consistent e-cigs that satisfy the consumer is a vital factor for e-cigs to keep up growth. Bonnie Herzog of Wells Fargo shared that vaping is projected to reach $3.5 billion in 2015, and could surpass $10 billion by 2018, if only we continue to improve technology.

Peter Beckett, director of public policy for ECITA, and Bonnie Herzog, managing director of Beverage, Tobacco, & Convenience Store Research for Wells Fargo Securities, LLC Day 2 brought analysis of e-cigarettes in convenience stores, scientific examination of what makes cigarettes satisfying, and some input on flavors. The emerging mini markets of vaping, the dual user, the vape hobbyist, the 0 percent vaper, and the cigalike vaper were also discussed. Geoff Habicht, COO of Smoking Vapor, spoke about some of the challenges of selling e-cigs in convenience stores. The environment is not conducive to education Geoff Habicht, COO of or demonstration of Smoking Vapor, presents the product, and value “The Retail Conundrum” smokers aren’t ready to risk their limited smoking budget. A possible solution would be to find an inexpensive way for smokers to try e-cigs to reduce risk. Many new vapers are referred by the products found in the convenience store before making their way to vape shops for the support, education and quality technologies found in vapor shops.

Darryl Do, perfumer of Delbia Do Company, shared some insight about flavors and called for more flavor studies before jumping into the e-cig market. He stressed the importance of working with companies that practice FDA GMPs and ISO standards for safety and quality control. Do discussed the more sophisticated palette of flavors available to e-liquid producers to raise e-liquids to a gourmand level for a sophisticated, adult audience. Do mentioned that many varieties of tobacco exist and would be a great place to start exploring for elevated flavors. Darryl Do, perfumer of Delbia Do Company, shares his expertise Ecig East Coast was able to bring together some of the most influential persons in the vaping world for a look at the hard data and to try to predict the future of the vaping industry. While we can’t say that we are in the Wild West anymore, the industry has far from settled. There are dollars to be made, and big big players ready to step in and make them. Investors, inventors and companies are collecting data, observing and sending out researchers to divine what the future has in store for e-cigarettes. Information gathered from this event was derived from the presenting source and the European Cool Chain & Temperature Controlled Logistics Summit. We offer the right of reply to all speakers and companies referred to in this article.

that can be used as an e-liquid as well as a tincture, with the drops being placed directly into one’s mouth.”

VAPE Magazine Takes an In-Depth Look at Deer2Peer/Aktiv8vapor By Erin Hedrick Photos courtesy of Deer2Peer/Aktiv8vapor

That’s right. Typically, every year, bucks shed their antlers and grow new ones. This regeneration process has intrigued many for centuries, and the vaping revolution is, by its very nature, incredibly curious and experimental. So, it only makes sense to blend the two, right? No? Well, let me elaborate … Deer antler extract has been used for quite a while as a means to boost energy, promote healing and encourage regrowth. It is very popular with athletes, as it is used to regenerate muscles, aid endurance, improve joint health and accelerate recovery time. Why deer antler extract, though? What makes it so potent? The answer is that it contains high levels of IGF-1, one of the best natural growth hormones. This supercharged supplement was first discovered by the ancient Chinese. They marveled at the deer’s ability to regenerate its antlers every spring, and would grind naturally shed antlers into a medicinal powder. Today, the extract is used by sports players all over the world. “We are dynamic and radical,” said Mark Jacob, CEO and creator of Aktiv8vapor, a company that aims to meet the proverbial horizon as far as the next big thing in vaping is concerned. “Our community is the first to embrace a new technology ahead of the general population. Together, we are always asking, ‘What’s next?’ Originally offered only as a cigalike product, Deer2Peer now also offers it as an e-liquid that comes in either 0 or 6 mg nicotine. The non-nicotine version has been proposed as a ‘dual use,’” Jacob said. “It is an innovative product

The vaporizer system enables users to instantly absorb the clinically proven benefits of purified deer antler extract (also known as DAE). It’s much faster than traditional sprays or pills. The really neat thing about Deer2Peer/Aktiv8vapor is that they have a history with GNC, a well-known vitamin, supplement and overall general health store. “Deer2Peer evolved from Aktiv8vapor,” Jacob said. “GNC has not committed to Deer2Peer as of today.” However, the two companies do have a shared past. Aktiv8vapor was introduced exclusively on GNC.com as the “firstever New Zealand deer antler extract supplement in e-vapor form,” according to a press release provided by Deer2Peer. Why New Zealand? It is considered by most scientists to be one of the cleanest places on Earth, and the antler extract is very pure. Save your gasps: The deer that provide the antlers are not killed or harmed in any way. Their antlers are safely harvested by licensed and trained veterinarians when they are of an appropriate length, and then the deer are safely returned to free range for the remainder of the year. It is not unlike how many farmers in America milk their dairy cows in the morning and then turn them out to pasture to graze for the rest of the day. Deer2Peer only has three ingredients: non-GMO organic vegetable glycerin, New Zealand DAE and IGF-1, which makes for a very simple, pure product. The e-liquid and cigalike product also sports a handful of natural flavorings, including organic vanilla, cinnamon and organic coffee. The formula was originally nicotine-free, but prompted by further research and consumer interest, the team decided to incorporate low doses of the drug. The addition of nicotine, when freed of the copious amounts of chemicals it is often paired with, Jacob said, heightens the effects of Deer2Peer. “We believe that our nicotine is of the highest quality and actually may boost the performance of the DAE.”

There is a lot of information to take in. In a nutshell, what does it all mean? The drive-home point of Deer2Peer/Aktiv8vapor is this: While DAE is not necessarily new to the market, Jacob wanted to take it to the next level, and he saw vaping as a means to achieve that end. “I’m a trail runner,” he said, “and when I train and prepare for 100-mile ultra-marathons, I miss drinking my hot tea with deer antler extract.” It was one such instance that sparked the inspiration for Aktiv8vapor. “One day inspiration hit me—a vapor delivery system!” The vapor is absorbed almost immediately into the mouth via membranes for quick results—a perfect on-the-go supplement. You may be wondering if Deer2Peer is right for you, with all this talk of marathons, and the answer is: absolutely! While DAE is most well-known and used in the active circuits (athletes, fitness enthusiasts, etc.), it is still just as beneficial to the rest of society. DAE, and the hormones within it, provide amazing health benefits. With all this talk about how good Deer2Peer e-liquid can potentially be for you, and how high its standards are, the real question vapers ask remains unanswered: How good does it taste? The short, sweet and to-the-point answer is: pretty damn good. Having never been a habitual smoker, I vape for the taste, so, needless to say, flavor is really important to me. Typically, I gravitate toward more fruity flavors, but if you throw an amazingly blended earthy tone at me, I can be swayed. Deer2Peer does this beautifully.

For this product, I used my Aspire CE Mod topped with a RDA. The hit is smooth as a baby’s butt—there’s no harshness to it whatsoever. The flavor doesn’t overpower you on the inhale. It’s very soothing and calm, and then on the exhale, it releases its wonderful aroma. To me, it smells like a fresh cup of morning coffee, and I have to tell you … it’s nice. Want to try Deer2Peer, but don’t want to give up your favorite go-to e-liquid? That’s OK! Deer2Peer can be mixed with other e-liquids, and the user will still inhale the benefits, though it will not pack quite the punch as it does when used solo. In the short time that I have been a vaper, it has altered my life pretty dramatically. Vaping has given me a healthier alternative to smoking, which, as I noted earlier, I did not do regularly. I was a social smoker at best, but I honestly never cared for it. It was more something to keep my nervous hands at bay. Vaping has provided the same stimulus in a much healthier way, and e-liquid comes in much better flavors. I have also had the privilege of trying several e-liquids that boast additional benefits, aside from helping people quit smoking. Besides an incredible flavor experience and a really cool sales pitch, I have to say that I, personally, am most excited to see how the growth hormone affects me. I have knees that would put my great-grandmother’s (bless her soul) to shame, and if the DAE lives up to the hype, I may be able to stow away my knee brace (please let it be known that Deer2Peer/Aktiv8vapor makes no claims regarding this; it is merely a vaping experiment that I will performing).

The Lies Told by Our Mods By Arvid Sollom

In this burgeoning vape world overflowing with information, misinformation and even disinformation, what can we trust? Sadly, you can’t trust your common regulated mod at this point. In fact, mods in the most popular range—150 watts and up—are terrible liars. They don’t mean to be, but they contradict themselves visibly when tested. Put an Atlantis or any .5Ω or higher atomizer onto a Sigelei 150 or IPV3, or any mod that can push 150 or more watts. Make sure the resistance has detected (quick fire if the resistance reads 0.0) and scroll up the watts to the max. While you are scrolling up the watts, the voltage should climb. The Sigelei will stop increasing the voltage at 7.5 volts, yet the wattage will keep rising upward until it reaches 150. The IPV3 will claim to get to 8.5v and, if upgraded, still keep rising to an unreal 165 watts. If the voltage stops, the wattage cannot be increased. This is the first clue, but the river runs much deeper. It’s not like anybody thought this out, evilly smirking in the dimly lit electronic screen background, thinking about how all the foolish vapers will believe that the box is so powerful, yet it’s all just a smoke-and-mirrors charade. Though it might amuse me to think about it, a villain doesn’t lurk across the waters. Really, it’s simply a lack of foresight and something that is already changing. On the engineering side, we can equate it to an automobile that only has cruise control instead of a gas pedal and speedometer. If we get into our “Chonda,” hop onto the freeway and set the cruise to 60, it’s going to jump right along and hit 60. Now, set that Chonda to 150, add a big old tail wind, a nice, steep downward grade and, with a little luck, it just might hit 150 for a moment at a time. Instead, let’s keep that 150 setting, add four of our nearest pro football players into that not-so roomy interior (say some 22 gauge variety) and head up into the Colorado Mountains. If we look at our cruise control to see how fast we are going, all it’s allowed to say is the 150 watts—er, mph—we set it at. Truthfully, that car was never made to sustain that kind of speed, and the setting is fancifully high in the real world.

Enter temperature control. Suddenly, the engineers have to think a little harder. The lack of live readings on a plain ol’ high-wattage mod doesn’t make much difference in the end. However, when achieving a specific temperature using extremely small measurements of variation in resistance (that’s how they manage to guess a temperature), things need to be more realistic. The wattage set versus the wattage needed to maintain a temperature are often significantly different, which makes sense. Something like the IPV4 uses up to 100 watts to achieve a temperature, but only the best-tuned setups with some of the hardest-hitting lungs behind them will ever hope to keep a coil running 100 watts below 420° for very long. So the mod must decrease the watts and might as well report it with live data. This year’s devices are sure to be more truthful and accurate. Geek Time: How 150 can be less than 70 Lithium batteries max out at 4.25v, so two in series maxes at 8.5v resting (remember the IPV3 max volts?). However, once a significant current is applied, they drop another .4v or so to around 3.8v. Thus, making 7.6v or less the more realistic max voltage for the two in series (more like the Sigelei says). Say your batteries are not quite fresh—around 3.9v resting and nearing 3.5v under load. We still have to add an average 10 percent waste due to connections and overhead from the chip doing its job. Now, we may be getting as little as 3.2v out of each battery, giving us around 6.4 actual available volts to work with in series. Ohm’s Law tells us that something like the powerful sub-Ohm tank Herakles, which runs a .6 Ohm coil at 6.2 volts, likely gets around 68 watts during slightly trying circumstances, but may misreport it as something as high as 150 or 165. The good news is the change has already started. I still love my Sigelei 150, but mod chips like the DNA40D and the SX350J from the Yihi SX Mini, and hopefully the SX330 v4s slated for the IPV4, lead the way for more information and control over more important aspects of the vaping experience, thanks to the adoption of temperature control. Arvid Sollom began vaping as the 510 cigalike rose to be king of the hill in 2009. As a consummate tinkerer, he quickly pushed the tech boundaries by building five volt boxes. Keeping at the front edges of ever evolving tech, he’s also helped found two local social groups and works for the oldest vape shop in Tucson, continuing his tinkering with repairs and custom refinishes.

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Malice Doll

Sends Edgy, Positive Vaping Message By Alyssa Stahr

Most of the time, when people think of malice, they think of an evil thing. The vaping world’s version of Malice couldn’t be further from someone who holds ill will toward another human. One the self-proclaimed misfits of early vaping forums, Malice has created a name for herself not only as the secretary, volunteer coordinator and vendor coordinator of the National Vapers Club, but also in her appearance alone.

VAPE: You’re such a nice and positive person. Where did the name Malice Doll originate?

Mal: That is a great question! It started off as a movie

reference from a Japanese movie called Malice@Doll. I really liked the movie and used it as the name for my character in World of Warcraft. However, because of the way I dress—I look like a big doll--the name just kind of fit and I continued to use it and it followed me into the vaping world. Now I think I answer to ‘Mal’ more than I do my own name.

VAPE: Tell me about your style. When did it start and what inspired it?

Mal: My style kind of grew; it’s sort of evolved into what it

is today. It was the traditional gothic as well as the Victorian vampires, and dressing different because it was fun. Who doesn’t like to dress up in a pretty dress and go out? I wore a lot of ballgowns. One day I saw someone with big ponytails in their hair. I started researching it and they were expensive, so I was like, ‘Oh I can make that.’ I started making dreadlocks and synthetic hair. I called it color without the commitment; all you do is tie them into your head. I started making the yarn hair and matching it with different dresses. Ever since I was little I wanted the super-long hair like Cher and Crystal Gale. I decided to get fangs that helped with the whole thing.

VAPE: You smoked a pack a day for 24 years. How tough was it to transition to vaping?

Mal: Actually it was difficult. I started in 2009, so we didn’t

have the products that we have today. I got mine from Smoking Everywhere at the mall. There is still that curve today where you have to get used to the products and you have to fill them up. It was really frustrating; I ran mine over with my car, I was so mad at it. It didn’t hurt it, which was surprising. I was like, ‘What is wrong with

these things?’ The people at the mall didn’t know anything —they just worked there. There weren’t the enthusiasts that know everything that we know now.

VAPE: That says a lot about you and your will to quit smoking.

