Issue 15

in this magazine including e-cigarettes and nicotine devices will stop you smoking.

The opinions in this magazine are solely those of the writers. Vapouround takes no responsibility and rejects all liability for third party reviews or opinion pieces by external agencies. All trademarks, registered or otherwise of products in this magazine are the property of respective owners. To use trademarks, please contact the company directly, who will advise you further.

Hello and welcome to the first issue of Vapouround Magazine of 2018.

As soon as we came back from the Christmas break it was full steam ahead from day one and we are all looking forward to the new challenges that this year will bring.

There are a number of key live events that we will be attending this year and we look forward to covering vape shows around the globe and bringing you all the latest news from these great cornerstones of our industry.

There is no substitute for face-to-face interactions with people within the vaping community as this is the best way to learn about people’s goals and aspirations and also to discover the problems and issues that they face.

Right now we are well into planning our third annual Vapouround Awards evening which will take place at the NEC on May 4 and this is one event you will not want to miss because we have a great evening of entertainment in store for everyone.

If you have not booked your table then do so without delay because the tickets are selling out fast. Each year we have to disappoint people who have left it too late and we don’t want this to happen to you.

Also a quick reminder that there is still time to get your juice entries in if you don’t delay - the deadline for entries is March 1 so don’t miss out.

Looking forward, we plan to open up more Vapouround Vape Lounges in 2018 and we have also partnered up with an American company on an exciting new project which will bring a new packaging solution to the vape industry. We will have more information about this project later in the year.

I hope 2018 proves to be a great year to all our advertisers, readers, partners and friends in the industry.

Finally a big thanks to all of our readers who voted us as best Vape magazine in the Ecigclick Awards. We are honoured to have won this award. It means a lot. THANK YOU EVERYONE FROM ALL OF US AT VAPOUROUND.

EDITOR

Paul

Paul

10 14 18 20 22 26 31 36

38 42

Growing body of evidence.

Philip Morris - Stop selling cigarettes in UK.

One year’s grace. Behind the times. Trouble in Asia.

Relax TPD regulations. Year long clinical trial.

FEATURES

Diary of a vaper. Vaping entrepreneur. Interview with Sarah Jakes. War on plastics. IBVTA Conference. IBVTA guide to taxation. Vapevent Q&A with Capella Flavors. Introducing TPD Expert. Seeing through the fog. State of the vaping nation. Heat not burn.

137 140 144 146 151 152 156 158

EVENTS

JUICE REVIEW

- P186

REVIEWS

TFV8 Big baby light edition. Smok - Magkit. GTS by Rev. Vaporesso - Swag Kit. Vaporesso - Revenger Mini Kit. Tesla - Punk 220. Editors recommodation - Dot Mod. Clowning around on camera. Vape Shlurp Hyperclone Pukka Juice

Twelve Monkeys

Vapouround readers survey. Happy 1st birthday to us. Acts of kindness. Rise of the multipack. Q&A with Vampire Vape. Every vote counts. Wake up and smell the candy. The word SQUONK explained. A breath of fresh Ayr. Q&A with Charlie Hamshaw-Thomas. Coming to America. Anti-vapor Establishment. Introducing Vapetithing. To advocate is to educate.

Puppie Slush E liquid Capella Flavors 10 of the best handchecks. Salt Nics Sensations. Coil Porn. Pimp my mod - pleasing Pod Modz.

THE GROWING BODY OF EVIDENCE

The BMA Board of Science have published a new paper on e-cigarettes

The British Medical Association has become the latest eminent public health body to weigh in on the ongoing issue of e-cigarette health effects and regulation by publishing a new study. The paper, entitled “Balancing Risks and Opportunities” lays out the BMA’s position on appropriate e-cigarette regulations and the associated risks in pursuing harm reduction strategies. It is available on the BMA’s website.

In addition to laying out in accessible terms the features, function and benefits of e-cigarettes and liquids, the BMA also published on their site, a section called “answers to common questions that doctors and their patients may have about these devices.”

In this section, the BMA tackle the issue of e-cig recommendation by doctors, a debate still going to this day. Fortunately, the BMA appear to stick to the main mission and purpose of e-cigarettes: as a smoking cessation tool.

“The clearest benefit to health will likely be achieved for patients who are using e-cigarettes to stop smoking tobacco altogether. If individuals continue to smoke tobacco, there are unlikely to be major benefits from using e-cigarettes.”

Despite a scant number of definitive studies – which are always welcomed by the vaping industry – the site’s answer section is cautiously optimistic in its support of e-cigarettes to help smokers quit, stating that what studies we have “demonstrate a positive relationship between the use of e-cigarettes and smoking cessation.”

WITHIN THE PAPER ITSELF, THE AUTHORS PROVE ADEPT AT CUTTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER AND CATEGORISING THEIR ANALYSIS IN CLEAR, ACCESSIBLE WAYS. HERE ARE THE KEY TAKEAWAYS:

REGULATION IS GOOD WITH EVIDENTIARY SUPPORT

The authors assert the importance of the “regulation of e-cigarettes [being] underpinned by a robust evidence base” and that this evidence base must contain two essential features. Firstly an accurate “analysis of the impact of e-cigarette use on smoking behaviours” and secondly, an “assessment of the health impact of e-cigarette use.”

In shallow anti-vaping think-pieces, e-cigarettes inevitably receive charges of increasing the chances of children or teenagers smoking, of causing harm equivalent to cigarettes and even being worse. Current studies, as previously chronicled in Vapouround, refute these claims. But a bad statistic or nasty rumour can be hard to quash. A regulatory approach backed by robust evidence and instigated because the data demands it would be a welcome change from regulations proposed merely for the sake of placating fears built on inaccurate stories.

CURRENT RESEARCH DOES NOT POINT TO OVERT HARM IN E-CIGARETTES

The BMA’s findings are in line with other studies Vapouround have previously reported on, including the claim that there is no solid reason to view second-hand vapour as the damaging menace they have been made out to be. With vaping proving overwhelmingly safer than smoking to the user, the same can be said of the bystander:

“Current evidence indicates that exposure to e-cigarette vapour does not pose specific health risks – unlike exposure to second hand smoke – and that their widespread use in public places has not had unintended consequences on re-normalising smoking or on compliance with smoke-free laws. It would therefore be reasonable to support a softer regulatory approach than exists for smoking in public.”

Just as importantly, the BMA also point out that this current data indicates that e-cigarette use is not “undermining compliance with smoke-free legislation.” As they are neither harming users nor bystanders, and operating within the limits of existing smoke-free legislation, regulatory expansion must be reconsidered in light of such findings.

E-cigarettes have undoubtable potential for harm reduction

In closing, the BMA reaffirmed its ambition of achieving a tobacco-free society, one enjoying the absence of tobacco-related diseases, ending with a firm endorsement:

“Given that e-cigarettes are now the most popular device used in attempts to quit smoking, and that many people have used them to successfully quit tobacco use, they have significant potential to support this ambition, and help reduce tobacco-related harm.”

New research from respected, credible sources is always welcome in an environment still building up the main body of its data. Vape companies and their allies hope to see more in the near future, so that smokers can access safe cessation tools without obstacles.

“demonstrate a positive relationship between the use of e-cigarettes and smoking cessation.”

TOBACCO GIANT PHILIP MORRIS WANTS TO STOP SELLING CIGARETTES IN THE UK

It

wants smokers to switch to better options instead and has spent £2.5bn on research and development

Tobacco giant Philip Morris prompted headlines around the world when it placed full page adverts in the UK press announcing its New Year’s resolution to stop selling cigarettes in the UK.

When one of the world’s biggest tobacco companies announces “We’re trying to give up smoking” then people tend to take notice.

The advert says: “Our ambition is to stop selling cigarettes in the UK. It won’t be easy but we are determined to turn our vision into reality.”

Instead of the traditional cigarette market, Philip Morris is concentrating on both e-cigarettes and heated tobacco which it says offer “a better choice for the millions of men and women in the UK who would otherwise not stop smoking.”

The company has invested £2.5 billion to date on research and development and says that as a result of its actions in introducing new products in many countries around the world “millions of adult smokers have abandoned cigarettes and switched to better options.”

The advert went on: “No cigarette company has done anything like this before. You might wonder if we really mean it. We do.”

The advertisement titled “Our New Year’s Resolution: we’re trying to give up cigarettes”, ran on January 2 in a number of national newspapers and the story was soon picked up by media, both online and offline, around the world.

In addition, the advertisement makes a number of specific commitments for the UK for 2018:

• Launch a website and campaign to provide smokers with information on quitting and on alternatives to cigarettes;

• Offer to support Local Authority cessation services where smoking rates are highest;

• Seek Government approval to insert, directly into our cigarette packs, information on quitting and on switching;

• Expand the availability of new, alternative products in the UK.

Philip Morris Ltd UK Managing Director Peter Nixon has also written to Prime Minister Theresa May outlining how the company believes they can play a part in helping Britain to go smoke free.

He said: “We believe we have an important role to play in helping the UK become smoke-free. The commitments announced today are practical steps that could accelerate that goal.

“We recognise that never starting to smoke - or quitting altogether - are always the best option. But for those who continue to smoke, there are more alternatives than ever available in the UK.”

The advertisement also encourages adult smokers to visit a new website – www.smokefreefuture.co.uk – which contains information on quitting smoking and on switching to better options.

The SmokeFreeFuture website, says: “Our aim is to replace cigarettes with smoke-free products that are a better choice than continuing to smoke.

“Smoking causes serious disease and is addictive. The best decision for health is not to start, or to quit altogether.

“At Philip Morris Ltd, our goal is to replace cigarettes with smokefree products that are a better choice than continuing to smoke. We want that to happen as soon as possible. But there is no substitute for quitting completely and for good.

There are many ways to quit smoking. And there’s a lot of useful information that’s available to you. That’s why we created this site…as a resource for information that might help you learn more about quitting.”

The site goes on to list many of the benefits of quitting smoking and contains links to the NHS Stop Smoking Service. It also lists better alternatives to smoking such as heated tobacco products and e-cigarettes.

Regarding heated tobacco it says: “Recently, heated tobacco has become very successful in several countries such as Japan. But here in the UK, few smokers know about these products.

Cigarettes burn. Heated tobacco doesn’t. Without burning, there is no smoke. Instead, there’s a nicotine-containing aerosol that has much lower amounts of harmful chemicals than in cigarette smoke.

Heated tobacco products are not risk free. They deliver nicotine and are addictive. They’re only for adults who smoke – not former smokers or for people who have never smoked.”

And in the e-cigarette section it gives a basic overview of vaping products and says: “For many smokers, the nicotine in an e-cigarette is important to completely switch away from smoking.

In 2015, an expert review for the Government by Public Health England concluded that e-cigarettes present a fraction of the risk of smoking – but that many smokers don’t realise this. Approximately, 1.5 million adults in the UK have switched to e-cigarettes and given up cigarette smoking.”

A spokesman for Philip Morris International (PMI) said: “PMI has made a commitment to develop, market, and sell smoke-free alternatives, and encourage adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke to switch to these alternatives, as quickly as possible around the world.”

“Our aim is to replace cigarettes with smoke-free products that are a better choice than continuing to smoke.”

1 YEAR'S GRACE

VAPERS AND VAPE COMPANIES BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF AS THE EU DELAYS AN UNPOPULAR TAX

After a long, arduous process of nervous speculation and preparation for the worst, vape companies in the EU are enjoying something of a reprieve, as the European Union has elected to withhold a new excise on vaping products.

A January 10 report titled “Report from the Commission to the Council on Directive 2011/64/EU on the structure and rates of excise duty applied to manufactured tobacco,” provided the good news. In the eight-page document, the European Commission revealed that there has been no settled proposal on how a new tax can be formed and imposed, with the main reason being a lack of available, conclusive information on e-cigarettes.

“The main reasons are the lack of data necessary to underpin a proposal for harmonised taxation of e-cigarettes and the fact that some issues identified in the evaluation of 2014 have since been solved at national level or have been settled.”

The delay also excludes heat-not-burn tobacco products from further taxation, though this was mainly due to a relative lack of heat-not-burn users (fewer than half a million).

The delay is a relief, but not a permanent one for the European vape industry and its trading partners. With more precious time on the table, another opportunity for organising and lobbying has arisen, and certain

trade bodies are rising to the challenge. They have a year to make all the difference they can.

“The question whether there is a need to propose a harmonised explicit category for e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn tobacco products will be re-considered in the context of the next REFIT evaluation and report on the directive due in 2019.”