Mal: We found the online community (E-Cigarette Forum)

and different products and different companies. I still hear that today: ‘Oh, it didn’t work for me,’ and I ask, ‘Did you give it a good, honest try?’ People want them to taste like cigarettes and they don’t. It’s different. One of the main questions I get is, ‘What tastes like a cigarette?’ Nothing does, because cigarettes are on fire. I’d never heard of these until I stepped in the mall. We used to call them (people who vaped back then) ‘vapers in the wild.’ A great example was at Vapetoberfest in Long Beach, and I saw someone who was using an electronic cigarette and I was like, ‘Are you here for the convention?’ And they were like, ‘OMG, there’s a convention?’

VAPE: You found your first e-cig in a mall kiosk by accident. What a difference that day made.

Mal: I just stumbled upon it. They fed me the line and the

rhetoric that they’re supposed to say. It was a 401 and I was like, this is really cool and interesting, but I didn’t buy. I thought about it and went back. I enjoyed smoking, but I didn’t enjoy smoking. I wanted to continue to smoke, but I knew that I couldn’t, and it was a compromise in my mind. Then I spent way too much money on something that didn’t work, and that led me to my journey to where I am today. But I’m glad that I did take the chance and did go back.

VAPE: And you haven’t picked up a cigarette since? al: Well, then the 801 came and the world rejoiced,

and then the 901s and it was the coolest thing ever. A couple of years later I was out with friends and they were smoking, and I was like, ‘I wonder what they taste like now.’ After coughing up a lung and regretting it totally, I was really determined to make them [e-cigs] work, and I never smoked again after that day. I still have a pack of cigarettes on my desk; I just never threw them away. They will probably stay there until they turn to dust. Everyone has gone through the patch, and you give it a good try, and the gum, and give abstinence a try, or whatever you use to quit smoking. For whatever reason, you go back to smoking, and I really wanted to try it and get it to work. Mine was the hand action. I didn’t know what to do with my hands. It was

MAGAZINE

the ritual aspect more than the nicotine addiction. That’s what that product does for me—it gives me the social aspect and something to do with my hands.

VAPE: Do you attribute finding ECF in helping you stick with it in the beginning? al: Once I found the forums and different people who were struggling the way I was … I could say, ‘Have you tried this and have you tried that?’ My boyfriend found ECF and was like, ‘There’s a whole lot of people out there who do this,’ and I was like, ‘Really?’ Because I’d never heard of it. The community was very helpful and is still very helpful, especially with all these new products.

VAPE: What’s your vape of choice these days? al: It’s good that there’s a variety of products. It gives

more people choices that work for them instead of having one device that doesn’t. Right now, I’m using a DNA variable voltage device made by Zen. All of his devices are extremely well made and extremely reliable, and he has a great warranty on them. It’s really pretty too. My current juice is from Cherry Vape—menthol—and I use a tank I don’t rebuild. I keep going back to mint, menthols and peppermint. It took me a long time to realize that. I think everyone has that period where they vape everything they can get their hands on, but they go back to what they like.

VAPE: And then came VapersForum. I read that you called yourself a misfit vaper in the early days. Did you truly feel that way? al:We were kind of misfit vapers. Back when everybody was on ECF, which is a great resource that helped me tremendously, it’s kind of like Stephen King’s Ten O’Clock People, [a short story where a group of random people who probably wouldn’t be together are forced to be together at the same time. At 10 o’clock they all come out to smoke; it’s kind of an equalizer thing. That’s kind of what vaping is like. ECF was kind of like an old school-type gentleman’s club with the animal heads on the bar and you have to have a special handshake to get in. Then you have the biker bar. If you had these two choices, where would you go? Some people gravitate toward the wild side of life, and I didn’t really fit in the gentleman’s type of atmosphere. ECF was more of an information hub than a gathering spot. So, we decided on a more social place where social people could come and be where they are, and we invented VapersForum. It’s kind of like the wild side of vaping—he wild place to be.

VAPE: With that, do you feel a responsibility toward advocacy and helping newbies? al: This community gives me that outlet and is filled with highly sociable people—it’s just the nature of it. I had the same questions that a lot of people have, especially in the early days. I had a friend named Spikey who formed the NVC, and I got to talking to her, so that’s what we were willing to research in the beginning. We studied air quality and second-hand vape, and we found that it’s not really harmful; in the beginning, we didn’t really know. When the FDA had their first lawsuit, it was kind of like, ‘Hey that’s not right,’ and it spiraled into the advocacy. The backlash really grew. Someone has to stand up, and why not me? I enjoy writing, I enjoy research and talking to other advocates and other groups and being involved. It’s kind of a natural thing for me.

VAPE: National Vapers Club has obviously grown since the early days. What are some of your goals moving forward?

Mal: Our main initiative is the vaping headquarters. It’s

Chris Johnson, Malice Doll and Zen Photo by Chris Johnson

It rebelled against the rules and everything that was required on a large forum, because we were smaller, everybody knew each other and no one really cared. It started in Long Island, grew into the National Vapers Club and it grew into Vapefest.

a software that is used by charities, advocacy groups, military; we have it, and we want to organize working with the Vaping Militia. They’re working on setting up advocacy groups to combat legislation with vaping and helping vapers come together for advocacy groups in their local community. The vaping headquarters is organizing these groups. You can write a letter or make a phone call with your legislators without trying to do all the research yourself. It makes it easy to get involved. Back in the day, you’d have to research all of the legislators, and nowadays, you just click a button. It’s more personalized. The vaping initiative allows an ease for advocacy for smaller groups who wouldn’t have it otherwise. At VapersClub.com you have a map on the website with all of the bills that are active and anything that’s valid to you in your area right at your fingertips. Vaping is becoming a one-issue thing that voters look at—what makes or breaks a candidate. During elections we have vape the vote, where people can look at who to vote for. You have the right to talk to your legislator anytime you want, and a lot of people don’t know that. You have to be proactive instead of reactive.

VAPE: And there’s Vapefest (vapefest.com) in Miami in September.

Mal: It’s a fundraiser for advocacy. Come and hang out

with me. It will be fun.

VAPE: You’ve obviously become a well-known vaping personality. Was this your plan all along? al: It’s really strange, because I’ve always been highly social and I used to go to [vape] clubs … It’s hard to convince someone when you have a mohawk. I don’t really have a negative reaction when I go out in public. People don’t know how to really react to you, but when you are nice to them, they know how to be nice back. When you let them know that it’s OK, they will ask you a question. My friend said that I change the way that people look at us. That made me feel good, because I’m just me.

MODS ON MODS Words and photos by Bryan Gateb and Jan Halili of CaliVapers

With an active instagram following of more than 46,000 and an active online forum with more than 17,600 members, CaliVapers has become a strong and recognizable brand within the vape community. Being located at the epicenter of the vaping industry, CaliVapers has always had its finger on the pulse of vaping. As the vape community continues to grow, more and more modders are entering the fray and finding a source for reliable information on high-end and is becoming

Visit us at calivapers.com and keep up with us on instagram at @calivapers @bgateb and @janhalili.

#gepetto

an interview with Pawel Mikos, creator of gepetto box mods

Beautifully designed and well-crafted with the highest end raw materials, the Gepetto Elite is the pinnacle of high-end mods. Perfect fit, finish and the best ergonomics we’ve experienced make the Gepetto Elite the most sought-after mod in the current high-end collector climate. We had a chance to sit down with Polish modder Pawel Mikos, creator of the gepetto box mod to get some insight on his journey into modding.

Give us a little background on your modding journey. I’ve been vaping since 2009 with a break around 2010 —I was dissatisfied with the state of the gear at that point, all those cigalikes didn’t do it for me, and I got back to vaping around the time Ego-type batteries hit the market. Switched to a GLV v2 around 2011 and it went downhill from there—quickly accumulating a Around April or May 2011 I got into modding—was forced into it in a way and I made some mods for myself and for my buddies. These were 5v “regulated” box mods that were supposed to be used with three Ohm cartos and carto tanks ... those were good times. After that I moved slowly into the VV mods, started carving more intricate designs and was never fully satisfied with what I made—that made me push harder and come up with new designs. What is your vision behind gepetto mods? I want to stay small. Develop my designs, work on ergonomics and push it even further. I would like for people to be able to just look at my mods and say “yes, that’s a Gepetto—I’m sure of that.” To do that I need more original designs—I’ve got plenty of passion when it comes to what I do, just that there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything. It’s not just a job for me—vaping became my passion and I want to make mods for people who are as passionate about the hobby as I am. Your custom handmade and hand-painted Gepetto SLAPS are gorgeous! Is it safe to assume that you have a background in woodcarving or sculpture? No—I had to learn everything from scratch. Never worked with wood before I got into modding—I’m still learning and pushing my limits. There’s plenty I can still learn. From simple boxes, through “Art” series and S.L.A.P.S. to current Elites, Flo and #NoBox I’ve been honing my craft. Drip, clearo tank or genny? A good dripper, a nice genny and that’s all I need. I hate all the Kayfun-type tanks. They never appealed to me to be honest. Just need some mesh and a nice, flavorful dripper and I’m set.

photo by Bryan Gateb

What is your daily setup? An Elite V2 with an In’Ax atty. What is your all-day vape (e-liquid)? I alternate Cashmere Houndstooth and Five Pawns “Grandmaster.” Who are some of your favorite modders? I don’t want to drop any names here, but I love every modder who pushes the boundaries, tries to experiment with form and materials. We need more innovation in this industry—hoping that we can all learn from one another and make even better products for the customer. When it comes to modders story. Will you be attending any major trade shows or conventions this year? I may do Vape Expo in Paris, but I’m still not sure. My first trade show was Vape Summit 2015. That’s a lot of firsts this year—first plane journey, first trip to the states ... hoping to attend more, but It’s not that easy with the family and all that. What is your favorite color? Depends. As far as clothes go—I’m leaning towards blacks and greys. Mods—natural wood is where it’s at for me. For other things—walls at home for example, warm colors. What does the future hold for Pawel and Gepetto mods? Time will tell. At the moment I’m focusing on perfecting my designs and constantly looking for inspiration. I don’t want to grow too big—I would ar a bit, to make mods for collectors and real enthusiasts. It’s all about the community for me—building a better, smoke free future and having fun while I’m doing it. Thanks for your time, Pawel. We look forward to seeing the next unicorn come out of your workshop!

#stabwood Words and photos by Bryan Gateb, CaliVapers

Stabilized wood, or “Stabwood” is a process of impregnating the pores and grain structure of wood under pressure with a stabilizing agent, usually resin or acrylic, greatly increasing its durability and resistance to atmospheric change. Dyes often are added during the process, resulting in beautiful finishes. Regularly used in knife handles and pens, stabwood has made its way into vaping in the form of attractive handcrafted mods. We cover a few of our favorites below.

Akced ThinKing

Hurakan

Heresy

Country of Origin: Poland Modder: Jarosław Kwapisiński Battery: 18650 Chip: Evolv DNA40 (gold)

Country of Origin: Philippines Modders: Melvin Menon and Jorge Ang Battery: 26650 Chip: Evolv DNA40 (gold)

Country of Origin: Philippines Modder: Kwektomic Battery: 26650 Chip: YiHi SX350

Features: Narrow-Grip Design Stabilized Wood Body Brushed Stainless Steel Faceplate User-Replaceable 18650 Battery 40 Watts via Evolv DNA40 Gold

Features: Stainless Steel C-Frame Construction Stabilized Wood Insert Spring-Loaded 510 Connection User-Replaceable 26650 Battery Copper-Rod Wiring 40 Watts via Evolv DNA40 Gold

Features: Stainless Steel Box Construction (SUS304) Interchangeable Wooden Panels Spring-Loaded 510 Connection AWT 4500 mAh 75a Fixed 2660 Battery Tilt/Gravity Sensing Interface Micro-USB Charging 60 Watts via YiHi SX350

RRP: $480 USD Website: http://www.akced.pl/en/

RRP: $600 USD

RRP: $450-500 USD

The O.C. Vaper’s Meet, March 2015 Photos by Bryan Gateb, CaliVapers

Currently a bi-monthly event, the OC Vaper’s meet is the largest regularly-occuring Vaper’s meet in California. Our meet attracts hundreds of vapers from Orange County and surrounding areas, along with new modders, distributors and juice manufacturers. Attendees often walk away with hundreds of ml’s of free juice, accessories or even mods!

Every two months, CaliVapers and VapeDaily host the O.C. Vaper’s Meet, where vapers from all over Southern California gather to talk mods, try juice, and just have a good time. CloudKicker Society hosts a CloudKicker Circuit cloud competition at every meet, companies and accessory manufacturers will join us and make large donations resulting in none of our attendees going home empty-handed. If you’re in Sounthern California, Join us for the next OC Vaper’s Meet! Follow us on instagram at @calivapers or on facebook at facebook.com/calivapers and keep an eye out for details. The OC Vaper’s Meet is held bi-monthly at TEN Asian Bistro, 4647 MacArthur Blvd. Newport Beach, CA 92660.

#squonking

#notblowingsmoke

First popularized by Reos Mods five years ago, “squonkers” are box mods housing a battery compartment alongside a plastic e-liquid bottle with a tube leading up to the bottom of the 510 (or 306) connector into your bottom-feeding atomizer. The side door of the mod has a hole that allows the user to squeeze (or “squonk”) the bottle, which pushes the e-liquid in through the bottom of the atomizer onto their wick. It’s an extremely convenient set-up considering mods like the SunBox E7 (pictured below) can hold 10 ml of juice in its bottle. An ideal daily driver!

On April 8, more than 150 vapers and the industry stakeholders from California got together in massive opposition to Senator Leno’s bill, SB140, which, amongst other things, seeks to classify vapor products as tobacco and vaping equal to smoking. Which would tie in to a licensing scheme to force all vape shops to subject themselves to becoming “smoking lounges.”

By Jan Halili, CaliVapers

By Stefan Didak, notblowingsmoke.org

As co-president of the Northern California Chapter of SFATA, I’ve been deeply involved in organizing the opposition and continue to work with our lobbying team on this and several other bills in the state while SB140 continues on to the next committee. The battle has only just begun and we need everyone involved as this year will be a hugely defining year for vaping. I appreciate everyone who made it out to Sacramento for the hearing and sticking around for many hours before SB140 came up. The entire room rising up from their seats, when the committee chairman asked who wanted to voice their opposition, was a powerful sight can serve as an example for other states. Many of you are probably have seen the notblowingsmoke.org website that counters the disinformation that the California Department of Public Health has put out. I created it in 38 hours with some help Winans and fewer than 100 other vapers. I’m still overwhelmed by its impact and the response that has yet to quiet down. Expect more of #notblowingsmoke in the near future as we are working on establishing a proper structure around it that will help internationally. Stay tuned! Cheers, Stefan

SunBox E7 with Hellfire Viper atomizer

Photo by Roy Mananquil

VAPE Investigates By Alyssa Stahr and Erin Hedrick

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With FDA regulations of our industry pending, some individual states and cities of the union have taken it upon themselves to self-regulate in the form of indoor and outdoor vaping bans, sales restrictions, higher taxes and more. VAPE has scoured the nation’s news stories and industry advocate sites to bring you the most *up-to-date information about where your state is at in the self-regulation arena. In addition, we asked brick and mortars what they think about the current local state of affairs.

ALABAMA

had multiple bills come to the floor, and we have

cated. There’s a lot of misinformation that is being

Vaping isn’t banned indoors as an overall state

been down there a lot, trying to talk to legislators

propagated by tobacco companies, and I feel that

law, however individual cities may enact their own

one-on-one. The general consensus, when you

as far as restrictions and how they personally af-

mandates if they choose to do so. State law re-

speak to them individually, they seem very unedu-

fect us … in Tempe they passed a law that states

stricts sales to ages 19 and under. Current legis-

cated. There’s a lot of misinformation that is being

you cannot vape indoors anywhere where there

lation, SB 168, would separate e-cigarettes from

propagated by tobacco companies, and I feel that

are smoking laws—only city to do that in Arizona

tobacco products.

as far as restrictions and how they personally af-

so far. We’ve actually seen a up-pick in business,

VENDOR’S VOICE: ”House Bill 224 would add a $7

fect us … in Tempe they passed a law that states

oddly enough. We’ve seen a lot more of a ground

syntax per 30 ml of e-liquid. Why bother trying to

you cannot vape indoors anywhere where there

swell in grassroots organizing and getting out and

be healthy at that price? Everyone that vapes is

are smoking laws—only city to do that in Arizona

people actually calling their representatives and

against that syntax—it’s ludicrous. No benefit to

so far. We’ve actually seen a up-pick in business,

being very involved. This is a cause that is really

putting that tax on vaporizing. If it was as bad as

oddly enough. We’ve seen a lot more of a ground

striking at the heart of just how our community in

some say, it’s still better than smoking.” - Will Bur-

swell in grassroots organizing and getting out and

Phoenix … it’s interesting. A lot of people who do

ton, employee, Boxcar Vape

people actually calling their representatives and

not appreciate the government coming in and try-

CALL TO ACTION: To follow Senate Bill 168, visit

being very involved. This is a cause that is really

ing to regulate it in the first place. NAVB has been

http://goo.gl/4bQ35d.

striking at the heart of just how our community in

incredibly proactive in this movement. They’ve

Phoenix … it’s interesting. A lot of people who do

had lobbyists lobby on their behalf. We have actu-

ALASKA

not appreciate the government coming in and try-

ally gotten a few of them turned onto e-cigs. We

Alaska’s latest House Bill, 360, was set to define

ing to regulate it in the first place. NAVB has been

are fighting very vigilantly here to be able to exist

vaping as smoking, along with a statewide smok-

incredibly proactive in this movement. They’ve

without being taxed into oblivion.” - Natalie Hig-

ing ban. The Bill was heard via teleconference in

had lobbyists lobby on their behalf. We have actu-

gins, owner, Valor Vapor

April 2014, and CASAA reports that the call to ac-

ally gotten a few of them turned onto e-cigs. We

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on pend-

tion “concluded favorably” and the 2014 legislative

are fighting very vigilantly here to be able to exist

ing legislation, join the Arkansas Vapor Alliance:

session went to recess. Like Alabama, sales are

without being taxed into oblivion.” - Natalie Hig-

http://goo.gl/PFt33o.

restricted to 19 and over. While some municipali-

gins, owner, Valor Vapor

ties have restricted indoor vaping, there is no of-

CALL TO ACTION: To oppose HB 2596, contact Rep.

CALIFORNIA

ficial state law.

Lisa Otondo (D-AZ), the bill sponsor, at http://goo.

This state is a hot bed of current vaping issues.

VENDOR’S VOICE: ”It sucks. I just want to see

gl/C2fhty. To oppose HB 2648, visit http://goo.gl/

Current bills include SB 24, which deals with the

childproof lids required. I’m against the ban on

O3EzNc.

Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement Act (STAKE). STAKE currently levies punishments

vaping indoors in my shop. I’m definitely against

the tobacco-only flavors. That’s crazy. I’m against

ARKANSAS

related to tobacco sales, and Sen. Jerry Hill (D-

the taxing of it, too.” - Isaac Howell, owner, Cold

First up is HB 1722, which passed through the

San Mateo) proposes that e-cigarettes would have

Smoke 907

senate in late March, that bans e-cigarettes on

penalties if sold to minors and require childproof

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on current

state colleges and universities. This bill now is in

packaging. Perhaps the biggest concern for the

legislation, visit http://goo.gl/iuKm06.

the governor’s hands. Arkansas’s Clean Indoor Act

state is SB 140, introduced by Sen. Mark Leno. It

passed way back in 2006, and Sen. Larry Teague

defines e-cigs like tobacco and treats vaping like

ARIZONA

(D-Nashville), has filed SB 447 to change the term

smoking as law if passed. SB 140 is backed by

While Arizona does have a smoke-free law, vap-

tobacco in the act to include e-cigarettes. It also

the American Cancer Society, the American Heart

ing does not yet fall into that category within the

would amend the act to include e-cigs under the

Association and the American Lung Association.

state. Tempe was the first city to enact an inter-

definition of smoking. In addition, there is SB 978,

Overall, 122 cities and counties in California have

nal vaping ban back in August 2014. Guadalupe

which aims to regulate vapor products and e-liq-

some sort of vaping prohibition set in place.

and Gilbert soon followed. Current state legislation

uids. CASAA states that SB 978 is a “serious threat

VENDOR’S VOICE: “Obviously the big tobacco com-

includes HB 2596, introduced in February, which

to access vapor products in Arkansas.”

panies are losing profit from the people convert-

proposes a luxury tax on electronic cigarettes. Also

VENDOR’S VOICE: “First and foremost, I’m part of a

ing. For me, I feel like everybody just needs to get

of note is HB 2648, which would restrict market-

group here called NAVB, and we’ve been working a

educated.” - Wren Reyes, product manager, The

ing, sales, labeling and manufacture of any vaping

lot on a lot of the legislative issues that have been

Vape Shop

product that “appeals to youth.”

presented in about the last eight months. We’ve

CALL TO ACTION: To get involved in the legislative

VENDOR’S VOICE: “First and foremost, I’m part of a

had multiple bills come to the floor, and we have

battle in California, visit http://goo.gl/YwEm43.

group here called NAVB, and we’ve been working a

been down there a lot, trying to talk to legislators

lot on a lot of the legislative issues that have been

one-on-one. The general consensus, when you

COLORADO

presented in about the last eight months. We’ve

speak to them individually, they seem very unedu-

There is a Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act, however

MAGAZINE

the act has not been amended to include vaping.

CONNECTICUT

CALL TO ACTION: To oppose HB 5, contact Rep.

SB 14-018 was signed by the governor last year,

HB 5449, 6238 and 6290 were heard by a joint

Debra Heffernan (D-DE) http://goo.gl/VU7WRR.

which defined e-cigarettes as a tobacco product

committee on public health in March. HB 5449

and prohibits sale or transfer of product to a minor

would redefine the word smoking to include e-

FLORIDA

under 18. E-cigs also are prohibited statewide for

cigs. Vaping would be included in the state’s in-

While minors under 18 are prohibited from buy-

use on school property.

door clean air law, which would ban vaping in the

ing vaping products, there are no other state-wide

VENDOR’S VOICE: “We are happy we aren’t see-

same places where cigarettes are banned. HB

restrictions. Individual cities such as Aventura,

ing some of the legislation that is being proposed

6238 would define electronic cigarettes as tobacco

Delray Beach and Vero Beach and are trying to

or enacted in other states. The state of affairs in

products; be subjected to the same smoke-free

self-regulate with proposed indoor use bans.

places like Washington or Rhode Island where

laws as cigarettes; be subjected to the same mar-

VENDOR’S VOICE: “Just in our county alone there’s

they are outright banning Internet sales of ‘vaping

keting restrictions as cigarettes; prohibit e-liquid

72 vape shops. It’s a very saturated area as far as

equipment’ and the incredibly high taxes being pro-

flavors; and change manufacturing and labeling

a business standpoint. I wouldn’t want anything

posed in Minnesota and Ohio are troubling and con-

standards, including adding warnings similar to

changed. It’s just sort of disrespectful that people

fusing to us. We have been relatively lucky here in

those on cigarettes. HB 6290 deals with advertis-

consider vapers second class citizens. It’s almost

Boulder, considering. In February the Boulder City

ing restrictions, limiting ads for “nicotine delivery

like segregation. Vaping helped me quit smoking;

Council defined vaping as smoking and included

systems.” Connecticut law bans smoking in any

it’s helped a lot of people quit smoking.” - Ben

it the expanded city smoking ban, which includes

tobacco shop that has changed its size or opened

Lamb, manager, Vape King

vaping in some places outdoors. The ban covers

since 2002. Therefore, vaping inside brick and

CALL TO ACTION: CASAA breaks down individual

most of our downtown area and all bike paths, multi

mortars would be banned if e-cigs are defined as

city’s battles and contact information here: http://

use paths, parks and open space throughout the

tobacco products.

blog.casaa.org/search/label/Florida.

town. Obviously we do not feel that an outdoor vap-

VENDOR’S VOICE: “Currently the pending legisla-

ing ban is justified, as it sends the wrong message

tion hasn’t done anything except unite a few shops

GEORGIA

to both non-smokers and current smokers, but at

against the legislature. They only want us to offer

Those 18 and under are prohibited from purchas-

the moment there isn’t any pending statewide leg-

non-flavors, which is pretty ridiculous. We’ll see

ing vaping products. Vaping is prohibited on all

islation banning vaping, and that encourages us.

how it goes. Honestly, once they put it in writing

University of Georgia campuses.

Sadly, some communities like Greeley, Colorado

that you had to be 18, I thought that was perfect.

VENDOR’S VOICE: “Honestly I haven’t been follow-

have banned vaping in shops and we would hate to

Minors don’t need to be coming in here and buy-

ing too closely, but as far as making the juices go, I

see that grow to other towns.

ing products. Outside of that, until there’s anything

think that should be the only thing regulated. Just

long-term studies that show, then nothing needs

make sure they’re made safely, and maybe stop all

We support legal age requirements, and actively

to be changed.” - Jose Feliciano, store manager,

this making it at home and selling it. I just don’t

card anyone under 30 who comes into our store.

Steam Co. E-Cigs & Vaping Supply

agree with that.” - Peter Constanzo, salesman, At-

We also support legislation requiring childproof

CALL TO ACTION: Since this is the beginning of the

lanta Vapor

caps and are happy to say 90 percent of our cur-

legislative session, your participation is key. To

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the cur-

rent e-juice selection is in childproof bottles. We

make your voice heard, visit http://goo.gl/0os7Ke.

rent state of affairs in Georgia, visit http://goo.gl/ gA93Vu.

are putting pressure on the remaining companies to implement childproof caps. At this point we will

DELAWARE

not bring in any new e-juice companies that aren’t

Vaping is prohibited in all state workplaces and

HAWAII

in childproof bottles with tamper evident packaging.

surrounding grounds, this includes parking lots

The Big Island has some strict rules, with e-ciga-

We are supportive of any reasonable legislation that

and any vehicles that are on state property. The

rettes becoming illegal at beaches, county parks,

would make concerned parents and non-smokers

bill of most concern is HB 5, which if passed pro-

public buildings and every other place smoking is

feel more confident in the safety of vaping products.

hibits vaping where smoking is currently banned.

banned in January. E-cigs are banned in all state

Delaware’s Clean Indoor Act, enacted in 2002,

government buildings, and some legislation is

Our most pressing concern, and the issue at the

bans smoking in workplaces, various public places,

moving through the channels, aiming for Hawaii

core of all anti-vaping legislation all over the coun-

restaurants and bars. This also would possibly af-

to be an even stricter state. HB 586 recognizes

try, is a lack of knowledge and awareness of both

fect brick and mortars, which would not be exempt

vapor products as smoking tobacco. SB 1032 clas-

the facts and the fictions being presented. If we

in the new law.

sifies vaping products as tobacco products and in-

could change anything in Colorado it would be to

VENDOR’S VOICE: “We’re about to have a vote in

troduces a 70 percent tobacco tax as a result. HB

convince our community that their voices could

Delaware next week, House Bill 5, which would

145 SD1 & SD2 is possibly the most dangerous,

influence legislation. If they would go to their lo-

prohibit vaping everywhere that smoking is pro-

amending the definition of “tobacco products,” to

cal city councils and state lawmakers and engage

hibited, including the vape shops. We see this as

expand the definition to include any product con-

them in this discussion, then we would have a

being very detrimental to our business. A bunch

taining nicotine. It imposes an excise tax equal to

greater chance of success as a community. What

of the shops here in Delaware have gotten to-

80 percent of the wholesale price of any tobacco

drives our business is, obviously, the vaper, the

gether and formed an association where we’ve

product, other than large cigars, sold by a whole-

consumer. It’s their needs and financial support

hired a lobbyist to represent us to the legislature

saler or dealer on and after Jan. 1, 2016, whether

which have produced better, safer products, and it

to ask that they not pass this bill, or at least put in

sold at wholesale, or if not sold then at the same

has to be their desire, their will, to produce better

an exemption. We’re encountering a lot of resis-

rate upon the use by the wholesaler or dealer. It

legislation to protect their own rights.” - Sean Tan-

tance from the politicians who just want to push

requires funds collected under the increased ex-

ner, owner, Boulder Vapor House

the bill through. The bill proposer is very strongly

cise tax rate to be deposited to the credit of the

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the current

against vaping; she thinks its harmful. It violates

Hawaii cancer research special fund.

state of Colorado, join the NE Colorado Vapers So-

the Clean Indoor Act.” - Scott Nizborski, owner,

VENDOR’S VOICE: “It’s not something I’m looking

ciety: http://goo.gl/S7QdVS.

VapeEscape

forward to if it does go through. I definitely am not

looking forward to getting taxed 80 percent for

to make an educated decision.” - Shelli Tribble and

win for vapers in this state. The law currently re-

our juices and other vaping products.” - Derrek

Niki Castleman, owners, Tribble Vapors

quires businesses to have a tobacco license.