Despite this roadblock, the Commission is still committed to enforcing a minimum excise duty on combustible cigarettes which will likely contribute to their continued decline. Vaping will, however, remain under evaluation and it is reasonable to expect a definite step to be taken in 2019:

“The REFIT evaluation will cover the outstanding issues which the external study could not conclude on including e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn tobacco products. It is expected that more information will become available from, among other sources, the reporting obligation under article 20 of the Tobacco Products Directive. The Commission will therefore continue to monitor the developments related to e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn tobacco products.”

The full report can be accessed at ec.europa.eu.

For further details on the difficult and often stalling process of drafting and imposing an appropriate excise tax for vaping, see our feature interview with IBVTA Chairman Fraser Cropper.

BEHIND THE TIMES

REPORT SHOWS COUNCIL WORKPLACE VAPING POLICIES ARE OUT OF TOUCH WITH PHE RECOMMENDATIONS

A report published by libertarian pressure group, The Freedom Association (TFA), has revealed that UK councils are significantly out-of-step with the Tobacco Control Plan and Public Health England recommendations when it comes to workplace vaping policies.

The 2017 Vaping Policies in UK Councils report was commissioned as part of TFA’s ‘Freedom to Vape’ campaign, spearheaded by vaper and former smoker, Andrew Allison. It reveals that almost two-thirds of the 391 councils who responded to a Freedom of Information Act request refused to review their e-cigarette policies following PHE’s recommendation that e-cigarettes should not be routinely included in smokefree policies.

“Many of the councils are unwilling to listen to advice or engage in the debate at all, despite the fact that council employees could benefit from using e-cigarettes to help them stop smoking,” Mr Allison told Vapouround.

Some of the councils’ responses to the questions posed by Mr Allison demonstrate a significant lack of awareness of the Tobacco Control Plan or Public Health England’s recommendations.

For example, East Lindsey District Council said: “There is no established evidence that e-cigarettes are safe, effective or produced to any standard or quality. There is evidence that such products produce emissions which could be harmful to others. The use of e- cigarettes in the workplace is therefore prohibited.”

Far from being a problem exclusive to UK councils, Mr Allison believes that the report’s findings reflect a wider societal disdain for vapers.

“Some people aren’t just anti-smoking. They’re ‘anti-smoker’. They see vaping as smokers trying to ‘cheat’ somehow”.

There are around 65.6 million people in the UK, 2.9 million of which are vapers. That’s about 4% of the overall population. Given the relatively low number of vapers in any given workplace, it seems unlikely that many organisations will implement more positive vape policies in the near future.

Mr Allison believes that those of us wanting more appropriate workplace vaping policies face an uphill battle.

“MANY NON-SMOKERS AND NON-VAPERS JUST AREN’T INTERESTED –THEY FEEL NO NEED TO ENGAGE IN THE DEBATE BECAUSE IT DOESN’T AFFECT THEM”.

Nonetheless, it is worth reiterating that it would be relatively easy for employers to create a modern vaping policy if they were willing to listen to advice from industry experts and the likes of PHE.

The irony is that decades of anti-smoking legislation has made society hostile to what is probably the most successful smoking-cessation tool ever devised. As long as people continue to see traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes as two sides of the same coin, their distaste for smoking will negatively inform their opinion of vaping.

As Mr Allison rightly points out, it’s not just up to the public sector to adopt a modern approach to vaping.

“There should be designated vaping areas in all kinds of organisations, which would help to normalise vaping. More pro-vape businesses should take the lead and encourage others to follow”.

In response to the publication of the report, Mark Pawsey MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for E-Cigarettes, said:

“E-cigarettes are an incredibly effective tool for smokers looking to quit. Many organisations, including councils, erred on the side of caution when this new technology came on to the market, but as repeated studies have shown, vaping is considerably safer than smoking. If the only way a smoker can quit is through the use of an e-cigarette we should do all we can to assist those efforts, not hinder them”.

We have seen and experienced first-hand just how beneficial e-cigarettes can be and we have a growing body of science to back this up. But this report has shown that it takes more than governmental support and hard science to win people over. The industry itself can only do so much to change hearts and minds – it’s up to pioneering, open-minded businesses on the outside to help normalise vaping in workplaces and public spaces.

TROUBLE IN ASIA

INDONESIA’S FLEDGLING VAPE INDUSTRY FACES UPHILL BATTLE WHILE TAIWAN INCHES CLOSER TO TOTAL VAPE BAN

Around 34% of Indonesia’s population smoke tobacco, making it the fifth largest tobacco market in the world. Perhaps rather unsurprisingly therefore, Tobacco claims 300,000 Indonesian lives each year.

Vaping bars can be found throughout capital city Jakarta, providing vapers with a cost-effective escape from the hubbub of city life and the pervasive smell of tobacco smoke.

But tobacco is big business. It provides the country with huge tax revenues and keeps millions of people in employment. This, combined with Big Tobacco’s presence in the country, has overshadowed the harm-reduction benefits that e-cigarettes could provide.

About 88% of the country’s smokers use kreteks, small cigarettes that contain a blend of tobacco, cloves and other flavourings. They are even more harmful than traditional cigarettes, containing almost four times as much tar, and the signature clove oil is notoriously harmful to the lungs. Despite this, kretek production continues to grow, and now provides 5% of the country’s annual revenue.

While the country recently announced tax increases on tobacco products, the industry continues to be hugely profitable, with almost non-existent advertising restrictions to contend with.

In 2003, Indonesian cigarette advertising was valued at £250million. A 2016 World Health Organisation (WHO) report found that out of 25 recommended restrictions, only five were enforced. Cigarettes continue to be advertised on film and TV, on billboards and at point-of-sale and there are no restrictions on product-placement or industry sponsorship of sporting events.

With such a pro-tobacco culture, it is unsurprising that children take up the habit at an alarmingly-young age. Around a third of Indonesians will have tried a cigarette by the age of 10, many of them going on to become regular smokers.

Bans on the sale on individual cigarettes in 34 provinces are rarely enforced, enabling children to maintain a relatively costeffective habit. It is commonplace for children to buy individual cigarettes for a low price from child-vendors at kiosks near schools.

In 2010, two-year-old Ardi Rizal made international headlines due to his 40-a-day cigarette habit, having been given his first cigarette by his father when he was just 18 months old.

Given the implications for the country’s economy, promoting e-cigarettes as harm-reduction tools is something of an uphill battle for the industry. But it is not without its proponents.

First Asia Harm Reduction Forum met in Jakarta in November last year with speakers from across the region calling for e-cigarettes to be regulated and promoted as a safer alternative to smoking. But despite the potential health benefits, those in power continue to fight against a tide that has seen millions of people around the world ditch cigarettes, switch to vaping and quit altogether.

Minister of Trade, Enggartiasto Lukita, dealt a heavy blow to the industry when he recently announced new restrictions on the importation of vaping products which be branded of “no benefit” to the country.

The Indonesian government sees vaping as threat to the status quo – an unwelcome competitor to the traditional tobacco industry and vaping proponents face an uphill struggle to get a real foot-hold in the country.

Meanwhile the vaping community in Taiwan fear that e-cigarettes may soon be regulated into oblivion.

Proposed tough new regulations - if approved - could virtually wipe out the entire vaping industry by banning sales of e-cigarettes as well as all forms of advertising and manufacturing.

Vape product imports could also be banned and nicotine-free e-liquids would also be covered by the bans.

In such trying times, the online market has proven a refuge and the salvation of many an over-policed vaping community, but the amendment may even come for that. Vapers within the Taiwanese border would not be able to import what they needed from online shops. The ban (like so many others) would also cover e-liquids without any nicotine.

This development marks a worrying escalation in the country’s existing anti-vape culture, with both vapers and industry advocates concerned that it could effectively culminate in an all out ban, stopping a promising market dead in its tracks.

Lee Chun Hao, chairman of the Taiwan Vape Association (TVA), said:

“If the amendment is implemented, all e-cigarette operators will be weeded out from Taiwan.”

Backers of the amendment have cited the desire to protect teenagers from taking up smoking as justification for their efforts. Though every effort should be made against teenage vaping (in refusing sales and clamping down wherever it occurs), all the reputable studies done into this phenomenon refute the idea of vaping as a gateway to tobacco smoking, for youth and adults alike.

“IF THE AMENDMENT IS IMPLEMENTED, ALL E-CIGARETTE OPERATORS WILL BE WEEDED OUT FROM TAIWAN.”

RELAX TPD REGULATIONS TO ENCOURAGE MORE SMOKERS TO QUIT - MP s TOLD

FEATURING PROFESSOR POLOSA’S TOAST

More e-cigarette research and raising the cost of smoking would also help

Prominent vaping advocate Professor Ricardo Polosa has told MPs that the risks of breathing in e-cigarette vapour were ‘minuscule’ and called for regulatory changes to encourage more smokers to quit.

Polosa, Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Catania, in Italy, said: “Vaping aerosols are 95% less harmful than common tobacco - the risks are minuscule. I’d personally be more concerned to breathe the air in London than having a person vaping next to me.”

Speaking at a recent hearing of the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee, he said that allowing larger e-liquid refill bottles could encourage more smokers to switch to vaping.

He added: “Changing the size of the bottle may impact on cigarette smokers considering switching as the cost will come down.

“There are benefits to exclusively using vaping products after smoking, mostly in respiratory health, which we have seen improve by up to fifty percent. There are also improvements in blood pressure. Although we still need to build a bigger knowledge base, we are already looking at a potential health revolution.

“Our priority is to have as many smokers as possible switch to less harmful products.”

Inevitably, the talking point about vaping as a gateway to smoking (especially for teenagers) came up. Professor Peter Hajek, an expert on the behaviours that motivate smoking, pointed out that people should consider what teenagers try first before arguing e-cigs are leading to combustibles, and Mark Conner reminded the panel that though adolescent vaping is up, smoking rates are falling, so the two are not so closely linked.

Dr Lion Shahab, Senior Lecturer Health Psychology, University College London, clarified the important differences between tobacco (combusted or heat-not-burn) and e-liquid to confirm the safety of the latter.

“Tobacco contains about 70 compounds which are carcinogenic, the big problem comes from combustion. E-cigarettes contain nicotine, glycerin and flavouring. They are not burned, merely warmed. Heat-not-burn is somewhat different in that it uses tobacco and is heated to a greater degree than e-liquid.”

Paul Aveyard, coordinating editor at the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group, said there was almost no doubt that people were better off switching from smoking to e-cigarettes.

Professor Polosa made his most memorable point while explaining how studies on high aldehyde emissions from e-cigarettes are being misused. Holding up a piece of burnt toast as an example, the professor said that study trials sometimes use e-liquids which have been overheated and cooked, which does not accurately reflect our eating nor vaping habits.

“e-cigarettes need to address the psychological as well as the biological factors associated with smoking addiction.”

He also reassured MPs that vaping could rarely be seen as a gateway to smoking for people who had never previously smoked and added: “E-cigarettes with nicotine are spectacular unattractive to non-smokers.

“The traffic is massively one way [from smoking to vaping] and rarely the other.”

Professor Hajek was questioned by the committee on the link between e-cigarettes and cancer.

He told the MPs that studies had shown the cancer risk of e-cigarettes was less than half of the risk associated with traditional cigarettes while Professor Polosa said there was no human data showing any evidence of nicotine alone increasing the risk of cancer.

The professor went on: “In vitro studies and animal studies have looked at nicotine effects but they don’t have clinical significance.

It said: “In order for e-cigarettes to be more effective in facilitating transition to non-smoker status e-cigarettes need to address the psychological as well as the biological factors associated with smoking addiction.”

It called for improved education about the relative harms of smoking, nicotine and e-cigarettes and said there should be public messaging campaigns to disseminate correct evidencebased information about the harms of smoking/reduced health risk of e-cigarettes and the potential benefit of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation.

The Society also called for increased taxes on cigarettes combined with lighter regulation for reduced risk products, adding: “For e-cigarettes, avoid taxation and ‘vape-free’ legislation and promote unrestricted advertising of factual information.”

It said there should also be more research to explore the effects of e-cigarettes on smoking cessation to determine which devices offer the best potential for quitting, for whom and under what circumstances.

In written evidence to the Committee, The British Psychological Society said more needed to be done to encourage more smokers to quit.

The Science and Technology Committee is examining the impact of electronic cigarettes on human health (including their effectiveness as a stop-smoking tool), the suitability of regulations guiding their use, and the financial implications of a growing market on both business and the NHS.

THE full, two-hour hearing is viewable at parliament.tv

“Nicotine is not a carcinogenic substance and there is no evidence that nicotine has a carcinogenic effect.”

PROFESSOR RICARDO POLOSA

KO N C E P T X I X

YEAR LONG CLINICAL TRIAL TO ASSESS LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF SWITCHING FROM SMOKING TO ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTS

“One of the largest, most expensive, most ambitious projects we have ever undertaken.” - BAT.

By Dr Marina Murphy

It’s pretty much been established that products like e-cigarettes and tobacco heating products emit a very different aerosol than conventional cigarettes – they don’t create cigarette smoke. The vapours they emit are chemically very different from smoke and they have been shown to contain smaller numbers and reduced levels of toxicants. But we have been here before! During the decades-long search for a safer cigarette, scientists created technologies that successfully stripped cigarette smoke of some of the more notorious toxicants. The levels of some toxicant could be reduced by more than 90%. However, studies in humans revealed that even with such significant reductions in the targeted toxicants, there didn’t seem to be compelling proof of beneficial reduction in relative health risks and the commercial feasibility and reduced risk potential of the prototype cigarettes were never established.

So what about e-cigarettes and other novel nicotine products? How do you demonstrate that there is a beneficial reduction of relative health risks if a smoker switches from cigarettes to an alternative product? The answer is: you need to study people using these products and you need to study them for a long time. That is why we at British American Tobacco are about to launch what we think is a very exciting science project: one of the largest, most expensive, most ambitious projects we have ever undertaken – a large-scale clinical trial - that is a study involving people. It will involve hundreds of consumers and will likely take

a few years to gather and analyse the results - results that we think will help assess the long-term health effects of switching from smoking to alternative products, like e-cigarettes.

Cigarette Smoke: The lumpy Mattress!

The situation with cigarette smoke is very complicated, because cigarette smoke is very complicated. There are thousands of chemicals swirling around reacting and interacting with each other. The question then is what happens when you interfere with this dynamic? It is possible that by changing the levels of

one particular compound, you are inadvertently interfering with the level and effects of another? A bit like a lumpy mattress – you push one lump down and another appears somewhere else. In any event, after years of research and millions of pounds spent, it became clear that cigarette smoke is so complicated, it would have to be eliminated altogether to make a real, substantiated difference. This is how we came to be where we are today - in a brave new world of high tech, innovative next-generation products that seem to be giving consumers what they want, without exposing them to cigarette smoke and with the potential to be substantially reduced risk compared to cigarettes.

What about alternative products?

We already know a lot about e-cigarettes and tobacco heating products. There is no burning and no smoke, so that complication has been eliminated. The signs are good, and everything seems to be pointing in the right direction. And in our case, we have thoroughly researched our products. We understand how people use them, we know what is in the vapour, and we have observed the impact of that vapour on cells in the lab. We have now embarked on a series of clinical studies, involving people, of which this will be the largest, most ambitious to date. With these studies, we hope to demonstrate that these products not only satisfy consumers but expose them to lower levels of toxicants and are potentially substantially safer than cigarettes in the longterm.

Exposure and Risk

How do you measure exposure to chemicals and how do you measure potential risk? Exposure can be evaluated by measuring the levels of chemicals of interest in urine for example.

Regarding evaluating potential risk, an answer to that, or at least a suggestion was put forward a number of years ago by the US Institute of Medicine (IOM). According to the IOM, if a tobacco or nicotine product is truly modified risk compared to cigarettes, the chemical and biological markers in consumers who use these modified products would be similar to those of smokers who have quit.

In theory, therefore, if smokers switch to alternative products

that reduce their exposure to harmful smoke toxicants over a long period of time, biomarkers relevant to disease should also become directionally similar to those of smokers who quit.

Switching

A recent UK study looked at whether switching to e-cigarettes or nicotine-replacement therapies for at least six months would lower exposure to certain compounds in the body. And yes, they did find that there were much lower levels of certain compounds in their body compared to those who continued to smoke. (Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine doi:10.7326/M16-1107). These compounds are the breakdown products of certain toxicants in smoke (ie the substances created when the body breaks that toxicant down). Lower levels of these compounds mean lower levels of exposure to toxicants. This led Cancer Research UK, one of the largest charities in the country and funder of this research, to say that ‘e-cigarettes are less toxic and safer to use compared to conventional cigarettes.’ So far so good.

Our planned study goes that bit further. It is longer (up to one year following study subjects) and looks at a greater number of chemicals in the body.

“We have a long heritage of working in this area, and were the first to conduct a risk-spectrum exposure study that demonstrated the difference in emissions between smoke and the vapour produced

“How do you demonstrate that there is a beneficial reduction of relative health risks if a smoker switches from cigarettes to an alternative product? The answer is: you need to study people using these products and you need to study them for a long time.”

by NGPs,” said Dr James Murphy, Head of Reduced Risk Substantiation at British American Tobacco. “And here instead of looking just at whether switching (to products with reduced emissions) has resulted in a sustained reduction of certain toxicants in the body, we will also look at whether switching has impacted things that can be indicative of health - things like heart rate, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.”

This key study will involve hundreds of consumers, and our researchers will be looking at biomarkers of exposure and biomarkers of potential harm like blood pressure and cholesterol and comparing all groups with quitters. These groups will include smokers who don’t want to quit; smokers who don’t want to quit but are willing to switch to alternative products; and smokers who want to quit and are willing to use more traditional cessation products such as nicotine-replacement-therapies (NRTs). “We are very excited about this project. It’s our most ambitious clinical study to date,” says Murphy. “It involves gathering information on hundreds of consumers over the period of a year. We expect that it will take a few years to analyse all the data, data that we think will go a long way towards helping us understand the long-term health effects of switching from smoking to alternative products, like e-cigarettes,” he says.

Public health debate

Public Health authorities in the UK continue to take leadership in the global debate, in particular on e-cigarettes. In October last year, Public Health England announced that its annual government-sponsored stop-smoking campaign, ‘Stoptober’, would support the use of e-cigarettes for the first time as an alternative to smoking. The campaign featured e-cigarettes in its televised adverts, and stated on its website that "[e]-cigarettes are a great way to help combat nicotine cravings and carry a fraction of the risk of cigarettes."

However, this category is still relatively new and consumers and

regulators rightly want as much information as possible about e-cigarettes and other products. We think that clinical studies, like the one we are about to undertake, will help provide the evidence required to provide consumers and regulators with the assurances they need on the risk profile of reduced exposure products.

Clinical Study – British American Tobacco

Objective: to measures changes in health indicators such as blood pressure or lipids that may indicate beneficial changes in health in smokers and other nicotine users

Duration: One year

Subject Groups

• Smokers

• Smokers who don’t want to quit but are willing to switch and randomly selected to use Next Generation Products

• Smokers who want to quit and randomly selected to use traditional smoking cessation products

• Champix (anti-smoking drug)

• NRTs or • Nothing • Non-smokers

“We have a long heritage of working in this area, and were the first to conduct a riskspectrum exposure study that demonstrated the difference in emissions between smoke and the vapour produced by next generation products’ Dr

James Murphy, Head of Reduced Risk Substantiation, British American Tobacco.”

DIARY OF A VAPER

Featuring Abid Musa from Pukka Juice

I was never a heavy, daily smoker. More of a social one. I’d have the odd cigarette when I went out for a drink with mates and when I was on holiday.

That’s the thing with smoking – it brings people together and provides a backdrop for conversation.

I was also quite into shisha for a while. Again, it was a social thing that brought me and my mates together a few times a week. But eventually, it started to affect my health. I’d be out exercising but after 10 or 15 minutes, I’d start puffing and have to stop.

That, coupled with the fact that I’d just got married, encouraged me to stop smoking altogether.

A family member who worked in the business introduced me to vaping and then last year I bought my first mod and vaping replaced shisha altogether. Even though I was won over, I wasn’t hugely impressed with the flavours on the market. Some of them were nice enough but none made me think, ‘wow!’

I found out about the DIY juice-making scene and decided to have a go and making some liquids of my own, initially just for myself. But then I thought that I could maybe make it into a business. I had a chat with

my brother about the idea and soon after, Pukka Juice was born.

We were ready to launch in May last year – just in time for Vaper Expo. We inquired at the very last minute and luckily there was space for us. We had a great time and were back again in October for the launch of our short fill range. After an exciting and hectic weekend, we were delighted to come away with the Best Juice Flavour Award for Pukka Blaze. We met loads of great people at the expos. That’s one of the things I love about the industry. You build working relationships, some of which develop into friendships. Not all brands are the same but after meeting enough people you soon figure out who are the right people to work with.

I’m really looking forward to the year ahead. The plan is to launch two new lines and to branch out across Europe. As for what happens after that, you’ll have to wait and see!

Nictel is a manufacturer of highquality e-liquids based in St. Helens, Merseyside. At the helm is Christelle Hart who, along with her partner David, picked up her first e-cigarette back in 2012. They both took to it like ducks to water and it wasn’t long before family and friends were inspired to join Christelle on her vaping journey.

As much as Christelle loved vaping, she explains that she wasn’t impressed with the limited flavours.

“I had a keen interest in making my own line of e-liquids as the brands I was accustomed to vaping weren’t at all good in flavour or value. So began the journey in 2013; developing new formulations and working with suitable suppliers of materials and machinery. In 2014 we launched the brand with around 50 flavours.”

Having worked in the care sector for six years prior to establishing Nictel, Christelle was used to overcoming challenges, so when she was made aware of the TPD regulations shortly after the formation of the company, she wasn’t as daunted as others in her position might have been.

“I personally dedicated a staggering amount of time to adhering to the changes. This wasn’t easy, but it was a considerable achievement once it was completed,” she said.

Many businesses have been sceptical about the TPD and Christelle felt much the same at first. However, she quickly realised that rather than being

a hindrance, it actually provided Nictel with a template for quality which could be used to strengthen their products.

One thing that immediately stands out about Nictel e-liquids is their subtle label design. Again, this is a positive knock-on effect of the TPD regulations that has set their liquid apart from the often-garish bottles that vie for attention in vape shops and at expos.

pricing and low retail cost when it comes to keeping customers coming back.

“I’ve always been a bargain hunter when purchasing anything for myself, but I saw that there were many liquids that were simply too high in price for their quality, flavour or where they were manufactured. With Nictel products you get the best of both worlds: great quality and great value.”

The Nictel brand continues to change year-on-year. In 2017, they expanded their premises and invested in brand new, state-of-the-art machinery and equipment. This year is all about expanding on their product range.

“Developing new flavours and launching new products is my favourite part of the job. I’ve never lost that passion as I’m an avid vaper myself. Both myself and my team love this aspect of the business as I always ask for their opinions.”

“The new packaging is quite strippedback in comparison to other brands on the market for very good reasons. I wanted the brand to look professional and not appeal to underage persons. After all, it is a product with an important purpose: to help people stop or reduce their smoking.”

As Christelle observes, label designs are far less important than competitive

The ever-changing nature of the job keeps it refreshing and gives selfconfessed ‘people person’ Christelle the opportunity to interact with a broad range of personnel, from customers to scientists and manufacturers of precision machinery. Indeed, it’s the people around her who Christelle credits for the success of Nictel.

“Family have been extremely supportive and my employees share the strong values that enable us to continually exceed customer expectations. I am also very grateful to our loyal customers, most of whom have been with us since the beginning.”

“Developing new flavours and launching new products is my favourite part of the job. I’ve never lost that passion as I’m an avid vaper myself.”

CHRISTELLE HART

JAKES

Sarah Jakes of the New Nicotine Alliance closed the 2017 London E-Cigarette Summit with a speech that has made the rounds online among vapers, and was warmly received as a true highlight, hitting on almost every essential issue facing the industry in a profound and personable way. Her placement on the card required nothing less than perfection. With an audience edified by the preceding talks and satisfied with the summit overall, she had several tough acts to follow, and no one envies the closing act at such a stacked event. Sarah’s speech was a mixture of storytelling (both personal and far-reaching in nature) analysis, suggestions and encouragement. Her themes were cautious, rightfully calling out areas where vapers and businesses have been slacking. But Sarah was also realistically reconciliatory; warning against excessive demonisation of smokers (almost all vapers have quit combustibles and may remember what it was like to be confronted about their habit aggressively.) She also reminded us that though vaping

may be a pleasurable hobby for some, it is a mere functional activity for others, who shy away from a sometimes-intimidating vaping culture, overflowing with in-group behaviours. Sarah also pointed out that for some would-be vapers, a good vape shop can be the ideal start to vaping, whereas others could benefit from an e-cig-friendly stop smoking service. A large consumer market is a diverse one, and the industry must never become myopic in its approach.

“If public health truly wants to maximise the benefits of vaping it must recognise all of these experiences as equally valid and equally valuable, as must industry,” she said. “Both should be asking themselves what can we add, not what can we restrict.” Following on from this breakout moment for an increasingly prominent figure in the UK vape scene, Vapouround interviewed Sarah on the summit, the industry, and the road taken to this speech. Sarah spoke glowingly of the summit. “It’s always a fascinating day, and an opportunity to catch up with what’s going

on in science, and with a wide variety of people with an interest in tobacco harm reduction. This year’s summit achieved that in spades.”