Eldris, employee, Vape HawaiiCALL TO ACTION: To

CALL TO ACTION: To oppose HB 2404, contact

VENDOR’S VOICE: “We haven’t seen anything ex-

submit testimony to oppose HB 145, visit http://

Rep. Kathleen Willis http://goo.gl/CKwJrC.

cept we had to get a tobacco license. It hasn’t

goo.gl/hJDRBn. To get involved, join Hawaii Va-

really affected Iowa … yet. As soon as things get

INDIANA

done in Cali we’ll see what happens from there.

HB 1169, HB 1432 and SB 384 are some of the

Restriction-wise I’d change just the tobacco law.

IDAHO

bigger threats looming in the Hoosier State. The

It makes no sense.” - Justin Nguyen, store man-

Idaho’s current laws deal mainly with minor

National Vapers Club breaks down HB 1169, re-

ager, The Vape House LLC

sales of anyone under 18. This includes in-per-

porting that this bill would define e-cigs as smok-

CALL TO ACTION: To support the Dotzler Amend-

son sales, third-party shipping, vending machine

ing, therefore prohibiting vaping in the same places

ment, contact the Iowa Legislature: http://goo.

sales or transfer of products to anyone under the

where smoking is banned. HB 1432 would require

gl/8ao3kw.

age of 18. Minors in possession will receive a fine

e-liquid manufacturers to obtain a permit from the

and/or imprisonment and/or community service.

alcohol and tobacco commission before bottling

KANSAS

VENDOR’S VOICE: “I believe that there should be

or selling to retailers or distributors. In addition,

Minors are prohibited from purchase in the state

an age limit; I believe in childproof caps. I do not

childproof packaging would be required. The law

of Kansas. A recent letter to the editor in LJWorld.

believe they should take away flavors. I do not

already prohibits sales to those under 18. SB 384

com urged the city of Lawrence to ban smoking

believe they should take away taste testing. I

imposes a $.0083 tax per milligram of nicotine per

e-cigarettes in public places and to raise the mini-

know they’re huge fans of sub-Ohming, but I am

one milliliter of consumable product. Monies col-

mum purchase age to 21, however no legislation

not a huge a fan. There needs to be a regulation

lected would go to the state general fund.

to this effect has been brought to the table.

as far as people making their own because that’s

VENDOR’S VOICE: “There’s been several shops

VENDOR’S VOICE: “I know there’s quite a bit of

when people have accidents. I believe this is a

that closed because of all the hearings and things.

regulation going on in the Johnson County region.

much healthier alternative to smoking. This has

It’s not really good in Indiana, to say the least, as

We’re seeing an increase in smoking cessation. I

been the only thing that’s worked for my dad;

far as the state level regulations. They did pass

don’t really like the whole lot of separation from

he did everything … hypnosis, Chantix, patches,

the third reading of the bill, so now it has to go

shop to shop. There’s not a lot of community in

gum.” - Berryman, owner, VaperTec

to a senate committee meeting, and from there

the business sense. There’s a lot of trash talk from

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on Idaho leg-

it will go to the governor’s desk and become a

shop to shop. No one’s supporting one another in

islation, join the Idaho Vaping Advocacy Facebook

law. We’re not very happy about it. It’s not going

a way that would keep the industry here alive.”

group: http://goo.gl/SAJXr6.

to affect us as much as other shops that manu-

- Robert Mathis, business manager, Vape Room

facture their own liquids. They wanted you to pay

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the cur-

ILLINOIS

originally a $5000 fee to be able to sell e-liquid

rent state of affairs in Kansas, visit http://goo.

Vaping will be prohibited as of July 1 on all state-

in the state, but it’s now $1,000. Everyone here

gl/NAROVQ.

supported campuses of higher learning, includ-

is pretty concerned that they’re making it so that

ing buildings, grounds, parking lots and vehicles

no one can comply. We might have to drop some

KENTUCKY

owned by said institution. E-liquid packaging laws

suppliers here in the shop because of it. A lot of

Minors under the age of 18 receive a penalty if

in the state went into effect Jan. 1, outlining that

people are thinking that they’re (a few juice com-

caught purchasing or possessing e-cigarettes,

all liquids sold and marketed for refilling of e-cigs

panies) trying to set up monopolies for the state,

while stores selling receive fines. At least eight

must be in child-safe packaging. Illinois lawmak-

similar to how some restaurants have to buy from

cities in the state have self-regulated banning

ers are considering banning e-cigs where smok-

one or two suppliers. HB 1432 has been lessened

vaping in places where smoking is prohibited.

ing is banned statewide, with a bill introduced in

more and more in severity due to petitions and

VENDOR’S VOICE: “So far, Gov. Steve Beshear has

February by Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-District 77).

protests. Shops would close down on specific

only signed into law Senate Bill 109, placing age

HB 2404 would amend the school code and the

days so that owners, (I Vape, I Vote) customers

restrictions on e-cigarettes and sales to minors.

Smoke Free Illinois Act.

and employees could go down to the state house.

We are on the boarder of Indiana, which is taking

VENDOR’S VOICE: ”We think that it’s good that

The problem is a large percentage of the lobbyists

some drastic steps in the making of e-liquid and

they’re trying to limit sales to underage users and

are in the pockets of Big Tobacco. I’m all for not

outside vendors as well as some form of taxation.

we think a lot of it is misinformation and a lack

selling to minors and childproof caps, but that’s

There are many demonstrations from fellow va-

of education—both. We did go up to the capitol

not what it is anymore. They tried to make it look

pers in the state capital of Indianapolis, as this is

when HB 2404 was going through, and many of

like that was the reasoning, but once you actually

an extremely hot topic in the Indiana General As-

them were very open to listen to the materials that

read the propositions you see that it’s not.” - Jon

sembly. I anticipate once these laws are in affect,

we were sending to them and were able to make

Coslett, employee, Indy Vapor Shop

we will see an influx of Indiana residents crossing

an informed decision. There were a lot of compro-

CALL TO ACTION: To get involved in the fight

the river into Kentucky for cheaper prices. I do

mises that took place, and we were able to agree

against proposed legislation in Indiana, visit

not foresee Kentucky standing back with no leg-

to the terms. As far what we’d like to see hap-

http://goo.gl/2bi8OK.

islation or regulation though. I anticipate strict

pers United: http://goo.gl/y0ChIo

guidelines in bottle labeling and taxes are inevi-

pen we would like to see them get educated about

vaping. There’s a huge difference between vaping

IOWA

table.” - Rob Bowen, owner, Nice Guy Vapors

and smoking a cigarette. We should not be lumped

There’s good news in the state of Iowa, with HF

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the cur-

into tobacco products because we’re not a tobacco

2109/the Dotzler Amendment S-5088 coming into

rent state of affairs in Kentucky, visit http://goo.

product. We should become our own entity away

play. The amendment would ban sales of vapor

gl/pVxrQ5.

from tobacco products.They’ve let cigarettes be on

products of any kind to minors, not add additional

the market for years. Why do we have to fight so

taxes and not define e-cigarettes as tobacco prod-

LOUISIANA

damn hard? They don’t have enough information

ucts. Obviously if passed, this would be a huge

The sale of e-cigs and “other tobacco alterna-

MAGAZINE

tives” to minors under 18 years of age was

They’ve passed like an indoor ban, but you can

MINNESOTA

banned last year. New Orleans seems to be the

still do it in vape shops and certain bars and res-

Minneapolis banned the indoor use of e-cigs late

city in the state with the toughest battle, with a

taurants. HB 26 should still provide a provision for

last year, which was an update to the already in

ban on indoor smoking and vaping passing earlier

vape shops, but it was beat down I’m pretty sure.

place clean indoor air ordinance. This does not in-

this year. Vaping still will be allowed inside stores

I know in some of the counties they’re trying to

clude tobaccos shops in which minors can’t enter.

and at conventions, but that’s about it. CASAA re-

impose a tax on juice with nicotine. I’d like to see

Minneapolis joins Bloomington, Duluth and Edina.

ports that vaping has been “deceitfully folded into

that not pass, obviously. It’s not in my county,

State laws include a ban on sales from mall kiosks

New Orleans’ smoking ban.”

but once one county does it, it makes it easier

and child-resistant packaging on e-liquids.

VENDOR’S VOICE: “I’m definitely against it. I think

for the others to follow suite.” - Sal Flip, owner,

VENDOR’S VOICE: “Today the bill was being de-

vaping should be allowed anywhere. I don’t see

Harbor Vapor

bated on adding a 30 percent e-juice tax. So, like

any reason why you wouldn’t be able to vape

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the cur-

a $9 increase on a 30 ml bottle. Right now, I think

in bars. I can understand restaurants because

rent state of Maryland, join the Maryland Vapers:

it’s getting more popular than Minn. was ready

people are trying to eat their food, and it could

http://goo.gl/TqFDtP.

for, and they’re trying to shut it down. It’s getting

be kind of rude. We like to have a great atmo-

very annoying. I feel the community has really

sphere for everyone. It’s supposed to be a real

MASSACHUSETTS

comfortable place. How can we keep that going

The Massachusetts Attorney General, Maura

the indoor use is needed. I understand why in

if they can’t even vape in here? They shouldn’t

Healey, has proposed regulations prohibiting the

restaurants and such, where people can be under

ban vaping indoors. It’s kind of necessary for our

sale of e-cigs to minors in the state. The battle

18, but in a bar ... especially in a vape shop?” -

company to promote the environment we invite. I

in Winchester, Mass. consists of proposed regula-

Dan Kosel, manager, Excelsior Vapor

have heard here say of they want us to not make

tions dealing with a flavor and indoor use ban,

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the state

any nicotine in our flavors, but I heard that from

along with e-cigs being defined as smoking within

of affairs in Minnesota, visit the Minnesota Vapers

a friend of mine. I don’t know who his sources

Winchester’s existing law.

Advocacy page: http://goo.gl/GISQjD.

were. I think that’s crap. I used to smoke, and I

VENDOR’S VOICE: “It’s horrible. They’re trying to

slowly switched to vaping by lowering my nicotine

classify vape as tobacco. I agree with the under

MISSISSIPPI

levels.” - Dalton Seaman, employee, Vapor Haze

18 ban. I agree with not promoting to minors. I

There are three house bills up for vote in this leg-

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the current

agree with childproof caps. I don’t agree to the

islative session: HB 80, HB 81 and HB 134. HB

state of affairs in Louisiana, visit http://goo.gl/Yvky9G.

90 percent tax they want to impose. They try to

80 and 81 aim to increase the excise tax on all

sneak up and backdoor the legislation. Every ave-

products except cigarettes, while 134 wants to

MAINE

nue that we can get this information out would be

prohibit the sale of candy or food products that

Vaping products currently are taxed at a sales tax

great. We just created the SFATA Massachusetts

mimic tobacco products, which surely will include

rate of 5.5 percent. Tobacco products are taxed

chapter, and I think a lot of states are doing that

e-liquids.

at $2 per pack of 20 cigarettes, something that

too. We need everyone to know about it. The big-

VENDOR’S VOICE: “I’m real active in the vape com-

should be watched closely in case legislation

ger companies are already getting ready for their

munity. There’s a city here that banned vaping

comes to light asking that e-cigs be treated the

changes by selling flavors separate from the nico-

like smoking, but that’s just city ordinances. It’s

same as tobacco products. This was the case in

tine, which kills us. We need someone like Space

just ignorant. It’s a bunch of uneducated people

2013, but the bill was thwarted. E-cigs can’t be

Jam pushing for us. NJOY says they are, but who

making laws without educating themselves. If

sold to minors in the state and are not included in

knows really.” - Joel Illouz, owner, Voltage Vape

anybody would actually sit down and go through

indoor smoking laws.

CALL TO ACTION: To learn more about Healey’s

the research and take time and put something

VENDOR’S VOICE: “Right now unfortunately the

proposed regulations, visit http://goo.gl/dV2D2w.

together, they would know that there’s nothing

government and Big Tobacco are trying to make

stuck together. I think a little more leniency on

wrong with vaping, especially the e-juice. They

up for their income loss, so they’re trying to de-

MICHIGAN

clare them, regulate them the same as actual to-

Gov. Rick Snyder has vetoed the last three bills

like that; I don’t know that I agree with that. All

bacco products. Big Tobacco and the U.S. govern-

dealing with banning e-cigs to minors, however

four ingredients are FDA approved, but for some

ment are just trying to get their money back by

that’s because he wants tougher laws. In fact,

reason they’re not approved to be in the same

slowing vaping down.” - Joe Murphy, employee,

he said that he wants e-cigs to be treated like

bottle. In my research it isn’t Big Tobacco, it’s

Maine Tobacco Shop & Vaping Supplies

tobacco products. There should be a lot more to

Big Pharm that’s losing a ton of money from the

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the cur-

come in this state.

industry (the gum, the patches, etc). That’s hav-

rent state of affairs in Maine, visit http://goo.gl/

VENDOR’S VOICE: “As far as legislation goes we’ve

ing the biggest effect in my opinion. They have

MBCYgH.

been proactive. We’ve been looking at the local

a lot of political power (Big Pharma). They’re

level because those bills tend to be copied in the

trying to limit what the public can do because

MARYLAND

state senate. Washtenaw County did an amend-

they’re losing a ton of money. I do think there

HB 26 and HB 489/SB 7 are the two main legisla-

ment to the Clean Air Act and we brought a crew

needs to be some regulations on e-juice. Right

tive proposals that need your attention. HB 26

of eight people and testified to the legislation.

now I could make juice in my bathroom and use

aims to amend the Clean Indoor Act to include us-

They’re the first county that passed indoor vap-

toilet water. I never would! But I could as things

age of e-cigarette vaping as smoking. HB 26 was

ing—period. We tried our hardest on that one

are right now.” - Matthew Hager, store manager,

viewed as unfavorable by the House Economic

exemption on vape shops. (They won on the ex-

Vapor Scene Jackson

Matters Committee, which is good news for the

emption.)” - John Waldmiller, district manager,

CALL TO ACTION: Rep. James Evans (D) intro-

state. HB 489/SB 7 includes any device used to

Mister E-Liquid

duced both bills. To voice your opinion on the

deliver nicotine as unsellable, not distributable

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the state

matter, contact his office: http://goo.gl/X7rYMs.

and not to be offered to minors.

of affairs in Michigan, join the Michigan Vapers

VENDOR’S VOICE: “It’s pretty good right now.