There remains the issue, of widening the forum into a venue for debate and discussion, rather than continuous agreement and support. Shows of solidarity between members of the industry are nothing to scoff at, but Sarah – and many others – would like to see a widening of perspectives presented at the event.

“I think Amanda (the organiser) would be the first to admit though that we are still not getting enough people with opposing views to attend and speak. Perhaps that’s understandable but it’s also unfortunate because the debate might be a lot less acrimonious if it were face to face, rather than a war of words in journals and the media.”

When we asked her which speakers, talks and issues raised at the summit deserved a brighter spotlight, Sarah told us she would like to see a lot more qualitative research presented.

“I’m fascinated by the questions of ‘why’ and ‘how’ vaping works for some people, and what the barriers are for those smokers for whom it doesn’t work. Quantitive research concerning the question of ‘whether’ it works may be necessary in some areas of policy making, but it doesn’t do much to help us help people.”

Sarah added: “Like many vapers, I’ve been waiting years for science to catch up with what we already know - that vaping is a far safer alternative to smoking that is attractive to a great many smokers. What’s not to like?”

Coming at the tail-end of the year, the summit naturally compels us to look back on its highs and lows, and consider the vaping industry’s future. There are no certainties in this game, and predictions can be risky. Nonetheless, Sarah had much to say on the most pressing matters for vape companies in the coming months.

“We’re at a point now where in some ways the interests of industry and consumers are diverging. Manufacturers and some retailers have spent very considerable sums on compliance with the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations and don’t want lose out to competition from non-compliant products or exempt workarounds. For them, the current focus seems to be on enforcement, but I hope they won’t lose sight of the ideal goalreplacing the Regulations with something more fit for purpose.”

When asked what New Nicotine Alliance’s plans were in light of such developments, Sarah informed us that “in 2018 we intend to continue our work to create a better understanding of reduced risk products, their use, and the people who use them. We will continue to campaign for more appropriate regulation, and also against the lazy and ill-informed policy making we see everywhere from local authorities to public transport. One of our biggest challenges for 2018 will be to overturn the EU wide ban on snus, a pasteurised smokeless tobacco product that is the main reason Sweden has the lowest smoking rate in the EU by a country mile.”

IT’S ALWAYS A FASCINATING DAY, AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH UP WITH WHAT’S GOING ON IN SCIENCE, AND WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF PEOPLE WITH AN INTEREST IN TOBACCO HARM REDUCTION. THIS YEAR’S SUMMIT ACHIEVED THAT IN SPADES.

Government’s 25-Year environment plan is at odds with TPD 10ml bottle regulations

Last month, Prime Minister Theresa May unveiled the government’s 25-year environment plan, dubbed ‘the war on plastic’. Plastic waste is, she said, “one of the great environmental scourges of our time”.

She’s not wrong. UK supermarkets alone generate 1 million tonnes of plastic each year. Globally, just 9% of plastic is recycled, with 72% ending up in landfill or in the sea, having a devastating impact on the ecosystem. Now the situation looks set to get even worse.

Historically, the UK has relied upon China to process twothirds of our recyclable plastic waste – approximately 500,000 tonnes each year. But now, as part of President Xi Jinping’s drive to clean up the environment and create a ‘beautiful China’, the country has enforced all-out ban on the importation of foreign plastic waste. UK councils may now have to resort to incinerating huge quantities of plastic, resulting in the emission of deadly pollutants including hydrogen chloride, dioxin and fine particle matter.

On the face of it, vaping should be considerably kinder on the environment than smoking. E-cigarettes are designed to be reused and many of their components are recyclable. Plus, they don’t contain any of the toxic butts that clog up drains and

flow into the ocean. But thanks to the TPD, vapers get through far more plastic e-liquid bottles than they need to.

The 10ml bottle rule is one of the most heavily-criticised regulations imposed by the TPD. The Freedom Association’s Freedom to Vape campaign broke the absurdity down into numbers: A vaper using 5ml of e-liquid per day would get through roughly 1,800ml over the course of a year. If they could buy 100ml bottles, they’d use 18 a year. Instead, under the TPD, they get through 180.

While DIY e-liquid makers can easily reuse plastic e-liquid bottles, many more containers will find their way into recycling plants and landfill. Only the most diligent vaper will arduously clean used bottles and separate the recyclable and nonrecyclable components.

The bottles themselves aren’t the only problem. In order to accommodate the health warnings required by the TPD, many e-liquids now come in cardboard boxes along with an information leaflet. These can easily be recycled but are nonetheless a waste of resources.

If e-cigarettes are to appeal to smokers, they not only have to adequately simulate the smoking experience but also be

relatively easy to carry around. This is why so many smokers gravitate towards cigalikes and pod systems when they make the initial switch to vaping.

The IBVTA has been vocal in their opposition to the 10ml bottle regulation since the beginning. Shortly after the TPD came into effect in May 2017, the IBVTA’s Richard Hyslop, said:

“If you’re looking at vaping compared to smoking, with smoking you just take a cigarette out of the packet and light it. With vaping you’ve got to have all this kit and keep refilling because the tank is so small and the bottle size is so much smaller.”

There is significant support for an all-out repeal of the TDP post-Brexit, or at least a significantly-amended and more proportionate policy that removes the restrictions on bottle and tank sizes. Meanwhile, the government’s claim that they intend to increase recycling rates has been called into question. In December last year, the European council and parliament agreed to aim to recycle 65% of urban waste by 2035, a figure already watered down from 70% by 2030. According to the documents obtained by Greenpeace and reported in the Guardian, the government opposed the plans.

Louise Edge of Greenpeace UK, said: “It seems the government has been vocally backing ambitious recycling targets in Westminster while quietly opposing them in Brussels.”

The removal of maximum e-liquid bottle sizes would be a double-headed PR slam-dunk for the government as it would provide proof of both its commitment to reducing plastic waste and the harms caused by tobacco-smoking.

Brexit will provide us with an opportunity to rethink e-cigarette regulations. Given how pro-vaping our government is compared to those of many other countries, one would hope that regulations would be loosened, rather than tightened. Larger bottle sizes would not only save vapers a significant amount of money each year, they would reduce our nation’s carbon footprint.

We often repeat Public Health England’s claim that vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking. Harm-reduction is what vaping is all about. Now let’s seize the opportunity to also reduce the harm plastics can do to our planet.

The original and only Sweet Strawberry. Celebrated worldwide for it’s ripe aroma of freshly picked strawberries and subtle tang.

the all new silverline

Capella’s new silverline is providing a way the world can experience the gold standard in flavour, by helping bigger companies create new projects at a lower cost, and allowing mixologists at any scale to “turn a little silver into gold”. Simply priced at USD $ 97.00 per gallon.

capellaflavors.com

A SUPERIOR SEQUEL

The IBVTA announce their second conference

One year on from its launch, the annual IBVTA conference is already looking like a must-attend summit for the vape industry’s best and brightest. Its one-day schedule achieves an adept balance of speakers and topics to benefit businesses of every size and type, as well as tools for navigating the sometimes-unpredictable regulatory landscape. The event is advertised for wholesalers, retailers, vendors, manufacturers, distributors and importers.

According to the IBVTA’s official press release, “Through key note speeches and debates, this conference will tackle how your business and the wider independent industry can overcome the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities. Critically, there will also be a number of practical sessions to equip you with the tools necessary to protect, develop, and expand your business.”

•

•

• Insurance

•

• Communication and advertising

•

• Responsible product stewardship

•

• Regulation

The confirmed topics for the day include:

How the independent vape industry can attract more smokers to vaping

Brexit and its impact on the independent vape industry

The latest developments in the science and research relating to vaping

The latest in product development

Growing your business

and compliance

Gary Dibley, Membership and Advice Line Manager, explained what attendees can look forward to during the conference.

“The feedback from last year’s conference was overwhelmingly positive,” Gary said. “The themes and mood of the first conference were coloured by the looming TRPR deadline, which was on everyone’s mind. It was only a month away, and everything we discussed had to be considered in light of its imposition. Now, a year later, we’ve been thinking about the impact it’s had, and more importantly, how the vape industry adapted and continued to operate within its restrictions, and how we can adapt to new legislative changes on the horizon.”

Here’s an update on what they’ve been up to recently, and what we can expect from the conference.

In the highly eventful year since its last conference, the ethos of the IBVTA is largely unchanged: acting as an effective advocate of the vape industry by supporting the creation of new businesses and helping maintain existing ones. However, the methods of how this can be achieved are more varied than ever. Far from a one-hit wonder, the IBVTA spent the remainder of the year expanding their reach and diversifying their operations, becoming a mainstay on numerous fronts.

“A lot of companies were let down by compliancy outfits when new regulations came into effect,” says Gary.

The IBVTA was able to consult and aid such companies through the new challenges posed. They maintain a close relationship with many entities and organisations, having provided guidance during uncertain times. In November 2017, they were able to take it one step further. “In November we formed a Primary Authority Partnership with Kent Trading Standards, which can help us swiftly resolve

regulatory issues faced by vendors and manufacturers.”

In a year that has seen vaping galvanised by the publication of some landmark surveys and studies, Gary told us that the IBVTA are also looking to create some more of their own.

“We’re looking at commissioning a survey of smokers to understand what has put them off switching to vaping and how we can amend that. Also, while we’re on the subject of smoking cessation: we’ve strengthened our partnership with Public Health England. Stoptober last year was such a success that we’re hoping to have significantly more influence on the next campaign.”

The first speakers were confirmed on December 13 last year. As of this publication, this includes:

• Martin Dockrell, Tobacco Control Lead, Public Health England

• Matthew Birkenshaw, Department of Health - Team Leader, Tobacco Control and E-cigarettes and

• Dave Turner, Sales Director of Vapouround Magazine

The IBVTA will also be welcoming Professor Ricardo Polosa back, who has recently made headlines with his landmark study on vaping and never-smokers. Gary tells us that he hopes this conference will help the vape industry open up wider avenues of communication to the general public. Representatives of CAP and the ASA will be present, in the hope of expanding the ongoing dialogue of how vape companies can advertise within the current legal limits, preventing complications later on, and how these limits can be reconsidered through consultation.

The conference will be held on Thursday April 26 from 10am to 5:30pm at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Reading.

DISTRIBUTERS WANTED

VAPING, TAXES AND THE BEST LAID PLANS

A PRIMER ON THE TROUBLE WITH EXCISE IN THE BRITISH AND WIDER EUROPEAN VAPING INDUSTRY

Taxation. There are few words guaranteed to ignite as much debate, and in such passionate voices. In an industry still fighting to carve out a distinct segment of the nicotine product market for itself (or at least have the uniqueness of its contribution recognised) the precise nature and function of taxation remains in the hands of people who may not understand nor appreciate vaping’s public health and commercial potential. Communicating this potential remains at the forefront of every vape business and ally. Fair representation and proportionality is the obvious end goal, but before we ask how we get there, we have to know why it’s so hard.

RESPONSIBLE VAPE PRODUCT COMPANIES, DEVELOP THE APPROPRIATE ROBUST AND PROPORTIONATE REGULATORY AND TAXATION REGIME THEN VAPE PRODUCTS CAN FLOURISH AND TRULY FULFIL THEIR POTENTIAL IN PROVIDING A VIABLE AND SIGNIFICANTLY LESS HARMFUL ALTERNATIVE TO TOBACCO PRODUCTS. HOWEVER, IF REGULATORS AND TAX AUTHORITIES INTRODUCE INAPPROPRIATE AND DISPROPORTIONATE REGULATORY AND FISCAL REGIMES THEN SMOKERS WILL NOT MAKE THE SWITCH AND A ONCE IN A LIFE TIME OPPORTUNITY WILL HAVE BEEN MISSED.”

CEO Richard Hyslop gave a series of speeches and talks on the issue of excise around the country in 2017; presenting his expertise at the IBVTA launch conference in April, as well as addressing the E-Cigarette Summit and Next Generation Nicotine Delivery later that year. In 2018, things remain complicated. Fraser Cropper, Managing Director of Totally Wicked Ltd and IBVTA Chairman, spoke with us about this polarising issue, and the many interconnected matters it covers.

“There has been no single event that galvanised our focus on taxation,” he says. “But the closest thing has been what we saw unfold in the Italian vape industry in 2013-2014. What was still a very young, emerging vape market was hit with highly punitive taxation which effectively killed it, devastating jobs, having an adverse effect on the sector, undercutting public health progress and not even producing the revenue it needed.” It was later rescinded, and has gone down as a cautionary tale. Spain and Portugal’s decisions to apply a €6/per 10ml bottle tax have been met with similar disdain and stand as examples of how not to toe this thin line.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SITUATION AT HOME?

“There are few businesses in the UK that aren’t aware of how bad a poor tax model could be. The IBVTA have been doing our best on the international stage to plead our case for an appropriate excise framework with Europe’s various Directors-General. The problem in making that progress at home is that the UK government doesn’t have a formal, official opinion on how it feels about e-cigarettes. There’s no ‘white paper’ and concrete law on vaping as distinct products, so to speak.”

Britain’s own direction remains unclear, considering the difficulty predicting how our relationship with the EU will change, particularly the Single Market and Customs Union. Despite the stalling, what can the concerned consumer or smaller business owner do in the meantime to ensure they can effectively join the fight against an unrepresentative or unworkable taxation for vapour products?

“Joining a trade body is your best hope. Governments listen to them and engage with them. On a smaller level, you can always write to your local MP; let them know how much vaping has changed your life and helped you, helped your finances and improved your health. Individuals and organisations like trade bodies have different responsibilities in shaping the future of the vape trade and can accomplish different things.”

Dialogue with the government seems to be taking some effect, as seen through the recent meeting between the Science and Technology Committee and a panel of vaping experts.

“The meeting of the was a move towards political cohesion. We’re hoping to give testimony at the next one.” (See our news section for the full story).

Getting a clear tax plan is one thing, making it stick is quite another.

“The IBVTA are also hoping for a bipartisan position on taxation of vapour products, one which would hold firm no matter who ran the country, preventing us from having to worry about a new system with each change of the government.”

THE SHOW THAT NEVER SLEEPS

VAPEVENT returns to New York, with a new Diamond Sponsor in Capella Flavors

In just one month, Brooklyn New York will host the second annual VAPEVENT NYC, a 100% B2B trade show and the quintessential meeting for vape companies who wish to develop or partake in the promising East Coast market of the USA. Vapouround Magazine is thrilled to stand among VAPEVENT’s official partners for this unmissable occasion.

The first show was held in March last year and attracted 1153 unique B2B visitors from 18 countries, an outstanding achievement for a debut outing. It comes to us as an offshoot of the wildly popular VAPEVENT in Paris, France. The team behind the pageantry have been working hard on their unique brand of trade show since 2013 and now, in their latest ground-breaking year, can firmly count Brooklyn as a must-go piece of the market, and yet another reason New York remains one of the world’s premier cultural and business marvels.

For 2018, the organisers hope to build on the resounding success of last year, combining the best from the domestic and international vape markets for two days of collaboration and innovation:

“With our deep-rooted experience as an international e-cigarette exposition organization, this edition promises to be very special.”

Cutting out the middleman and getting right down to business (without losing any of the fun) is the VAPEVENT way, and their conquest of the USA has continued this pattern. On their official site, VAPEVENT NYC proudly describe their occasion as:

1. An exposition between vape professionals only

2. An international exposition allowing the creation of new partnerships, the building of trading exchanges and the discovery of the latest developments in the e-cigarette market

3. An exposition bringing together all the vape businesses: e-liquid manufacturers, e-cig equipment manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, mod manufacturers, accessories manufacturers, raw material suppliers, wholesalers…and many more.

If you’ve ever wanted a clear example of what a pure, focused B2B hub looks like, then look no further and grab yourself a ticket today.

OFFICIAL SPONSOR

Sponsoring the event are the California-based Capella Flavors, who are in their 10th year and stronger than ever. Capella kindly agreed to speak exclusively with Vapouround about their essential role. See our Q&A in this issue for full details. Capella’s mastery of flavour has made them a natural ally for the vape trade, an indispensable addition to the scene and a demonstration of how the rise of e-cigarettes around the globe can provide such a hearty shot in the arm from a diverse mix of businesses who all provide their own supplementary services.

Such a collaboration is a lofty achievement for the bridgebuilding trailblazers of VAPEVENT. We look forward to seeing how their example can influence future crossdisciplinary cooperation between the vape trade and others.

Though pulling together the best and brightest in the established world of the vape trade, the organisers remind us that it is you, the entrepreneurially-minded vaper, that remains the true lifeblood of the vape industry’s survival and prosperity:

If you’re in the business, we want to see you there and enjoy your contribution. Whether veteran or beginner, no matter your level in the vape trade, every participant is sure to enjoy a boost at VAPEVENT. You never know which new partners you could meet, which new connections you could forge, which new markets you could enter.

VAPEVENT will take place from 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM on March 22-23 at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint. Full address and postcode:

72 Noble Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222.

You can access all the details you need about the floor plan, offers and pricing, vendors’ badges, the exhibitors brands list and the application process at the event’s official website: vapeventnewyork.com. Please bear in mind that no one under the age of 21 will be granted entry.

Still unsure? The team are more than happy to answer any queries you may have ahead of the weekend. You can reach them by emailing contact@vapeventnewyork.com or calling +1 718 717 2202 or +33 (0)5 56 36 11 64.

Finally, don’t forget to check our exclusive Q&A session with sponsors Capella Flavors, who left us with some insider info word ahead of the big day. Set aside the date while you still can.

What kind of partners and sponsors have joined their cause with VAPEVENT?

“It is with your participation that VAPEVENT will be a success.”

CALIFORNIA-BASED MASTERS OF TASTE, CAPELLA FLAVORS ARE CELEBRATING THEIR 10TH ANNIVERSARY AND HAVE FORMED A STRONG ALLIANCE WITH THE VAPING INDUSTRY BY SPONSORING ONE OF ITS FASTEST-GROWING SHOWS. AS WE HEAD INTO VAPEVENT, NEW YORK, CAPELLA GAVE US INVALUABLE INSIGHT INTO THEIR INVOLVEMENT.

Q: How did you come to be sponsors of VAPEVENT?

A: Capella Flavors was one of VAPEVENT’s Gold Sponsors last year for their first New York show, which had an overwhelming positive response. How can Capella Flavors come back, and one-up last year? We decided to return by leading the show as the Diamond Sponsor. We wanted to be more involved, as our industry has been vastly growing. Like all trade shows it gives us a chance to reconnect with our customers. Last year we held an unofficial after party in New York, thanks to our good friends at Good Guy Vapes in Soho.

Q: What does it mean to Capella to be sponsoring such a prominent show?

A: We are extremely excited and thankful to have a wonderful business relationship with the creators of VAPEVENT. A lot of work has gone into our Diamond Sponsorship, as well as the preparation for this upcoming show. We love the fact that VAPEVENT is helping to create more positive relationships across the globe toward the vaping industry. Having a trade show in the heart of New York City, we wanted to support NYC and grow stronger relationships with the vape scene.

Q: Capella Flavors’ product is multi-purpose and has found success in many businesses. How have you found the experience of settling into the U.S. vape scene?

A: Throughout the past decade there has been an influx

of customers who have applied our flavors. Since then we have noticed the vape industry has grown immensely. We have donated $25,000 USD to SFATA (Smoke Free Alternatives Trade Association) as part of a pledge to show our support for vape companies and are always involved with our customers.

Capella Flavors has found that vaping has been a blessing and we are grateful to be a part of that. We have met so many fantastic people along the way and created friendships that will last a lifetime.

Our 10-year span has brought so much to Capella. Trade shows alone have opened so many doors for us. We’ve travelled throughout the United States, from Florida, Colorado, California, Connecticut, Texas and over 30 more states. We have also spent plenty of time exhibiting abroad, from United Kingdom, to Russia, Colombia, Paris, the list goes on! We will always be around for any of your flavoring needs.

Q: What do you think you offer to vape companies that they wouldn’t find anywhere else?

A: Capella Flavors has the ability to turn around massive volumes of flavors from a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility in New Jersey. This is the best thing that separates us from other flavor companies. Our team takes pride in excellent customer service. We have two locations that carry this out: our corporate headquarters in California, and our New Jersey distribution and

VAPEVENT NEW YORK’S DIAMOND SPONSOR REVEALS WHAT A FLAVOR COMPANY CAN DO FOR THE VAPE INDUSTRY

shipping headquarters. We also have a strong sales force in in the United Kingdom. We do our absolute best to meet time sensitive orders. That is where Capella’s remarkable shipping teams come in. We’ve had incredibly busy days, but have always managed to distribute last-minute orders, even with seconds to spare. Whether it is creating a gallon, making a 15gl drum or loading a 50-gallon drum, Capella does it all. We also have our top-notch QC (Quality Control) analysis teams checking, testing, and verifying that our customers get what they ordered with stars across the board. Our manufacturing and production is created minutes away in a top-tier facility. These are many reasons we believe that Capella Flavors is distinct, renowned, and will continue to strive for excellence in the years to come.

Q: Any final, departing words for our readers ahead of the big show?

A: We are very excited to be working directly with VAPEVENT’s creators, and looking forward to another glorious show. We wish everyone the best of luck and hope to see you next year for the THIRD ANNUAL VAPEVENT!

Introducing TPD Expert

ADACT MEDICAL AND VAPOUROUND LEADING THE WAY IN SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE

e are delighted to announce that UK-based safety and compliance specialists Adact Medical are now our preferred compliance agency partner.

Adact has more than 20 years of medical product regulation experience worldwide and are members of the UK Vaping Industry Association.

Over the next 12 months the TPD compliance experts at Adact will share their knowledge with our readers and answer any questions you may have on regulatory matters.

These regular Q&A features are designed to cover a broad range of topics concerning compliance and regulation so if there is anything you need to know then now is the time to ask.

Just submit your questions to AskAdact@Vapouround.co.uk and we will print a selection of answers in our April edition and in future editions in our regular ‘Vapouround Adact compliance feature’. We are also able to announce the launch of a game-changing new online tool which will allow anyone to quickly and easily check whether e-liquids and vaping products are TPD compliant. This joint project between Vapouround and Adact means you simply click on the “TPD Search” tab on the Vapouround Magazine home page and the entire database of compliant products is available for you from our new “TPD Expert” search tool.

TPD Expert was designed to allow consumers, trading standards personnel and anyone within the vape industry to find the information they need regarding TPD compliance.

You can search for producers, vape devices and e-liquids to check whether vaping products and e-liquids are listed by the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and are therefore legal to sell.

TPD Expert is updated each day from the official public information available at the MHRA submitted products section on the Gov.UK E-cigarettes website

Previously the only way to find this information was to search the MHRA website and scroll through one of two huge spreadsheets but now the information is quickly and easily accessible directly from the Vapouround and Adact websites.

With the popularity of nicotine shots on the rise, short-fill products that accompany them are increasingly becoming an area of concern. Although the nicotine shots themselves are perfectly legal under TPD, so long as they are registered and not more than 10ml or 20mg/ml, short-fill liquids raise potential issues of public safety around their un-notified status under TPD.

Robert Sidebottom, Managing Director of Adact Medical said: “Regulators and the MHRA are being urged to bring these potentially dangerous short-fill products under the control of the TPD as many contain untested liquids such as diacetyl, which would not pass through TPD tests, and they often don’t have child resistant packing.”

“As the short-fills are sold without nicotine, they also don’t carry safety warnings. Therefore, sometimes it isn’t possible to tell

whether they have nicotine in them or not and as nicotine strength varies, it can be easy to create a nicotine ‘hotspot’ as users don’t know exactly how much nicotine is in the shot if they add more or too much.”

“Some retailers have made increased profits selling shortfill and nicotine shot kits, rather than 10ml multiple bottles, as the perception is that short-fill products mean that manufactures don’t have the expense or delays of TPD regulation. However 0% nicotine (short-fill) liquids are regulated under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR). The regulations require that businesses must ensure products are safe for sale to consumers. I strongly recommend that all businesses in the short-fill market consider the guidance for TPD notified products as a method of producing robust due diligence information across their product ranges and that they consult with a compliance agency such as Adact for assistance.”

Robert Sidebottom Managing Director

- MEMBERSHIP PACKAGES -

VAPOUROUND CLUB VIP

SEEING THROUGH THE FOG

INNOVATIVE PREMIUM LABS LEAD THE WAY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE

ATLANTIC

Given how widely-known his juice ranges are, you’d think that Premium Labs head honcho Samuel Boucher had been in the e-liquid game for a long time. In fact, it’s only been three years –during which time his juices have won four Vapouround Awards, made waves in the UK and Europe and all but sewn up the US and Canadian markets. Better known as Sammy (‘Dr’) Fog, he’s an incredibly hard-working and passionate former smoker who’s thrown everything into his business, both financially and practically, and who continues to help shape the direction of the industry with iconic flavours and innovative ideas. But vaping has become far more than just a job or hobby for him.