Club: http://goo.gl/LoUoDs.

say the candy flavors attract children and things

MISSOURI

you want to tax it to basically run it out of busi-

Also a major threat to New Hampshire vapors is

Rep. Sheila Solon (R) is sponsoring a bill aiming

ness? We’re bringing revenue into our cities. Why

SB 105, which on a good note will require child-

to regulate e-liquids in the Show-Me State. HB

would you want to stop that? It doesn’t make

resistant packaging. On the bad side, if the bill

531 would require manufacturers to use child

any sense. One of the biggest things was to get

passes, the law would treat vaping like smoking.

proof packaging. If passed, the law would go into

people off cigarettes, and this is going to crush it.”

In New Hampshire, this means it would amend

effect in late August. St. Charles, Mo. also is fight-

- Nahum Rutledge, manager, uBlaze Vapor

the state’s indoor smoking act, prohibiting vaping

ing its own battle with Bill 11543, which would

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the cur-

in businesses and workplaces.

redefine smoking to include vaping.

rent state of affairs in Montana, visit the Montana

VENDOR’S VOICE: “HB 2 has been shot down by

VENDOR’S VOICE: “We don’t have enough power

Vaping Advocacy Facebook group: http://goo.gl/

the state. We created Vape New Hampshire; a

to fight City Hall. We don’t want to be lumped

rHqBRt To state your opinion on SB 66, contact

bunch of shops and juice makers got together

in with smokers by any stretch of the imagina-

the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Diane Sands (D), at http://

and created the non-profit organization to actu-

tion. St. Charles has tried the non smoking ban

goo.gl/qAfiw6.

ally fight those bills and work with the state to produce and supply new bills that make sense,

three times and has been voted down. They did amend the ordinances to define if shop owners

NEBRASKA

like childproof bottles. SB 102 has also been shot

want to allow smoking/vaping in their individual

Nebraska is fairly quiet on the legislative front.

down, it actually got moved over and separated,

stores. This was on the seventh of this month

There is a Nebraska Clean Indoor Air Act, which

and now it’s just focusing on childproof caps.

they amended the bill to put the power back into

prohibits smoking in public places and places of

We’re waiting to hear on that. We’re working to

the shops. I try to keep up with it and just sit

employment, however e-cigs are not yet joined in

reach goals that we can both agree upon. I feel

back and try to wait. My point of view as a shop

with this according to state law.

pretty excited about the whole situation because

owner in the industry and as a pastor, there’s a

VENDOR’S VOICE: “There are not any laws get-

honestly I don’t think that they enjoy reading

lot of chatter before things are set in stone. So I

ting in our way of sales here, but the no vaping

hundreds of bills a month and going over it, I

just try to keep up, and make sure when it comes

indoors is getting old fast.” - Terry White, owner,

think they take appreciation to the fact that we’re

time we have a voice and legal support to stand

White’s E-Juice

willing to work with them and do all the work for

up for what we have.” - Cliff Brown, owner, Main

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the

them. All they need to do is sign it. We’re still

Street Vapor Worx

state of affairs in Nebraska, join the Nebraska

not 100 percent on everything that’s going into

CALL TO ACTION: To voice your opinion on HB

Vapers Advocacy Facebook group: http://goo.

the bill, but we are working on pieces of legisla-

531, visit http://goo.gl/b3bO87. Other ways to

gl/1VMYkE.

tion. We meet the first Tuesday of every month at various shops.” - Matthew Baker, manager, The

get involved include the Bistate Regional Advocates for Vaping Education: http://goo.gl/ByQhsJ

NEVADA

and the Missouri Vapers Initiative: http://goo.gl/

SB 79 is the hot topic in Nevada, which would

CALL TO ACTION: To oppose Governor Maggie

iG61Bz.

regulate and tax liquid nicotine, i.e. e-liquid.

Hassan’s HB 2 proposal, visit http://goo.gl/ti-

They would be defined as “other tobacco prod-

YAqY. To voice your opinion about SB 105, con-

MONTANA

ucts,” subjected to a 30 percent tax rate of the

tact bill sponsor Sen. David Pierce (D) at http://

There currently is no minor law in the state of

wholesale price. Also on the docket is SB 201,

goo.gl/Er4LxX. To join the New Hampshire Vapers

Montana, however SB 66 is on the table, which

which would prohibit vaping where smoking is

Facebook group, visit http://goo.gl/OujBQy.

would prohibit sales of e-cigs to minors, However,

banned. Sales to minors are prohibited in the

CASAA states that the bill also would redefine e-

state of Nevada.

NEW JERSEY

cigs as tobacco products, which would be a step

VENDOR’S VOICE: “They’re really starting to treat

New Jersey began the fight against vaping early,

backward.

vaping like it’s a tobacco product. I wish they

with the Smoke-Free Air Act of 2006 becoming

VENDOR’S VOICE: “I 100 percent agree that mi-

would keep it exactly as it is right now. There’s

amended in 2010. The amendment banned the

nors shouldn’t be allowed to walk into a vape

a local shop here in Vegas that was too close to

use of e-cigs in indoor public places and work-

store and purchase them. I totally agree with

a 7-11, and he had to shut down for a week and

places. It also prohibited the sale to those 19 and

that. A lot of the taxes they’re trying to propose

fight against it because 7-11 has a contract that

under. it was the first state law of its kind at the

and flavor bans Just because I became an adult I

there can’t be a tobacco shop within a certain dis-

time. Governor Chris Christie wants to update the

don’t care for flavor anymore? I don’t agree with

tance. I really wish they would try to stop treat-

strict e-cig legislation in 2015 by taxing e-cigs and

that. I am looking forward to regulation on the

ing it as a tobacco product. That’s the biggest

e-liquid at the $2.70 per pack of cigarette rate.

manufacturing side. There are lot of good pre-

problem with everything right now. They’re really

VENDOR’S VOICE: “I’m all for having an age re-

mium brands that are doing it right, but right

trying to make it hard for people to quit smok-

striction, of course. 19+ in my state. I feel like

now it’s completely unregulated. We have no idea

ing. There is no second hand smoke with vaping.

having childproof caps is a good thing. Anything

what’s being made and sold on store shelves. I

It really does prove that Big Tobacco has a huge

on flavor bans or syntax is overkill to where it just

do believe there should be more regulation, but I

influence on the law.” - Brian Mazzola, employee,

kills small business. I personally think that every

don’t want it to go too far. A clean room should be

I Heart Vape

shop owner should be part of CASAA. I think they

a must. It can be expensive for someone to get

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the state

should work with legislation. I think that exces-

into that, though. I make liquids myself, and I’m

of affairs in Nevada, visit http://goo.gl/LhBMPC.

sive flavor bans and taxation will kill the entire industry.” - Ian Kruk, employee, Vape Prime

trying to launch a juice line company. It can be incredibly cost-prohibitive. It is a small, grassroots

NEW HAMPSHIRE

CALL TO ACTION: To get involved in the state of

movement, and it’s just exploding now. If you try

Vapers of New Hampshire need to get involved,

New Jersey, join the New Jersey Vapers Meet

to tax it out of business they’re going to lose out

or else they are about to receive a tax of 73.94

Facebook group: http://goo.gl/IAz2Gi and/or the

on a ton of money. It’s a booming market. The

percent of the wholesale price on “nicotine vapor

Garden State Vapes Facebook group: http://goo.

growth potential for it is astronomical. Why would

products.” This includes all devices and nicotine-

gl/d9WUD0.

containing cartridges and liquids, thanks to HB 2.

100

Cloud Lounge

MAGAZINE

NEW MEXICO

news is that SB 407 would decrease the tax from

OKLAHOMA

SB 65 has been called by the American Vap-

5 cents per ml to 3 cents on e-liquids. If passed,

E-cigs are banned on all state property and in

ing Association’s president, Gregory Conley, the

this bill would become law July 1.

state vehicles. So far, Oklahoma has some of the

“crazy bill.” Sponsored by Sen. Cisco McSorley (D-

VENDOR’S VOICE: “I believe that the legislature

more looser laws and a thriving e-cig industry in

Albuquerque) would tax e-liquid and cartridges of

has no business in this. I think taxing e-liquid for

the Midwest.

4 cents per mg of nicotine, effectively doubling

the sake of pocketing money is senseless. As far

VENDOR’S VOICE: “In Oklahoma vaping is un-

or tripling the cost of these vapor products in the

as the tax goes on e-liquid, I don’t agree with it.

known. You can still smoke in some places, it

state. For example, a 30 ml bottle of 3.6 percent

The bill was sponsored by Phillip Morris. I think

depends on the owners. There’s no regulations,

strength e-liquid would be taxed at $43.20. The

Big Tobacco sees us as competition that’s cutting

no one under 18 even. At OKC Vapes we self-

law also would require nicotine content labeling

into the money. They’re trying to regulate us out

regulate, we don’t allow under 18 in our shop.

ad permit the taxation and revenue department

of business so that they can come in with their

People are quitting smoking and going to vaping,

to conduct compliance checks.

product, which is an inferior product.”- Brian Bak-

and what we’d like to see is vaping allowed every-

VENDOR’S VOICE: “Although I don’t necessarily

er, sales associate, Misty Mountain Vapors

where because it’s not smoking. We want more

speak to the health improvement or detriment of

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the state

awareness. People need more education. They

e-cigs, I will say that in terms of quality of life, I

of affairs in North Carolina, visit http://goo.

just see a puff of smoke and think it’s vaping.” -

have seen people’s improve to a pretty impres-

gl/0vbmcl.

Anna McLennan, stakeholder, OKC Vapes

two packs for 20 years quit in like a week or

NORTH DAKOTA

of affairs in Oklahoma, visit the Oklahoma Vapor

two, and then pick up an athletic habit. It’s been

The statewide smoke-free law in North Dakota

Advocacy League: http://ovalok.org/.

something that has an observable and noticeable

bans e-cigs in all the places where smoking is

affect on quality of life, and that is one of the

banned. There currently is no minor sales law

OREGON

reasons I feel that the upcoming regulation are

in the state, but legislators are trying to pass a

There are two main bills on the table of notice

not necessarily going to allow for that as much as

statewide law. However, HB 1265, relating to mi-

to vapers in Oregon: SB 415 would ban sales on

they could be. That’s going to inhibit a lot of small

nors and the sale of vaping products, was recent-

flavored e-liquid, while SB 417 requires shops

businesses from participating and innovating as

ly defeated. HB 1186 also address the minor law,

where all vaping products are sold to be licensed

much as they could because these larger corpo-

but it also defines vapor products as “electronic

by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. It also

rations are going to snub ‘em out. So, personally

smoking devices.”

prohibits certain types of retail sales of tobacco

the regulations that are coming are a little too

VENDOR’S VOICE: “I’m not too hip on all the rules

products and “inhalant delivery systems.” Vapor

restrictive for small businesses. It’s going to relo-

and regulations currently. From what I know ob-

products would be defined as tobacco products,

calize the power with the BT companies.” - Quinn

viously I disagree with any taxing and the vap-

and a 65 percent wholesale tax would be levied

(Last Name Withheld), employee, Vapor Shotz

ing policy where it has to be outdoors and 20 ft.

on all liquid and devices.

CALL TO ACTION: To oppose SB 65, contact Mc-

away.” - Devon Enders, employee, Sports Vape

VENDOR’S VOICE: “We just went through some

Sorley’s office at http://goo.gl/HnZhCE.

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the state

hoopla with the banning of vaping in vape shops.

of affairs in North Dakota and to voice your opin-

Well, it’s in all public places. We protested for

ion on HB 1186, visit http://goo.gl/rDnlrM.

about two weeks trying to get the exemption

sive level. I’ve seen people that were smoking

NEW YORK

CALL TO ACTION: To stay informed about the state

for vape shops because obviously our business

New York City has the strictest minor law in the country, with the purchase age set at under 21.

OHIO

model revolves around that. We wouldn’t be able

Vaping also is included in the city’s Smoke-Free

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has proposed a new bud-

to fire off a device in the store and make sure it

Air Act, therefore not allowed in bars, restau-

get in that state that would levy a new tax on

was functioning properly. We protested, us and a

rants, offices, parks and beaches. SB 722 aims

vaping products. Kasich already signed a bill into

bunch of shops from the Portland area, for about

to restrict vapers even further, amending the tax

law last year that would prohibit sales to those

two weeks with no avail. Kinda lame. I try to stay

and public health law, effectively taxing e-cig car-

under 18. HB 64 states that each 0.1 ml of nic-

somewhat up to date because it does affect me

tridges at a 75 percent wholesale tax. In addition,

otine-containing e-liquid would be taxed at the

and my job. How do I feel about it? I am all for

Governor Andrew Cuomo is pushing for the ban of

same rate as analog cigarettes. Kasich also wants

the regulation of e-cigarettes and its products to

all devices where cigarettes are prohibited.

to see cigarette taxes increased, therefore ulti-

a certain point. I think that minors should not be

VENDOR’S VOICE: “To be honest, I don’t think it’s

mately increasing e-liquid bottle taxes as well, if

allowed to buy products. I have no qualms with

a bad idea. If you’re in it for cloud chasing and

the law passes.

that decision. I think no one should be able to

being cool, then I think the 21 and up thing isn’t

VENDOR’S VOICE: “I think that there should be

vape inside of movie theaters or grocery stores,

a big deal, and I support it. If the law was 21+

some regulation in juice, just to make it safe for

or anything where the general public roam freely.

when I was younger, I probably wouldn’t have

everybody, but I don’t agree with the outlandish

I think that’s completely acceptable. I don’t vape

gotten into it, and I try to cater my business to

syntaxes that are being proposed in states that

in places where I wouldn’t smoke a cigarette, and

people that are vaping to try to quit smoking and

are going to jack prices and make it almost inac-

I think that’s perfectly fine, but to tax the hell out

not because it’s cool to do.” Alona Roshansky,

cessible for people to use as a smoking cessa-

of e-juice is pretty asinine when vaping has been

owner, Brooklyn Vaper

tion device. It’s become a hobby that I’ve become

such a life-changing experience for me and thou-

CALL TO ACTION: To keep a watchful eye on

really passionate about, and I don’t want to see

sands of others.” - Matt (Last Name Withheld),

and oppose SB 722, join CASAA’s call to action:

that be taken away.” - Kyle Meyers, employee,

manager, Division Vapor

http://goo.gl/laZ0Sr.