“I love hearing from people who’ve benefited from vaping,” said Sam. “I especially like getting emails from old people. It’s saving lives and I love playing my part in that.”

The industry is under attack from all directions. In order to thrive in the UK and Europe, Premium Labs have had to adapt to meet the requirements of TPD. Meanwhile, regulators and politicians in the US and Canada continue to snap at the heels of e-liquid manufacturers whose only crime is that their respective governments misleadingly lump tobacco-free products together with combustible cigarettes. Nonetheless, Sammy is confident that Premium Labs will continue to thrive, regardless of the obstacles the regulators throw at them.

“There will be some smaller American and Canadian companies that cut corners and fail,” he said. “It’s like a cheap phone that falls apart after six months – the manufacturer will eventually fall by the wayside. As long as I continue to put out the best products and stay ahead of the game, Premium Labs will thrive and set the industry standard for others to follow.”

Sammy is right to trust in his e-liquids. He has some of the most recognisable juice lines on the market – Dr Fog and Decoded in particular are staples of e-liquid collections the world over. Then there are the accolades. Premium Labs came away from the first Vapouround Awards in 2016 with gongs for Best Fruit (Dr Fog – Alpha) and Best Sweet/Chocolate (Convicted Vapes – Heavy Metal), following up a year later with Best Tobacco for Dr Fog - Mocha and Best Cereal for Dr Fog – Tiger Flakes with Raspberry. Pretty impressive for a company still in its infancy. As the cliché goes, success is a journey, not a destination.

If Premium Labs is to stay ahead of the pack, Sammy will need to keep a keen eye on emerging trends such as nicotine salts, which is a hot topic at the moment. Ever looking ahead, Sammy has taken nic salt a step further by blending it with freebase nicotine to create his new ‘Mix Nix’ line.

“I’ve developed something revolutionary – an e-liquid that actually feels like a cigarette when you vape it. More so than any other e-liquid, Mix Nix has huge potential to help smokers quit cigarettes. That’s why I’m in this business, after all.”

The main benefit of using a blended nicotine e-liquid is that it can be sub-ohmed, as well as being used with an RDA, RTA or pod system. Plus, this should give you the best of both worlds: the fast absorption of freebase nicotine with the smoothness of salt nicotine.

It’s going to take some time for people to adjust to blended nicotine. You certainly shouldn’t jump in at the deep end. Sammy has found the perfect ratio for him – 3mg of nicotine and 3mg of salt nicotine.

He said: “I can vape that all day. Six milligrams of nicotine gives you a buzz very much like you’d get from a cigarette. But any more than that would be too much for some people, so they should tread carefully.”

Aside from salt nicotine and shortfills, 2017 was a huge year for the podcasts. By the time this issue has printed, Sammy will have recorded his first Dr Fog podcast, featuring interviews and discussions with members of the team.

“I’ll be explaining Mix Nix in the first episode, and there’ll be interviews, reviews and conversations with Premium Labs staff. After that it’ll open up to figures in the wider industry,” said Sammy.

On talking to Sammy, it’s easy to see how he’s managed to achieve so much in such a short period of time. There are no noncommittal ‘I’m hoping tos’ or ‘I think I haves’ in his vocabulary–just confident absolutes. It’s an attitude that’s propelled him to succeed since the beginning.

“I tried vaping but wasn’t impressed with the flavours on offer in the US and Canada,” he said. “If people are to quit smoking they need an enjoyable alternative. I said to myself, ‘I’m gonna take over this business!’”

A mere three years later, he’s well on his way to doing just that.

STATE OF THE VAPING NATION

A GROUP OF MPS AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS ARE CHALLENGING MISINFORMATION ABOUT VAPING

BY LEO FORFAR

Vaping, if regulated correctly, could play a significant role in preventing smoking-related illnesses in the UK, according to an influential group of politicians.

The all-party parliamentary group for e-cigarettes is chaired by Conservative MP Mark Pawsey who is worried that the positive public health message of vaping is failing to get across to the public.

In the forward to the group’s “State of the Vaping Nation” report, he says that “urgent attention” is needed to ensure that people understand that vaping is vastly less harmful than smoking. The all-party group is particularly concerned that currently just over 1 in 10 (13%) people understand the relative risk of vaping versus smoking compared to nearly 1 in 5 (21%) four years ago.

Mr Pawsey said: “The positive public health message of vaping compared to smoking is clearly failing to get across to the seven million remaining smokers in the UK. This requires urgent attention.

“At the moment we run the risk of not fully exploiting the public health potential of vaping…There is no doubt that the current

mixed messages surrounding vaping are creating a confusing picture; not just for consumers, but also for policy makers and regulators who are supposed to find balance in the cacophony of competing views.”

Overall the report’s tone is optimistic. Pawsey spoke positively of recent campaigns and initiatives that have pushed vaping into the mainstream, such as Stoptober which he sees as a ‘welcome start’ to action he wants to see happen throughout the entire year.

The report calls for a series of measures including: • the government and public health bodies to begin an immediate new program to “accurately communicate the positive public health message of vaping to the remaining seven million smokers in the UK.”

• a review of current vaping regulation and “in particular the disproportionate aspects of [the] Tobacco Products Directive that effectively put vaping in the same bracket as smoking.

• consistent and rigorous enforcement of current vaping regulations by trading standards departments and

• that the Government adopts a wider collaborative approach to policy creation involving a regulators, scientific and public health experts and the vaping industry.

The report says it is vital to tackle the public misconception that vaping is as bad for health as smoking. It says that existing methods of marketing and organisation may need to be revised if endorsements and positive statements from respected authorities aren’t breaking through and reaching the public.

ASH has even reported regression is some areas: “Public perceptions of harm from e-cigarettes remain inaccurate with only 13% accurately understanding in 2017 that e-cigarettes are a lot less harmful than smoking. Among smokers, perceptions are also getting worse with only 20% accurately believing in 2017 that e-cigarettes are a lot less harmful than smoking compared with 31% in 2015.”

The parliamentary group’s findings for why such a regression has occurred coincides with what many in the vape trade have long suspected: the prevalence of poorly-researched, sensational and highly negative news coverage and its tendency to spread quickly.

While on the subject of anti-vaping myths, the report also shows that “the cross-party group heard from public health witnesses that there was no evidence of statistically significant uptake of vaping products from under-18s and non-smokers in the UK.”

So, we have yet another collection of studies, witness statements and conclusive research vindicating the vape trade against its worst charges: vaping remains provably safe compared with smoking, a necessary component for harm reduction, and it has not been shown to be a gateway to smoking for underage people or never-smokers.

Moving forward, future regulatory changes must re-galvanise the potential for harm reduction and smoking cessation we have already seen via the rise of vaping. With the evidence on the vape trade’s side at a business and public health level, what then can be done to turn the tide of poor public perception and persistent misinformation?

The report says that the vast majority of the UK vape trade has significantly invested in meeting regulatory requirements and continues to work hard in remaining within them. There is concern that failure to enforce such regulation will devalue the worth of such effort and investment:

“To be effective, regulations must be enforced correctly and consistently across the country, or they risk being devalued entirely…a lack of enforcement represented a potential waste of its money (in terms of achieving compliance with new stock), and could lead to further more draconian regulation in future.”

The report also mentions that despite a greater effort of collaboration between all relevant bodies (policy makers, researchers, practitioners and the non-governmental organisation representatives) with some connection to the vape industry and ability to shape its future, the focus will remain “on the health impact of vaping products, rather than addressing the regulatory environment and the enforcement and impact of existing regulations.”

The report continues: “The current regulations, in particular Article 20 of the TPD, do not reflect the positive public health potential of vaping and are inconsistent when compared with other similar products.

“There is a need for a new regulatory framework that better reflects the UK’s public health priorities and takes into account the mounting scientific evidence base around vaping. “For example, the Government should review advertising regulation in this area, as vaping products cannot currently cite

““

health related claims such as Public Health England’s 95% less harmful statistic.” The group sees potential in our impending departure from the European Union for the vape industry to facilitate “our own bespoke regulatory framework” that will enable vaping’s ongoing struggle to enable better public health through smoking cessation. The first milestone in achieving this lies in establishing a previously non-existent clear line between smoking and vaping in the eyes of the law. The group hopes that subsequent policies will investigate claims about bystander harm and underage vaping with clear, nonpartisan eyes, whilst complying with existing smokefree legislation and keeping ex-smokers away from their former habit. The report describes consistency in how vaping is treated as key to making a new environment work cohesively, establishing a “culture of collaboration both within the industry itself and between Government and other regulators that oversee it.”

Remaking and reshaping foundational elements of current laws and regulations is an opportunity to continue the best aspects of the maturation of the vaping industry and scrap the worst. Exiting from the EU will be no reason to split existing alliances between the industry, the political sphere and consumers, whose confidence in their products must be protected.

State of the Vaping Nation is the first in a series of reports designed to educate and inform parliamentarians in an area of consumer policy that affects many thousands of people in the UK.

It may prove a milestone in collaboration between the aforementioned bodies and we hope to see it reclaim some ground lost due to previously unchallenged misinformation. It is important to remind ourselves, in trying times, the sheer multitude of allies and voices we have advancing this essential public health cause.

THE POSITIVE PUBLIC HEALTH MESSAGE OF VAPING COMPARED TO SMOKING IS CLEARLY FAILING TO GET ACROSS TO THE SEVEN MILLION REMAINING SMOKERS IN THE UK. THIS REQUIRES URGENT ATTENTION

When it comes to the debate about vaping and smoking then most vapers would agree that, in the most simplistic terms, vaping is good and smoking is bad.

The global vape industry is full of stories of how e-cigarettes changed the lives of former smokers for the better and we have reported such stories from our very first edition, and ever since.

In this narrative tobacco companies, and Big Tobacco in particular, is seen as bad or some may go as far as to say the enemy.

However with Big Tobacco investing heavily in both vape products and other alternative smoking products the lines are now somewhat blurred to say the least. For example in September Philip Morris International (PMI) launched the Foundation for a SmokeFree World. Foundation head and former senior World Health Organisation (WHO) figure, Derek Yach, said: “I have been working with PMI to establish a foundation to accelerate the end of smoking and tackle the consequences for tobacco farmers.”

In fact the home page of the PMI website, contains the manifesto headline “Designing a Smoke-Free Future” and asks: “How long will PMI be in the cigarette business?”

The website says: “We’ve built the world’s most successful cigarette company, with the world’s most popular and iconic brands. “Now we’ve made a dramatic decision. We’re building PMI’s future on smoke-free products that are a much better choice than cigarette smoking.

“Indeed, our vision – for all of us at PMI – is that these products will one day replace cigarettes.”

And at the beginning of the year, as reported in our news section, Philip Morris announced its New Year’s Resolution to quit selling cigarettes in the UK.

It wants smokers to switch to “less harmful, yet satisfying, alternatives to smoking” and has invested more than £2.5bn in researching and development alternative products such as those commonly referred to as heat-not-burn products.

But what is heat-not-burn and is it a threat to the vaping industry?

Heat-not-burn products, also referred to as heated tobacco products, contain tobacco, which is heated and turned into a nicotinecontaining aerosol that has much lower amounts of harmful chemicals than in cigarette smoke.

As nothing is burned there is no ash, no smoke and considerably less smell than you would get from a traditional cigarette.

At the moment the Philip Morris IQOS product is the only heat-not-burn product on the UK market but other tobacco companies are working to launch their own rival products. IQOS devices are already being sold in UK vape shops and the numbers of stockists are increasing month on month. Both heated tobacco and e-cigarettes are less harmful to health than smoking and while many smokers successfully transition to vaping products (just look at how huge the global vaping industry is now) there are also many who do not.

Understanding heat-not-burn products and what they mean to vapers.

• give up smoking entirely and switch to vaping only • vape and smoke • stop vaping and revert to smoking.

Heated tobacco products aim to capture those smokers who want to quit but who are reluctant or unwilling to switch to vaping instead. It may be that some smokers use heated tobacco products as a stepping stone to vaping but many smokers may switch to heated tobacco and find that meets their needs.

Philip Morris is clear that its target market for heated tobacco is smokers and not vapers.

On its website SmokeFreeFuture.co.uk it says: “Heated tobacco products are not risk free. They deliver nicotine and are addictive. They’re only for adults who smoke – not former smokers or for people who have never smoked.”

The idea behind heat-not-burn products is to produce a nicotinecontaining vapour which is less harmful than cigarette smoke and which appeal to those who would otherwise continue to smoke.

Professor Manual Peitsch, Chief Scientific Officer at Philip Morris International, said: "Along with many public health experts, we believe innovative products backed up by solid science can play an important role to reduce the harm of smoking.”

In May 2014, 53 prominent public health experts and leading scientists from over 18 countries wrote an open letter to the World Health Organisation (WHO) urging the organisation to support tobacco harm reduction.

They wrote: “There are now rapid developments in nicotine-based products that can effectively substitute for cigarettes with very low

risks. These include, for example, e-cigarettes and other vapour products, low-nitrosamine smokeless tobacco such as snus, and other low-risk non-combustible nicotine or tobacco products that may become viable alternatives to smoking in the future.

“The potential for tobacco harm reduction products to reduce the burden of smoking-related disease is very large, and these products could be among the most significant innovations of the 21st century – perhaps saving hundreds of millions of lives.”

A 2014 a report commissioned by Public Health England titled “Electronic Cigarettes” examined vaping products and other alternatives to smoking and concluded: “The emergence of electronic cigarettes and the likely arrival of more effective nicotine - containing devices currently in development provides a radical alternative to tobacco, and evidence to date suggests that smokers are willing to use these products in substantial numbers.

“Electronic cigarettes, and other nicotine devices, therefore offer vast potential health benefits…the opportunity to harness this potential into public health policy, complementing existing comprehensive tobacco control policies, should not be missed.” Heated tobacco products will not be for everyone, just as vaping is not for everyone, but they are both products which can help smokers quit cigarettes and that surely must be a good thing.

WHICH BARRIERS KEPT YOU FROM SWITCHING FROM SMOKING TO VAPING THE MOST?

WHAT CAUSED YOU TO START VAPING?

NEGATIVE NEWS STORIES RELATING TO HEALTH, SAFETY AND SOCIAL ISSUES | 25.00%

EXPENSE | 31.62%

EXCLUSION / INTIMIDATION OF VAPING CULTURE | 9.88%

BAD EXPERIENCE (DIDN’T LIKE AT FIRST, OR POOR ADVICE) | 18.87%

SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS ABOUT IMAGE | 7.51%

OTHER | 22.92%

Most popular other responses: We were very encouraged to see most respondents writing “nothing,” telling us they started to vape the instant they discovered it (this goes for both former and never smokers.) Lack of awareness about how to start vaping came next, followed by a simple lack of awareness of vaping at all. The remaining responses were split between people who felt they couldn’t quit cigarettes and didn’t want to try, and people who were limited by restrictive government policy.

REFERAL BY A FRIEND / RELATIVE / CO WORKER | 31.42% PUBLIC EVENT (VAPE SHOW ETC) | 1.29% ADVERTISEMENT | 1.09% VAPE SHOP | 7.53% POSITIVE NEWS STORIES | 6.64% TO STOP SMOKING | 46.28%

OTHER | 5.75% Most popular other responses: Personal health problems directly linked to smoking cigarettes, sadly followed by witnessing friends and relatives suffer these ailments. Then came respondents who cited tobacco taxes and cigarette price increases/mandatory twenty packs as motivators. This was one of the more varied “other” sections, as users mentioned seeing e-cigarettes used in non-advertorial media (film and television) winning competitions, receiving them as gifts, enjoying the taste and smell after trying on a whim, and having to start using CBD oil for non-smoking related illness.

FRIENDLY SCENE / CULTURE | 8.12%

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST FACTOR IN KEEPING UP YOUR E-CIGARETTE USE?

HOW CAN WE BETTER REACH SMOKERS / HOW COULD WE HAVE REACHED YOU QUICKER?

HEALTH BENEFITS | 31.39% COSMETIC BENEFITS | 0.89%

IT WORKS: I DON’T SMOKE CIGARETTES | 43.76%

POSITIVE NEWS STORIES | 5.45% TO STOP SMOKING | 6.44%

OTHER | 3.96% Most popular other responses: Creativity was the main theme here; vapers really enjoy customising their coils, liquids and nicotine levels. Others cited the mental health benefits, finding the experience relaxing and therapeutic. Some said that working in a vape compa ny keeps them supported in their endeavours to stay off cigarettes.

BIGGER PHYSICAL PRESENCE (MORE SHOPS AND EVENTS) | 38.36%

MORE RESPONSIBLE BRANDING (FEWER CHILD-FRIENDLY LABELS / BRAND RIP OFFS) | 15.38%

MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH TO CONFRONTING NEGATIVE NEWS STORIES | 39.64%

OTHER | 6.61% Most popular other responses: When it comes to getting the information out, vapers want to see companies up their advertising game through conventional means and online, encourage word-of-mouth stories from former smokers, and increase direct involvement in politics to lift prohibitive legislation. Some vapers also asked for a more straightforward educational approach about the positives in vaping, and more diverse depictions of vapers in advertising, moving past subcultural stereotypes.

Happy 1st Birthday To Us

FLAGSHIP VAPOUROUND VAPE LOUNGE CELEBRATES FIRST BIRTHDAY

n November we celebrated the first anniversary of the opening of our Derby city centre vape lounge. We were joined by regular and new customers, shoppers, curious passers-by and smokers who wanted to quit the habit. There was a real party atmosphere inside the lounge throughout the day and it was great to see so many people from all walks of life celebrate with us.

The party took place on a busy Saturday in the run-up to Christmas and visitors were treated to drinks and an extensive selection of foods and snacks from around the world to reflect Vapouround’s truly international brand. Throughout the day customers had the chance to win cool spot prizes including top quality juices and store credits and this promotion went down very well indeed.

We also had other special birthday promotions on juices, a raffle, entertainment and, of course, lots of vaping. We had a special birthday cake to mark the occasion and it was great to see so many former and current Vapouround staff members pop in throughout the day to wish us well. One guy came in to tell us that he had not smoked since 1964 when he bought his first and last pack of cigarettes aged 17.

The Vapouround Vape Lounge at Market Place, Derby, opened its doors to the public on November 26, 2016 and has gone on to have developed a loyal following of regulars since then.

It has since been joined by our second Derby storeVapouround Vape Lounge @ Del Boys and we have

another successful lounge up and running in Nottingham plus a Vapouround store in Canning Town, London.

Vapouround founder Paul Caplin said the party was a huge success and said he looked forward to even more lounges opening around the country in the coming months.

He said: “It has been a fantastic day and it is so nice to see so many people come out to support us and join in the fun.

“Overall we have had a really good year and we are now in a very strong position indeed. It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication by many people to get us where we are today.

“The first couple of months was very busy indeed but then the TPD kicked in and the market became flooded with juice people were trying to get rid of before the deadline to sell old non-compliant stock.

“Sales dipped during this period and this is something we found was common throughout the industry but we worked hard, weathered the storm and kept going with in-store events, promotions and offers to keep people interested and aware of us.

“The hard work paid off and now we are going from strength to strength with so much positive feedback from customers about the welcoming look of the store, the high quality juices on sale, the range of hardware and praise for our knowledgable and friendly staff.”

A big thank you to everyone who has supported us throughout the year including our customers, suppliers, staff, all those who attended the party and to everyone who wished us well on our social media sites.

Acts of kindness

Vapouround’s Derby-based shops and lounges host a donation drive for the Children’s Hospital.

The children at the Derbyshire Children’s Hospital were treated to an unforgettable treat over the holiday period thanks to the generosity of the region’s vapers.

Jane Johnson from Derby vape shop Vapouround@Delboys said she was touched by the generosity of the vaping community and wants to thank everyone who donated gifts.

She said: “When we were just Delboys –before we joined Vapouround – I always did a charity event. I’ve been doing quite a bit for brain tumour research, which was inspired by what I saw a close friend go through. After raising about £1,000 for that endeavour, I learned my eldest daughter was doing a charity event with her school (it was her own idea) for the Teenage Cancer Trust in aid of a year eleven classmate who was being treated at the Royal Derby Hospital.”

Seeing how important helping the Royal Derby was to her daughter motivated Jan to do the same. Keeping her charity work local, she found no shortage of good deeds to do or needs to be met. Fortunately, there was also no shortage of generosity found in Derby’s residents.

“I was overwhelmed,” she said. “Every local customer at the vape shop thought it was an amazing idea and went out of their way to help. We all, as parents, have had to use the hospital for one thing or another – check-ups, emergencies et cetera – there are never enough toys for the children to play with. They get broken

and damaged or accidentally taken home. We soon found our key idea: to make sure any children who were in hospital over the holiday period had enough good toys. Some customers even donated brand-new items, which was really touching.”

It didn’t stop at toys. Donors also gave selection boxes for the children who were in bed for Christmas Day, wrapped and delivered by the staff. Bed-bound children also received gifts centred around arts, crafts and colouring, giving them plenty to do.

“It was such an inspiration to see,” Jane added. “When it comes to charity, children always need to be our highest priority, especially when they’re facing so much over a period like the Christmas holidays.”

The collection period lasted from December 11 to 16, the donations flowing through drop-off points in Delboys Derby and at Vapouround’s city centre shop and lounge.

“Our regulars were very generous, but I was seeing donations coming from people we’d never seen in the shops before. One lady in particular pulled up with a carload of toys and made three trips.”

Everyone needs an uplifting story for the holiday season, and the generosity showed by Derby’s vaping and non-vaping residents has left a positive mark. The gifts were gathered up and dropped off on December 20. Jane has been emboldened by this latest charitable success and will continue her work going forward.

“It was definitely worth doing and I’ll be doing it again next time.”

RISE

Before the TPD came into effect, there was a vaping free-for-all where manufactures could package their liquids any way they saw fit.

Then as details of the restrictions that regulation would impose became known, it was felt that the post-TPD world would be one where standard 10ml bottles were being sold…and nothing else.

However we know that things have not turned out exactly like that and the variety of packaging on the shelves of any vape shop is about as diverse as ever.

In fact rather than harmonise e-liquid shelves, all stocked with only regulation 10ml bottles, the TPD has had the unintended side-effect of opening the door for new products to enter the market.

Case in point: the requirement that the nicotine health warning must cover at least 30% of the two largest areas of e-liquid packaging. This is very restrictive for juice manufacturers who only have a 10ml bottle to work with. How can your brand stand out from the competition with this restriction in place?

A simple solution now being employed to great effect is the multipack. Go to any vape event, browse online or go to your nearest vape store and you will soon see many examples of multipacks in all shapes and sizes. And while to be TPD compliant these packs must still cover 30% of the packaging with the health warning, there is a lot more space available for attractive and eye-catching designs. Some companies have gone a step further. Rather than

just putting three or four liquids into a standard box and plastering their logo on the front, Dinner Lady’s Summer Holidays multipack was decorated to look like a suitcase with leather straps.

Since becoming fully TPD compliant, Nasty Juice has introduced 5x 10ml multipacks in sturdy metal tins. These have proven to be very popular, not only for their design but also their potential to be reused for vape supplies or any number of other purposes.

Other examples include Fizzy Bull’s six pack, which comes in a tubular metal casing that reinforces their brand image by resembling a can of energy drink. Meanwhile, Zap! use sealed pouches for their 3x10ml packs and their foil packaging is the same as that which is used for coffee and foodstuffs. All these are examples of being creative with product marketing while still being fully compliant with the TPD regulations.

Whatever happens post-Brexit, it is almost inevitable that vaping’s increasing popularity will be met with further restrictions somewhere along the line. There is the whole debate about short fill which has shown a huge flaw in the TPD regulations. This is a loophole which many feel could easily be closed by regulators and if that happens then where will the e-liquid marketers go next?

However as has already been shown, e-liquid manufacturers are a very resourceful group of people and it is certain that they will continue to find ways of marketing their brands to best advantage while still complying with the law.

EVERY VOTE COUNTS!

THE ANNUAL VAPOUROUND AWARDS RETURN FOR THEIR THIRD YEAR AT MAY’S VAPER EXPO UK

As winter gives way to spring our minds naturally wander to thoughts of the warm, summer days that (hopefully) lie ahead. But for vapers, May is about more than just the first hint of summer weather. The Vaper Expo UK will make a welcome return to the NEC in Birmingham after months of preparation. We can’t wait to see what the guys have in store for us over the weekend.

One thing we can be sure of: on the Friday, the best-andbrightest will come together for the third annual Vapouround Awards, this year sponsored by Vampire Vape.

The Blackburn-based company has supported the awards night since the beginning and we are delighted to have them on board as the overall sponsor for this year’s event.

If you attended last year’s awards ceremony you will no doubt have an idea of what to expect. Representatives from across the vaping industry coming together to honour the brands and individuals who’ve lit up the world of vaping in the past 12 months.

But an old cliché may also come to mind – expect the unexpected. 2017 saw everything from close-up magic vape tricks to unscheduled ‘attractions’ like a topless Hamish Guerrini from Riot Squad exposing what was under hit kilt…

The vaping industry evolves at a staggering pace and the Vapouround Awards are no exception. So this year, we’ve added new categories and have more public interaction than ever before.