Top Notch Vapor

CALL TO ACTION: To gather and support your fel-

CALL TO ACTION: To voice your opinion on all

low vaper in Oregon, join the Oregon Vaper’s Ad-

NORTH CAROLINA

proposed Kasich legislation, contact his office at

vocacy Facebook group: http://goo.gl/03fDDl. To

North Carolina is the only other state besides Min-

http://goo.gl/TLWBKA.

oppose SB 415, contact Sen. Laurie Monnes An-

nesota that imposes an e-cig excise tax. The good

derson: http://goo.gl/SVXyVK. To oppose SB 417,

101

contact Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward: http://

in designated areas is one thing, but people obvi-

parents come in and bring their 16-year-old in

goo.gl/jER1iB.

ously aren’t listening to that ... but, being a vape

to get them to quit smoking.” Tye Zander, store

store, it’s been a positive thing. I’ll tell you my

manager, Black Hills Vapors

PENNSYLVANIA

fears. We do customized bends here in my store.

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on ways to

The main fight right now is in Philadelphia, where

In other words, when you come in, you will come

get involved in South Dakota, visit http://goo.gl/

the city council is trying to remove the ability of

in and sit down at our vape bar. When it came

x1w3Vq.

certain bars and private clubs to get exemptions

to understanding the mixing of making e-juice, it

from the smoking ban, according to CASAA. it

came very easily to me. The one thing that people

TENNESSEE

also would prohibit any private club or bar that

really like is that I mix right in front of me. I do

HB 309/SB 411 would restrict minors from hav-

currently has an exemption from the smoking ban

80/0 blends, which a lot of people like, but I actu-

ing or purchasing vapor products. It also adds

to get a permit that allows vaping inside. There-

ally give people an option: you get to make what

that vapor stores must provide sale training to

fore, bars would have to get a permit to allow

you want. They get to actually pick what flavors

employees and that e-liquids must be in child

e-cigarette use, even where smoking is allowed.

they want in their juice. My fear is that I don’t

proof bottles.

VENDOR’S VOICE: “We’re hashtagging not blowing

want these restrictions to come down on places

VENDOR’S VOICE: “At the moment I know that

smoke and getting people to sign up to not ban

like mine where they have to actually be made

there are some organizations that are promoting

vape. In our store in Philly it’s lenient, it’s not that

in a clean room, which I find ridiculous. Look at

tobacco harm, probation and what not. To me,

strict yet. We’re like a lounge area and people just

bartending, they’re doing the same thing! This is

it’s just a healthier alternative. Big Tobacco is try-

come in a chill and talk about what we’re going to

all food grade, safe stuff. I just hope they aren’t

ing to amend out all of the products that aren’t

do and what’s going on with Big Tobacco. We’re

going to make it completely ridiculous. All of our

theirs.” - Darren Sirikoun, employee, Vape Crazy

supporting the movement.” - Kennedy Ly, man-

stuff already has childproof caps and everything

CALL TO ACTION: To assist in coming together for

ager, Love Vape

like that.” - Lisa Pacay, owner, Vape Monkey

the sake of Tobacco Harm Reduction in Tennes-

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on the state

see, visit the Tennessee Smoke Free Association

of affairs in Pennsylvania, join the Pennsylvania

of affairs in South Carolina, join the SC Vapers

page: http://tnsmokefree.org/.

Vaping Advocacy Facebook group: http://goo.gl/

Advocacy Facebook group: http://goo.gl/2snL89.

TEXAS

ZWB796.

102

SOUTH DAKOTA

Introduced in early April is a serious threat to

RHODE ISLAND

Minors under 18 are not allowed to buy vaping

vapers in Texas. SB 706 would classify e-liq-

HB 5690 is a huge threat to the state of Rhode

products. E-cigs must be sold from behind the

uids as hazardous substances under the Texas

Island, as it would ban vaping indoors; this in-

counter and are not available in vending machines.

Health and Safety Code, regardless of nicotine

cludes vape shops. S 714, introduced in March by

VENDOR’S VOICE: “Honestly South Dakota is like

content. The bill would include labeling require-

Sen. Dominick Ruggerio (D), prohibits the sale of

Texas was two years ago. It’s like the wild west;

ments and registration requirements for manu-

e-liquid unless it’s in childproof packaging.

it’s pretty awesome. You have to be 18, but the

facturers, importers, wholesalers and some re-

VENDOR’S VOICE: “I think it’s a crock of shit.

owners of this store went to Pierre when they

tailers. HB 647 also is on the table, which would

Pardon my French, but they have tobacco shops

were doing the vote and they didn’t classify it as

prohibit sales of nicotine products to minors.

where they’re allowed to use the product in the

a tobacco product, which was cool. I’m 31, and I

Texas is currently one of nine states that does

lounge. I don’t know why they’re targeting us. I’ll

see the youth culture is picking it (vaping) up and

not yet have a minor law.

be at the State House tomorrow fighting bills, ac-

hookah like crazy right now. That’s all there is to

VENDOR’S VOICE: ”SB 706, no. 18+ yes. Child-

tually. It’s dirty politics; it’s a waste of everyone’s

do here; there’s not a lot to do. It’s better than

proof caps, yes. I agree with some of the restric-

time. If they were seriously concerned about chil-

doing drugs or getting into trouble. The legisla-

tions that are being voted on, but not the ‘haz-

dren, it would be more directly related to health.

tion was good to us the last time around. I got a

ardous substances.’ That’s just overkill.” - Mike

They’re really just trying to run us out of Rhode

vendor from Texas and he sells our most popular

Dellosantos, manager, Vapor Logic Boutique

Island. It’s definitely going to affect my business.

juice, and they made it so they can’t sell online

CALL TO ACTION: To learn more about opposing

I’ll have to fire employees, and we won’t be able

anymore. I was like, ‘Well are you going to move

SB 706 and to keep track of HB 647, visit http://

to open more locations.” - Darin Tripoli, co-owner,

up here then? And he’s like, ‘Well yeah.’ South

goo.gl/WeLoa9.

Warwick Sunshine Vape

Dakota is really nice for us up here. It’s still re-

CALL TO ACTION: To oppose HB 5690, contact bill

ally really new for everyone. We’re finally getting

UTAH

sponsor Teresa Ann Tanzi: http://goo.gl/OuOsQl.

to the point where people as a community aren’t

There are several amendments and laws on the

looking at it like it’s something weird. They are

table in Utah. HB 131 looks at tobacco shops, pro-

SOUTH CAROLINA

finally understanding what it is. Police used to rip

hibiting minors from even entering the premises.

Minors under 18 are not allowed to buy e-ciga-

them apart. My wife got pulled over recently, and

It also redefines the definition of the e-cig. HB

rettes in South Carolina. Minors in possession will

they examined it very thoroughly, but they didn’t

130 is similar in nature, also introduced by Rep.

face a civil fine, and a business that makes the

break anything or confiscate it. So the education

Kraig Powell (R). According to the National Vapers

sales faces up to a $400 fine.

is spreading. It’s nice, it’s a good community and

Club, this bill would amend provisions of the Utah

VENDOR’S VOICE: “Nobody is going to sell to any-

a good area. It’s very easy out here to be active

Code regarding age limits of e-cigs. It would pro-

one under 18. Conway has not put a ban on e-

with the mayor and the city and the governor. We

hibit the possession, distribution and sale to mi-

cigs, but cigarette smoke, anything that has to

stay in contact with our legislators. They even

nors. HB 415, otherwise known at the Electronic

do with a government/pubic place, you’re not

ask the business owners about it; they want to

Cigarette Regulation Act would potentially “make

allowed to smoke cigarettes, which is actually

know. They were open and they listened to us.

Utah a regulatory island and cut consumers off

good for us, being as the ban does not apply to

I obviously don’t want children buying it, but if

from a variety of products,” according to CASAA.

e-cigarettes. I don’t think anyone should have

it’s going to stop kids from smoking ... our rule

VENDOR’S VOICE: “It’s basically just passing la-

their rights taken away, but smoking cigarettes

is you have to be 18 in our store. But we’ve had

beling laws. It won’t change anything this year,

MAGAZINE

anyway. It’s not really affecting us at all. I’d like

further regulations. In addition, Virginia is faced

VENDOR’S VOICE: “I would like to see some cer-

to see some sort of distinction between a tobacco

with SB 1004, which will tax all vapor products

tification on the e-liquid companies. I don’t want

and a vape shop. It’s easier to own a bar than a

at $0.18 per ml of nicotine-containing solution.

some guy eating hot dogs and making my liquids

vape shop here. Other than that, I like the re-

While there is a minor law in the state of Virginia,

in a basement. I would really like to see them

strictions. It’s made the market very competitive.

SB 1325 levies a more severe civil penalty if sold

leave this industry alone; it’s the greatest thing

So, that was helpful when they passed all the re-

to minors.

for smoking cessation ever. I was a smoker for 32

strictions and no more shops could open. It took

VENDOR’S VOICE: “As of right now we haven’t

years, and it’s the way that I quit smoking, and

away a lot of competition.” - Nate Mitchel, store

seen any immediate change. Legally we don’t

I really wanted to take it to the market.” Andrew

manager, Salt Lake Vapors LLC

have to change anything in our shop. It’s just

Hilts, owner, Capital City Vapors

CALL TO ACTION: To fight for your rights in the

me and my husband and we live upstairs and

CALL TO ACTION: To keep an eye on the goings on

state of Utah, visit utsmokefree.org.

our shop is downstairs. We just moved into

with West Virginia’s state legislature, visit http://

this building in November, and before that we

goo.gl/F5LnVw.

VERMONT

were in a little shop because it’s all we could

With no notice to the public, the Vermont House

afford. Before we knew it we had to build a

WISCONSIN

Ways & Means Committee voted in March to im-

deck to hold all of the people. We have five

It looks like the regulation of individual cities in

pose a 92 percent tax on the wholesale price of

children between us and we found a place in

Wisconsin, with Madison and St. Croix on the

e-cigarettes and e-liquids. Now HB 233, if passed

the historic arts district in Norfolk, which is an

forefront. Madison already has added e-cigs to

it would classify e-cigs as “other tobacco prod-

up-and-coming art scene, and we have tons of

its city-wide smoking ban. St. Croix’s Resolution

ucts.” HB 93 would raise the minor age from the

wall space so we can support artists. Having a

No. 34 would update the tobacco-free policy to in-

current 18 to 21. HB 171 would ban vaping in

support system is the most important thing. I

clude e-cigs. Therefore, vaping would be banned

all the places smoking is prohibited, and e-cig

support them (the minor laws). Why wouldn’t

in all places that smoking is currently banned in

displays would no longer be allowed on store

I? I have a vape bar and my kids are not going

the city. A recent story in Urban Milwaukee said

counters. Lastly, HB 59 would restrict all e-liquid

behind the bar and not touching it—it’s about

that Rep. Debra Kolste (D) wishes to add e-cigs

flavors to menthol.

being a responsible parent.” - Jessica Jorge,

to the statewide indoor smoking ban, so residents

VENDOR’S VOICE: “We’ve got four petitions on

owner, Triumph Vaping Company.

should keep an eye on sponsored legislation com-

our counter as we speak. We’ve been trying to

CALL TO ACTION: To let your state legislature

ing out of her office.

keep on top of it as far as the Ways & Means Com-

know how you are feeling about pending laws

VENDOR’S VOICE: “It’s still up in the air here. Me

mittee, and we’ve got a couple of friends that are

and regulations, visit http://virginiageneralas-

personally I think it should be restricted to minors

legislators that give us a heads up if they see any

sembly.gov/.

100 percent, which is what we do here as a store here anyways. That’s the biggest issue we see

movement on the bills. I find it hard to believe that it will pass. I don’t know. The fact that last

WASHINGTON

here as far as underage trying to buy the stuff.

year the house actually passed the 92 percent tax

The biggest pending fight in Washington State is

That’s the biggest thing that I personally would

was scary. They passed it without blinking an eye.

against HB 2211. With this bill, all vapor prod-

like to care about.” Todd Buckley, employee, The

It depends on where they try to tack it on. It’s al-

ucts would be taxed an extra 60 percent of the

Vapor Stop USA

ways going to be something, and then you’ve got

sales price. Also on the docket is HB 1458, which

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on Wisconsin

the FDA. It all may be a moot point as they are

aims to raise the legal smoking age to 21, and SB

legislature, visit http://goo.gl/SDqult.

written—that will be the end of the legal business.

5124, which prohibits the sale of vapor products

It was like all within a three-week period. I came

to minors.

WYOMING

back from vacation and it was like wham I’m run-

VENDOR’S VOICE: “Personally, I think that with

Rep. Tom Walters has introduced HB 174, which

ning out of counter space. The problem is they

the 95 percent tax, they say it’s all for education,

would require e-liquid to have childproof packag-

have no clue. We went up there and gave testi-

but the unfair taxation doesn’t make sense be-

ing. There would be a strict penalty set in place

mony when they were trying to pass the tax and

cause this will put people out of business. We look

if the manufacturer did not comply, with the en-

they believe everything they read without doing

at this as an attack on our industry. The tax is go-

forcement coming from the Department of Ag-

any research whatsoever. I think we’re prepared

ing to put everyone out of business. This is a bla-

riculture. Most communities have taken it upon

should we have to testify, and we’ll see.” - Linda

tant attack. Personally, I agree with making the

themselves to be smoke-free, with no statewide

Barker, manager, Vermont Vapor

age 21+ because I hear a lot of stories about the

ban in place.

CALL TO ACTION: To oppose HB 233, visit

vapes in high schools, but if the age was raised I

VENDOR’S VOICE: “We actually haven’t had a

http://openstates.org/vt/bills/2015-2016/

feel like it would be a lot more difficult for them

whole lot of issues, which is probably a blessing.

H233/. To fight for your rights with other Ver-

to get their hands on.” - Tim Wells, “vape geek”/

This community has actually taken very well to it.

mont vapers, join the Vermont Vapers Advo-

employee, The Vaporium

I absolutely think bottles should have childproof

cacy group: https://www.facebook.com/Ver-

CALL TO ACTION: To get involved in the state of

packaging. It’s an adult conception, so it should

montVapersAdvocacy.

Washington today, visit the Washington Vapers

be treated as such. We don’t keep our beer bot-

Advocacy Network: https://www.facebook.com/

tles where kids can get them, we don’t keep our

VIRGINIA

WVANetwork. To learn more about HB 2211 and

guns unlocked.” - Drishana Ellis store manager,

While HB 2036 may look like a good idea, requir-

state your opposition, visit http://app.leg.wa.gov/

Wyoming Vapor Company

ing e-liquid to be in child proof containers, an-

billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2211&year=2015.

CALL TO ACTION: To stay up-to-date on Wyoming

legislature, visit http://goo.gl/aOI0eq.

other facet of the bill includes warning labels to developed by the Board of Agriculture. ASS urges

WEST VIRGINIA

that warning labels be consistent at the federal,

West Virginia has a minor law in place of no sales

*We realize this is a quickly-changing industry.

not state level, and that the Board of Agriculture

to those under 18. Other than that, the state is

Information is up-to-date as of press time.

should not be the ones with the power to issue

fairly quiet on the legislative front.

103

Ports of notice include Miami; Nassau, Bahamas; Royal Caribbean’s private island Coco Cay; and Key West. Activities, giveaways, Vapecation coins that can be exchanged for discounts and swag, DJs, live music, a cloud competition, a casino, pool parties and more are just some of the ship’s highlights. A B2B session will be set up at port in Nassau, and during the third day on Coco Cay, attendees can expect a barbecue and booking availability of side excursions, including kayaking, zip lining and jet skiing. In addition, a VIP pool party is scheduled by the two pools on the top deck of the ship.

Prepares to Set Sail By Alyssa Stahr Vapers have the best reason ever to walk the plank this winter. In conjunction with Royal Caribbean, Vapecation is a voyage that is the first of its kind. The five-day, fournight cruise invites 2,700 vapers, modders, e-liquid companies and all-around vapers from across the globe to come aboard and take over the ship. Throughout the entirety of the cruise, to be held Jan. 18-22, 2016 aboard the Majesty of the Seas, daily vape conventions and events will take place aboard the ship, with many other exciting surprises in store. Vapecation CEO Graham Vickers said that he was planning on doing something completely out of the ordinary so that distributors, modders, e-liquid companies and everyone in between in the vaping industry can get away from his or her normal life, but still come together for an event. “We recycled through a few different plans,” he said. “The first one was Jamaica, and it was kind of a convention in Jamaica—you could still take a vacation and have a convention in Jamaica. We started calling cruise lines to see if it was possible to do this. We decided to move forward with this and we haven’t looked back.” Vickers and his team got approval from Royal Caribbean to fully charter out the entire ship and to allow vaping throughout the cruise. Once that happened, they knew they had something that no one had done before—an experience at the same time as a convention. “They said we could do a partial charter, but then since there are so many families that are aboard most cruises, it was a lot easier to do a full charter,” Vickers said. “Once we got into the whole process they were still unsure about the whole cruise being vaped out. It was a very long process that went up to the CEO.” Even though the process did take some doing, Vickers said that Royal Caribbean is completely on board (no pun intended). Everyone on board must be 18 or over, with a capacity of 2,700. Anyone who is out to make connections and have a great vacation at the same time is invited. Sponsors will have the opportunity to arrive and set up ahead of time. Vape gear will be shipped to storage and loaded onto the Majesty of the Seas before attendees arrive, so the convention aspect of the stay will be set up before the Majesty sets sail.

“We want people to be able to explore the ship and see what it has to offer, and all of the excursions will be available once you get off the ship,” Vickers said. “ Two different packages are available to attendees: a general admission package, which includes an interior state room, and the VIP package, that includes an ocean view state room, a VIP swag pack with Vapecation branded items, VIP-only raffles, discount loyalty passes for the next event, attendance to the VIP pool party and a year-long subscription to VAPE Magazine. Three lounges are available for sponsorship, as well as a private lounge that will be dedicated to the sponsor’s product showcase. Everything will be Vapecation branded, down to the napkins, cups, casinos and pool liners. And, of course, the Vapecation flag will fly high above the ship. “We’ve definitely put a lot of thought and time into it,” Vickers said. “We wanted it to be a place where people can get away from their normal life, but still be together with people who are like-minded. It definitely is a vacation and a Vapecation altogether.” For more information, visit http://www.vapecation.org/, email info@vapecation and follow Vapecation @vape_cation, facebook.com/Vapecation, twitter.com/vape_cation, instagram.com/Vape_cation. To learn more about the Majesty of the Seas, visit https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=8N0zAgubQmA. For sponsorship opportunities, visit sponsors@vapecation.org.

Vapecation Event Schedule Monday, Jan. 18: Sponsor arrival and setup Departure Convention Welcome Party

9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 4 p.m. 5:30 - 9:30 p.m. 10:15 p.m. - ?

Tuesday, Jan. 19: B2B Session Convention

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. 6 - 10 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 20: Convention VIP Pool Party

6 - 10 p.m. 11 p.m. - ?

Thursday, Jan. 21:

Convention Farewell Party

6 p.m. - 11 a.m. 11:30 a.m. - 3 a.m.

Friday, Jan. 22:

Pack Up and Leave

7 a.m.

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you will the faces on the fire service personnel as they arrived at the second kitchen fire to discover it was the same man using a similar method to make fries at home— that was our response to the lies being perpetrated on the West Coast. You know the kind of expression, the one adopted by a dog that was expecting a tasty snack or a walk, but you’re talking to it in a soft and caring voice about debt restructuring in sub-Saharan Africa. But we’re angry too. It’s a totally British wrath, the kind that spawns from half a biscuit falling into a cup of tea. We’re annoyed because we don’t want our politicians and public health officials seeing what’s taking place and feeling inspired to reach even greater heights of nonsense. “When America sneezes the U.K. catches a cold,” goes the saying, and Dr. Ron Chapman’s charges at TobaccoFreeCA appear to be displaying all the signs of a weaponized truth flu.

By Dave Cross The bedroom was dark, and I should have been sleeping. I should have been but every night my parents would come into the room with a team of scientists and a machine on wheels. I wasn’t sure why, but they would remove my eyes, take a series of measurements and then return everything to normal. It scared the heck out of me. Over breakfast they denied everything (of course) and attempted to convince me it had all been a bad dream. There were ramifications; my cheese consumption was cut back and my access to coffee strictly curtailed.

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Dr. George Rae is a genial general practitioner who also happens to appear on a television show diagnosing ailments on golf courses and in bus queues. He’s a mildmannered medical man befitting a quaint idealized view of our nation consisting of corner shops and biscuit tin villages—except he is displaying signs of having contracted a severe dose of the Chapman’s. While on a radio talk show, the good doctor bemoaned the fact that e-cigs contained chemicals, made a fatuous link to the possible gateway effect for children and said the chemicals in electronic cigarettes “can be even more cancer forming than what you’re getting within cigarettes themselves.” “They are being marketed as something that is safe and something that is a safe substitute, and that’s not the reality,” added the doctor; his understanding of reality clearly indicating that this interview was conducted not in Newcastle but somewhere in the Twilight Zone. No nation loves the shows Fringe or The X Files more than us, but we’re finding the Glantz-driven agenda of replacing science fact with pseudoscience rather hard to swallow. Chapman’s disease now has infected an entire British university.

It is entirely possible that my mother and father were part of a top-secret research program measuring the ocular cavities of sleeping children. Possible in the same way that all the claims being made by the Californian Department of Health about vaping may have substance. But then, even though my father managed to burn down our house twice in a three-year period using a deep-fat fryer, not even he would have been stupid enough to claim puffing e-liquid was the equivalent to heroin addiction.

Liverpool John Moores University (LJM) contributed to the canon of e-cig knowledge by dry burning a bottomcoil atomizer. The discovery of the formaldehyde produced shocked at least three people, caused several newspapers to predict the approach of four apocalyptic figures on horse back and drove the LJM on to conduct a piece of research described as “blithering stupidity” by the Adam Smith Institute.

On this side of the Atlantic, the “Still Blowing Smoke” campaign raised a level of bemusement that usually accompanies pre-election political promises. Imagine if

Clive Bates, a British harm reductionist advocate, uses the term “alarmist” (in place of the many other more abusive yet apt ones) when summing up their conclusions.

MAGAZINE

LJM found that teenagers who regularly drink heavily, two or more times per week, were more likely to access e-cigs and declared “there is an urgent need for controls on the promotion and sale of e-cigarettes.” Just with their previously flawed study, this childfocussed farce has far more to do with usurping science for political ends than it does with concern over public health. It was striking how little comment they made concerning the alarming level of illicit access to and misuse of alcohol plus the link to alcohol-related violence. Clive Bates notes that the LMJ’s research term “accessed e-cigarettes” is nothing but emotive. He writes: “This can mean as little as tried or bought once. It captures large numbers of kids messing about, experimenting or trying it just once but not really doing anything that consolidates into ‘current use’ or a pattern of behaviour that may potentially cause harm. It’s a measure that generates the highest possible number and provides a basis for a moral panic, but gives no real insight into the scale of anything that might be harmful.” It’s a Californication of our science process and approach to public health. One that leaves the likes of Linda Bauld, a professor of health policy at the University of Stirling, sounding like voices in the wilderness:

“Other surveys have so far found that progressing from ever trying an e-cigarette to regular use amongst nonsmoking (British) children is very rare or entirely absent, suggesting that, to date, e-cigarettes are not responsible for creating a new generation of nicotine addicts.” Much has been written about the Special Relationship that exists between America and Britain, and British vapers will support you in every way we can—but this California kind of thing needs to stop. We can’t risk any more of our dim-witted academics and doctors succumbing; if you can’t put an end to it we’re going to have to get tough … I have the Spice Girls, Ricky Gervais and The Guide To English Dentistry all packed up and ready to airmail. Dave Cross is a writer, biker, vaper, ever-more rotund punk and perpetual disappointment to his parents. According to his wife he is frequently wrong about most things. Follow Dave Cross on Twitter @MawsleyX.

Call Now For Wholesale Information 858.333.1249 |

WWW.CALIVAPECO.COM

Vendors Talk Vape Blast Fort Worth 2015 Max Hackett from ECig.com: http://www.ecig.com/ VAPE: What do you think so far? So what do you think about this being your first show, and are you local? Hackett: We’re local; we’re outside of Austin. This is our first show; we just actually launched our online website on November 1st. We’re a brand-new company. VAPE: How’s the show treating you? Pretty smooth? Hackett: Treating us pretty well. Definitely getting our name out there. VAPE: Did you sell some product here at the show? Was it worth your while? Hackett: Oh yeah. Worth it. It’s awesome. Dan Sears from Joost Vapor: https://joostvapor.com/ VAPE: What made you come to this event instead of some of the other events? Sears: It was just a large venue; we wanted to reach as many people as we could. We just thought the event was going to be amazing—check out all the people in Texas. VAPE: What do you think of the organizers? Sears: The organization was amazing. It’s just amazing how it went from nothing in this event like venue to overnight to just huge and set up so perfect, actually. VAPE: Everything went smoothly … logistically? Do you plan on coming back next year? Sears: Absolutely. VAPE: Awesome. And have you sold a lot of product here? Sears: Absolutely! And we’ve also made a lot of contacts for wholesale and distribution. We wanted to be able to get our name out there and meet as many shops and lot of people who want to try some great e-liquids. VAPE: Fantastic. Tell me a little bit about your company. Sears: Our company was founded in July of 2013. We just started one shop, and we’ve grown to eight shops. We went to a nice clean room, and we just try to manufacture the highest quality that we can. Doug Rowell from Misfits Vape Shop: http://www.mistfitsvapeshop.com/ VAPE: Why’d you make your way here? Do you go to a lot of events?

By Alyssa Stahr and Matt Schramel Photos by Matt Schramel In a make-or-break year of events in the vaping industry, Vape Blast Fort Worth, held in late March, came in with a bang. More than 7,000 attendees walked through the Fort Worth Convention Center doors to visit more than 157 vendor booths on the show floor. Vape Blast focused on education, awareness and responsibility, bringing the community together. The playing field was leveled between mom-and-pop shops that compete with bigger companies, allowing them to network and receive support. SFATA and CASAA were on hand to provide guidance and promote advocacy, and organizer/ event planner Sarah Brattain was thrilled with the overall feel of the show and said that everything went as planned. “I heard of small shops coming to the show, and it changed the quality of the shops that they are going to have, because they were able to network with suppliers to raise the quality of the products that they are going to have in their store, and I think that’s a really cool thing to see,” Brattain said. For example, last year, a small company had a tiny card table with just a few items on it. A year later, the product line had been expanded and the company had invented its own mod. “It’s neat to see the progress that they’re making, and Vape Blast takes some responsibility for that and the exposure,” Brattain said. Since Texas is the second largest market in the United States next to California, it’s a cutting edge, trending place to be. Brattain said that even though a lot of the market’s product comes from China, she doesn’t see it affect the Texas manufacturing market. In fact, a lot of new local manufacturers popped up at the event. One thing that will change for the next Vape Blast, scheduled for Aug. 28-30 in San Antonio, is the cloud competitions. Brattain said as far as Vape Blast is concern, those are over. “That might be an unpopular stance, but we decided that promotes an image that we don’t want to be a part of,

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as far as everyone is concerned about promoting to minors, and we don’t want to see vaping as a game,” she said. “We want Vape Blast to be fun and have people enjoy coming, but ultimately it’s about advocacy and education. I don’t know that blowing a cloud is the biggest, most responsible thing that can come from vaping.” Brattain added that she wants to hear about people breathing better because their lungs are better; she wants to hear stories about how vaping has improved their lives—not how it has become a hobby. With so many events saturating the market this year, Brattain said that she doesn’t take the attendee numbers lightly. After self-admittedly never having attended another event, she appreciates that people are willing to spend the dollars to come to the event and put the faith and time in the organizers. “I think it’s accessibility. You can call, text or email me anytime, day or night, and we’re available. We’re accommodating to the exhibitor,” she said. “I just know how we do it. We base it off of the principle of customer service and what seems to be accessible. We just opened a shop too, so that’s going to be hard to get to other events. Whatever we’re doing seems to be working pretty well.” Looking forward, Vape Blast will move even more into promoting advocacy by encouraging people to register to vote and to get educated in who their elected officials are. In addition, Brattain wants people to be more responsible vapers and to get involved in their local communities. “It’s really important to us that people get involved. They think, ‘Oh I’ll vote for president and voting for president doesn’t really affect your daily life. You need to vote for city council. My city council, when they make decisions, they are affecting me personally. I want them to know that they’re affecting my family and taking food off of my family’s table and taking way my rights,” Brattain said. However, while Brattain added that she doesn’t want to see a restriction on people getting their e-liquids, there do need to be some standards on product production. “Obviously, everyone wants to keep nicotine away from kids. A lot of shops are mixing in their bathroom or breakroom or wherever—I don’t want some guy barefooted making my juice,” she said. “There’s gotta be some standards. It’s not a whole lot different than food handling, and it needs to be treated that way.”

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Rowell: Nope. This is actually our first event to come to. We’ve been planning it since … we sold an ad for it … and we’ve been planning on bringing our shop to an event. This is what we picked to start with. VAPE: Worth your time? Rowell: Oh, definitely. It’s been a great experience here. A lot of great people. The whole organization and logistics of the event were planned well. We haven’t had any issues. Everything went good. All the vendors been great. Yeah, it’s been a great experience. And then the consumers are coming through. Adam Cericola from Parrot Vapors: https://www. facebook.com/parrotvapors/info?tab=page_info VAPE: What made you come out to Vape Blast? Cericola: To be quite honest with you, last year, at the last Vape Blast they did, someone threw a mod, a mod vented, blew up, made national news. If it made national news it’s probably gonna be a good event. VAPE: That’s a good point! You know they say, there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Was worth your while then? Cericola: Sold out. It’s fantastic. Last year with a totally different look, nobody noticed us, and this year with this new look we … to be honest, we’re beside ourselves. VAPE: That’s awesome. So do you plan on coming here next year again? Cericola: Yeah, dude. It depends on schedule. VAPE: Fantastic. Tell me a little about your business. Are you only wholesale at this point? Cericola: Yeah, absolutely. We’re on Raw Vapes and Kidney Puncher online. VAPE: How do you position your product? Are you more of a high-end line? Medium? Premium? Cericola: Premium juice. $20-$24 a bottle depending, no less than $20. VAPE: And is it all VG or mix? Cericola: It’s 80/20, high VG … VAPE: And do you have complex flavors? Cericola: A couple of complex, but most simple. We’re looking for that all-year vape. We found that the heavier the vape, people tend to put it down after five weeks. VAPE: I like the all-year vape idea. Something people can always come back to. Cericola: Yeah.

ration t s i g e Re Onlin Open nal.com w o N Is rnatio e t n i o orexp p a v . www

June 17-18, 2015

Donald E. Stephens Convention Center • Hall A • Rosemont, IL

The Only All Vapor Business-to-Business Trade Event in the USA • 2 Full Days of Doing Business • June 17: Keynote - State of the Industry Bonnie Herzog, Sr. Analyst, Wells Fargo Securities and Bryan M. Haynes, Partner, Troutman Sanders • June 18: Panel Discussion Representatives of these Associations: SFATA, TVECA, AEMSA, TMA Moderator: Jennifer Gelfand, Editor-in-Chief Vapor Consortium, Tobacco Business Int’l. • Hundreds of Exhibits, Thousands of Products

Call VIP Meetings to Reserve a Hotel Room 1-(310)-459-4691

Supported by Industry Associations:

Vapor Expo International is the Leading Event in This Dynamic Category To Attend or Exhibit Contact Show Management at (203) 483-5774 or info@reuterexpo.com Buyers Represent: Vape Shops, Vapor Lounges, Tobacco Retailers, Wholesalers, Convenience Stores, Import/Export, Legal/Consultant, Investors,Manufacturers/Suppliers, etc. Vapor Expo International 2015 is just minutes from O’Hare International Airport. Easy access to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center draws buyers from around the world. Attendees must be 21 years of age, Tax ID, Business License, etc. is required to register.

TMG International Event

Show Management

find us on facebook.com/vaporexpointernational

VAPE Talks Shop The Vapor Room: Sirens & E-Cigs By Leigh Oates Photos by Jim Sweitzer The Vapor Room, co-owned by Josh and Jessica Seminerio Grapes, is a hip shop with vintage charm. Based in Frostburg, a tiny arts town in scenic western Maryland, The Vapor Room offers a full line of e-cigarettes and accessories, but the most popular item is Ginger’s Blends, a handcrafted, made-to-order, fully customizable juice line represented by The Vapor Room’s sunny pinup mascot Ginger. The Grapes first saw the e-cigarette’s potential in 2009, when Josh was able to use an e-cig to quit a long term smoking habit. Naturally, he was excited to share this new technology with others, and The Vapor Room was born. Originally a small startup operating out of the couple’s apartment, The Vapor Room has evolved into an online vape shop with three brick-and-mortar locations. In addition to the Frostburg storefront and The Vapor Room’s website (www.thevaporroom.net), the shop boasts two other locations in Cumberland, Md., and Morgantown, W.V., all with a tasteful, classy vibe. Vintage yet cozy, the three storefronts give a relaxed, coffee shop ambiance and welcome experienced vapers and newbies alike. Vintage fire gear is displayed on the walls of the Frostburg shop, and customers can learn about the history of the building just by stepping inside. Built in 1924, the structure housed the Frostburg Fire Department until the Grapes purchased it for The Vapor Room’s new home. They spent two years renovating and updating the building, which houses The Vapor Room’s premier storefront on the bottom level. The spacious upper levels are home to the owners’ residence and record label, Yellow K Records. TVR, as The Vapor Room is called, pays homage to the rich history of the building by displaying some of the original firehouse memorabilia, such as the fire department sign and the original alarm switches in the main storefront. The Grapes also keep the history of the building alive by preserving many of the buildings original fixtures, tin ceilings and overall 1920s aesthetic. The Vapor Room’s signature vintage look fits right in with its newly remodeled home. The Grapes find inspiration from vintage pinup beauties led by the store’s mascot Ginger, a modern-day siren who offers an e-cig from her cigarette tray instead of stinky old smokes. Ginger has evolved a few times over the years, being reimagined by several different local artists, but retains the charm and classic beauty of a 1920s pinup. Each time, the core of Ginger remains the same—a smoking-hot redhead who doesn’t smoke!

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MAGAZINE

The Vapor Room offers a full line of e-cigarettes, tanks, mods and accessories, but the pride and joy of The Vapor Room is its signature juice line, Ginger’s USA Blends. Ginger’s USA blends are handcrafted and made to order. Each bottle is composed of USA-sourced, USP-grade ingredients and food grade flavorings, with more than 70 flavors to choose from, and more options being added all the time. The Vapor Room offers in-store, online and wholesale eliquied and equipment sales. The Vapor Room’s production warehouse actively fulfilling the company’s orders, while the storefronts offer consistent customer support. The Vapor Room has been able to gracefully manage an online presence while still offering top-notch customer service in store and online. The customer service team is always ready to assist via email, chat or phone. Customers are always welcome in any of the three stores for education and troubleshooting. Ginger’s classic appeal, combined with the fortitude and glamour of the 90-year-old firehouse, gives The Vapor Room an enduring, refined feel. This aesthetic, combined with The Vapor Room’s commitment to customer service, makes TVR a powerhouse vapor company. For more information, or to shop, go to www.thevaporroom.net. You also can find The Vapor Room on Facebook. Locate TVR on Twitter and Instagram @VaporRoomECig, as well as on their ECF subforum for specials and weekly giveaways.

Employee Emma is ready to serve customers in the Frostburg storefront

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Vapenet Hosts PuterGeek and LASD By Susan Oser

PuterGeek and LASD are the co-managers of the Vapenet Channel on VapeTV. This channel has had its share of ups and downs, as well as a questionable reputation. However, Vapenet has always had its own voice, and after this interview, you’ll understand why.

Susan: How did Vapenet get started? PuterGeek: It was started by ElixirTV

hosts who wanted to go a different direction (November 2011). LASD: My take on it: The hosts who started Vapenet came from ElixirTV because they wanted to open and branch out with little to no drama because, after a while, it got tiring. When we ﬁrst started, there were no sponsors, so hosts were donating out of their own pockets. All the hosts gave away vape and non-vape stuff. I was the ﬁrst host who had a sponsor on Vapenet; they were ivape.net and jwraps.com.

Susan: How did you two meet? LASD/PuterGeek: Through ElixirTV. Susan: What has been the best thing about being the “dudes” of Vapenet? PuterGeek: There is no best thing about it. I think what works great for Vapenet is location. I’m in Michigan and he’s in California, and we have not met each other face to face yet. It’s hard to explain it really. LASD: It’s cool with East Coast falling asleep and West Coast just beginning their evenings and being able to help when something comes around, like when Puter has to go to sleep, I am still available, and vice versa for early times of the day. Susan: What has been your biggest Vapenet achievement? PuterGeek: Staying on air and not folding when we have

seen so many others fold. LASD: I see Vapenet as what ElixirTV used to be back in the day.

Susan: What has been your biggest disappointment with Vapenet? LASD: There are two different kinds of disappointments: 1)

At different times we had to jump around [different sites] such as Stickam, Justin.TV, Vaughnlive and vaperstv. 2) Sometimes there were hosts that just didn’t cut it or didn’t have the chemistry and had to be let go. PuterGeek: We have also found that those disappointments make us stronger.

Susan: How do you think Vapenet could be improved? PuterGeek: There is always room for improvement. LASD: We have a pretty solid group of people. However,

I’d like to see more hosts come on board to ﬁll more time slots. On ElixirTV, they wanted a 24 hour network and had it but mostly with someone playing music in the late hours of the night. Once in a while, you had people doing a marathon show.

Susan: What’s it been like hooking up with VapeTV? LASD/PuterGeek: Amazing. PuterGeek: We have never seen support like we get from VapeTV. 118

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LASD: It’s like 24 hour support. PuterGeek: Anything we need within minutes gets addressed. BSP, Lu and Kenny are the best. I don’t think they sleep.

Susan: Who is your ideal Vapenet host? PuterGeek: We try to be very realistic about it. Not everyone

is going to get along and you will have people with different views on things. We try to have respect; it’s part of the culture. LASD: There is no ideal host. Vapenet succeeds with different hosts, different thoughts and different views. I can’t think of Vapenet as being a one host thing, because every host puts in a crazy amount of work and each host adds something to the network.

Susan: How do you address someone not showing respect? PuterGeek: We give them a warning and address it, and if

it’s not ﬁxed, we get rid of them.

Susan: Is there a host that you wish you didn’t let go or who didn’t leave? LASD: The ones that bring on that feeling were the ones who left on their own for personal reasons. I wish we had them back. PuterGeek: I will go along with that. Susan:

If someone is interested in being a Vapenet host, what should he or she do? LASD: Hit up any of our hosts or admins and they know how to get in touch with us. We have always been a family oriented network. You play your music; use your backgrounds, your show style and your show. We don’t micromanage our hosts, because we like to see them shine on their own. PuterGeek: Chemistry is also extremely important.

Susan: How has life changed for you since you started vaping? PuterGeek: I don’t smell like cigarettes anymore.

Channel East, West Coast Through Own Voices to be just another tube or box. Unless it’s a true, oneofakind, custom piece, then the sky is the limit. PuterGeek: On the other end of the generosity: people who try to capitalize and try to take advantage of it. LASD: Or the GoFundMes when they don’t really need it... Things like that really upset me, but there is dishonesty everywhere, and the vaping community isn’t immune to it.

Susan: How do you feel about vaping activism? LASD: I’m all for it; just wish there was more of it. PuterGeek: We need to have more people get involved

and try to make a difference rather than sit down and enjoy the show. Not everyone can go before congress or committees. There is something that everyone can do and contribute (like donating money to CASAA and the Vaping Militia).

Susan:

LASD: I started vaping in 2010. I taste things better, senses are back in line. In fact, I didn’t really know how bad my lungs were, because I started smoking in 1987. One time, I had a full body scan done and had to ﬁll out a questionnaire, and there were questions that asked if you smoke and for how long. After the test was complete, I had an interview with a doctor, who reviewed the scan. The doctor had to ask me three times if I was a former smoker as stated on my questionnaire, because the doctor stated that the scan showed that I had the lungs of a nonsmoker. I told her I was vaping, and she told me that she couldn’t conﬁrm if my lungs were dirty to begin with from years of smoking. But she stated that if they were dirty, the vapor washed away anything in there. She said it was just like cleaning a stain off of the wall with a spray mist bottle, so eventually the stain breaks up and drips away. Cigarette smoke doesn’t bother me and doesn’t make me want to throw up anymore. Susan: What has been your biggest surprise you’ve seen with the vaping community? PuterGeek: I would say the generosity within this community when people are down on hard times. LASD: I’d have to agree on that and add that I’m really shocked on how fast it’s progressed. A new device used to take four to six months to come out. Now a new device comes out within a week. We also have FastTech with all the hype of the clones, and for those people who didn’t jump on something for whatever reason, you didn’t miss it. Susan: What has been the biggest disappointment you’ve seen with the vaping community? LASD: The amounts of money people want to charge on devices. Some devices deserve their price tag (like a cool or vicious name), and others don’t (like) one that just turns out

Why should people get involved with or care about the vaping community? LASD: Not many people get involved with the community, if you think about it. At the lowest level, it is coming to shows and being a regular.

Susan: What do you see with the future of vaping? LASD: I hope that vaping will stay around and that

people don’t have to go back to smoking. I see us getting into a more hightech industry in the future: more choices available to us (pending laws and such). PuterGeek: That’s a difficult question for me to answer. In terms of the future, I get a little confused. Litigation is going to be a HUGE factor to where we’ll be in five years. I guarantee that in five years, I will be here in some form or fashion.

Susan: What do you see as the future of Vapenet? LASD: I see Vapenet as a whole growing, especially

where we are now at VapeTV. I see no drama; supporting everyone who comes in here (from the newbie to the advanced, to the ones who have a niche) and always someone that has a speciﬁc desire for something. PuterGeek: I see us continuing to do what we’re doing: helping people, helping each other and being a huge support.

To conclude the interview, both men offered some great ﬁnal thoughts: PuterGeek: I’m amazed at the amount of hosts who come

through the doors and have brought so much to Vapenet. LASD: I just want to thank everyone of our hosts for doing what they do, and they do it so well. Without our viewers, Vapenet would be nothing, so thank you to our viewers. Vaping has given us the opportunity to breathe better, but VapeTV has given us the opportunity to take a deep breath. To get more information about Vapenet, log on to the channel’s website at http://www.vapenet.com. To tune into a show, check the channel’s schedule at http://vapenet.info. To actually tune in, get an account at http://vapetv.com/vapenet/.

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