OFFICIAL SPONSOR

Blogger of the Year, Vape Shop of the Year and Juice of the Year are readers awards which are open to everyone while our five Industry Awards categories are open to businesses only. All companies, manufacturers, shops, and distributors - big or small, chain or independent, can submit their votes. The Industry Awards categories are as follows: Best Brand/ Marketing, Best Up and Coming Brand, Trade Show of the Year, Industry Leader and Vaper of the Year.

Voting will take place via our Vapouround Awards website for both the Readers Awards and the Industry Awards categories. A name and valid email address will be needed to vote and a company email address will be required to vote for the industry categories.

Voting closes on the 1st of April so make sure you visit the awards website in time to get your voice heard and celebrate all those who make the vaping industry a pleasure to be a part of.

Finally for the juice and mod categories, please note that the deadline for your entries to be submitted is March 1 to allow time for the judging process to be completed so be sure to get your entries in before the deadline.

OFFICIAL SPONSOR

Q&A

Vampire Vape have been a considerable presence at the Vapouround Awards since the beginning. This year, the Blackburn-based manufacturer of award-winning liquids like Heisenberg and Pinkman On Ice has partnered with Vapouround to sponsor the 2018 ceremony. We caught up with directors Nathan and Phil to find out more about their year and why they love being part of the awards.

VM: What were some of your big moments from the past 12 months?

N: First and foremost, it’d have to be the big move in the summer. We’ve expanded so rapidly in the past four or five years that we’ve had to move eight times. But that was definitely the last time! I haven’t seen a bigger site anywhere else and there’s still plenty of room for us to expand.

P: It’s also helped us become more organised and streamlined. Orders were coming through thick and fast which was starting to slow things down. But we’re now on course to get back to a 24-hour turnaround every time.

OFFICIAL SPONSOR

VM: Speaking of expansion, your new shortfill range has really taken off.

N: We deliberated about making Koncept XIX for a while due to the TPD. But everyone seemed to be doing it so we rolled with it and its gone down a storm. We’ve since taken it to Australia and New Zealand, and reactions over there have been just as positive.

VM: Why do you like to be involved in the Vapouround Awards?

P: We know most of the people in the industry so it’s great to get everyone together to catch up and enjoy ourselves. The Awards are friendly competition that helps the industry grow.

VM: And they’re a laugh, too.

P: Exactly. They’re not boring and corporate like some other ceremonies. Plus, it’s a great way to network and meet new people.

VM: Any personal highlights from previous years?

N: I won’t go into details just now but let’s just say that it’s always a laugh having Johnnie and Strawberry Queen up there!

VM: What’s it like to come away with a gong?

P: We’ve done pretty well for ourselves over the years. I think it’s fair to say that we’ve exhausted Heisenberg! But it’s not about winning. It’s just about being part of it.

N: That said, if we don’t win something, there’ll be trouble [laughs]!

VM: Are there any particular brands, ranges or individuals that you expect to see win big on the day?

N: From a personal perspective, I’d like to see Iron Bruised up there as its a really hard flavour to crack but Riot Squad got it just right. I also really like the Malaysian style flavours but then I do have a bit of a sweet tooth.

VM: What can we expect to see from you between now and the 2019 Awards?

P: We’ve got some new ranges coming in 2018 so keep an eye out for these, its going to be another busy year for the Vampires.

OFFICIAL SPONSOR

The candy TheWakecandy up and smell

SWEET E-LIQUID FLAVOURS APPEAL TO US ON A PRIMAL LEVEL

Read any recent anti-vaping article in the media (particularly the US media) and you’ll soon find critics claiming that vape companies target children with flavours like cookies and bubble gum. It’s a criticism that has followed vaping from the beginning and it doesn’t look like it’ll be disappearing any time soon.

Of course, the reason bubble gum and cookie e-liquids exist is not because evil vape companies want to get kids hooked on vaping. The truth is a lot less inflammatory – adults like the taste of bubble gum and cookies as much as kids do.

To put this into further context, we are living in a time when nostalgia is actively encouraged. The press and social media sites constantly dine out on this obsession with the past, with articles on long-forgotten chocolate bars, trends and fashions circulating on an almost daily basis. So it’s not a huge stretch to acknowledge that people also enjoy tastes and smells that remind them of foods they enjoyed as children.

Our love of certain tastes runs far deeper than it may initially appear. Or rather, our love of certain smells does.

One way to demonstrate the important role smell plays in our enjoyment of flavours is by administering the Jelly Bean Test. All you need is a test subject, a blindfold and various flavours of jelly bean. With their blindfold on, ask them to chew one jelly bean at a time and then tell you what flavour they think each one is. Make a note of their answers.

Repeat the process. But this time, instruct them to pinch their nose as they eat each jelly bean. Ask them what flavour they think each jelly bean is and make a note of their answers.

As you will discover, you can’t identify a jelly bean’s flavour without smelling it. All the receptors in your tongue tell you is that it is sweet. The lesson here is that smell plays a huge role in how we interact with and interpret the world around us. As animals, it stands to reason that we make sense of our environment using the finelyhoned senses we’ve evolved over millions of years. Our sense of smell was crucial to our survival long before verbal communication was, and it is deeply interlinked with our emotions.

The process of odour learning starts in the womb and we can remember childhood smells as adults. |n fact just being exposed

to a long-forgotten smell may trigger memories of what we were doing and even the emotions we were feeling when we first experienced this smell during childhood or adolescence. This is known as olfactory memory and of all of our senses, it is smell which is most closely linked with memory. This may be explained because areas of the brain which help process emotions and which help trigger emotions are closely linked with the way we process smells.

Put simply, certain smells trigger certain positive or negative responses. The connections between smells and emotions are not universal, rather they are learned through experiences, particularly childhood experiences. Olfactory memories stay with us throughout our lives. They are the product of a deep and primal link between emotion and associative learning. E-liquid flavours like cookies and bubble gum are deeply anchored in childhood – a period filled with formative and often highly emotional experiences that shape who we become as adults. Smell is a shortcut to reliving these moments from our past. While our strongest olfactory memories come from our early

years, we continue to link new smells with experiences as we grow older. One example of a negative association that many of us experience as adults is when we catch a whiff of an alcoholic drink that made us sick the past. The merest hint of it is often enough to illicit a strong, negative, physical reaction. A positive or negative odour association will also affect your mood, which in turn influences how you think and act. Studies have demonstrated that exposure to smells that we like can improve creativity, creative problem-solving and even increase our propensity to help others. They can also improve our work performance.

Smells associated with our childhood are by far the most evocative of all. While we may not always be consciously aware of it, the appeal of e-liquid flavours from this time in our lives is hard-wired in our brains. To dismiss cookie or bubble gum-flavoured e-liquid as a malicious tool to get kids hooked on vaping is to dismiss the millions of years of evolution that brought us to where we are today.

The lesson here is that smell plays a huge role in how we interact with and interpret the world around us.

“”

SEARCHING FOR Squonk

WHERE DID THIS STRANGE WORD COME FROM?

While working on the last issue of the magazine, Vapouround’s Creative Director, James Parnell, came into the journalists’ office with a request – would one of us write a few words on squonking? I’ll be honest – I had no idea what he was on about. It sounded like the kind of task the work experience kid would be tricked into doing, like shopping for ‘tartan paint’ or asking the lads in the supply room for some ‘sky hooks.’

Even after he explained what squonking was he couldn’t answer the big question that was puzzling me. Why ‘squonking’? It’s such an odd word – was it pulled out of thin air or did it reference something in particular? Maybe it was a portmanteau like ‘spork’. Wonky squeezing?

I watched a few videos of squonking in action to see if I could find any answers but, alas, no joy. I probably should have moved on and done something more productive with my time but I just couldn’t let it rest. I had to find out where the word came from.

It turns out that the word ‘squonk’ has been around for a while, certainly well before electronic cigarettes came to be. In the book Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods, With a Few Desert and Mountain Beasts published in 1910, William T. Cox described a mythical ‘fearsome critter’ that could be found in the forests of northern Pennsylvania.

The squonk would hide from view, weeping in shame of its unsightly, sagging, wart-covered skin. People attempting to catch squonks would be foiled by their unique defence mechanism - they would dissolve into a bubbly puzzle of tears, as described in the song ‘Squonk’ by Genesis, which appeared on their 1976 album, A Trick of the Tail.

Other than Squonk Opera, a group of performing artists from Pittsburgh (home of the aforementioned

mythical squonk), I could find very few references to squonks or squonking outside of vaping.

The Urban Dictionary offered some interesting suggestions, such as South African slang for ‘misaligned’ or ‘off-centre’ and the sound a novice makes when attempting to play certain instruments for the first time (halfway through a squawk and a honk). Plus, there were a handful of definitions not suitable to print in this esteemed publication.

Part of me wanted to believe that the squonk of obscure American folklore inspired the vape term. Something to do with the mod hiding the bottle like the squonk hides from view. Sadly, that was not the case. It turns out that my ‘wonking squeezing’ idea wasn’t too far off. To quote e-cigarette-forum.com user Jack Murray who coined the term back in 2010: “The link between the juice bottle and the atty has a great seal and it just squonks the juice right up in there every time you give it a squeeze”.

So there you have it. You squeeze the bottle, the bottle squonks the liquid. Cased closed.

A BREATH OF FRESH AYR

REBIRTH OF THE CIGALIKE

It’s amazing to think how far e-cigarettes have evolved in the past decade. With the box mod now making up a significant share of the market, the term ‘e-cigarette’ seems almost redundant.

Nonetheless, around 17% of people in the UK continue to smoke. For many of these people to be convinced to try or reconsider e-cigarettes, there needs to be an attractive device that does more than safely deliver nicotine – it needs to deliver an experience that closely resembles the smoking of a cigarette.

While cigalikes have largely fallen out of fashion, they remain a natural entry point for many smokers looking to get into vaping. With some significant tweaks to the template, AYR CEO Clive Millington may well have developed the viable alternative to cigarettes that smokers have been looking for.

“I think that Cigalikes were on the right track, but they fell short on user experience,” said Clive. “They over-promised and under-delivered. Our aim has been to carry forward many of the ritualistic elements and heritage of smoking, leave the harm from combustible tobacco behind, whilst delivering a completely new digital experience to the user.”

The team began working on AYR four years ago and while much of the device’s appeal lies in its intuitive simplicity, precision engineering and complex software run beneath the sleek shell.

Many smokers find the vaping market overwhelming. It takes a determined and inquisitive mind to commit to learning the ins and outs of vaping. Committed smokers need a more complete and accessible product if they are to be converted.

Clive added: “Making things look easy is extremely hard and takes time. The four years have been necessary, and we are now in the ‘polishing’ phase as we approach launch.

“AYR aims to be the first complete solution for vaping, where we manage the fill, re-fill and charging of the vaporiser so it delivers a vaping session equivalent to one cigarette. This enables our users to accurately measure their consumption and delivers a repeatable and hassle-free experience.”

The ‘one cigarette per session’ function is one of many aspects borrowed from the traditional cigarette-smoking experience. The ejection of the vaporiser from the case resembles the removal a cigarette from a flip-top pack and the ‘glowdown’ feature mimics the burning-down of a cigarette. Aesthetically, too, AYR closely resembles a combustible cigarette. But it also finds inspiration in the zippo lighter, the smartphone and even the perfume bottle.

The parallels with perfume and smart phones, as well as images on AYR’s Instagram account, paint AYR as a desirable, high-end lifestyle product as much as a smoking-cessation tool. This will undoubtedly appeal to smokers from across the social spectrum and not just vapers already absorbed in the culture.

“We are targeting all smokers but have deliberately come up with a premium solution. The economics of our product are such that, whilst the entry ticket is relatively high, the lifetime cost will be low due to our 10ml capsule design. We have endeavoured to develop a product that is both desirable and clear in its purpose. I hope that people will want to put their device on show and bring vaping from out of the shadows,” said Clive.

“The customer doesn’t need to use their imagination to understand what AYR is. We know that people who smoke like the ritual but hate the damage it’s doing to them so to ignore the ritual when you are selling an alternative product to smoking would be a mistake.”

But AYR does not just replicate the cigarette. It improves on it.

The AYR app is an extension of the product that allows users to track their usage patterns, monitor consumption and proactively reorder supplies when the device is running low. But it’s important to note that the device itself is not reliant on the app. It functions fully as a standalone vape.

“The overwhelming reaction when we pitched this product to everyone has been positive– be they smokers, non-smokers, vapers, investors and even people who have no interest in the category. Everyone can see the potential and many people have expressed an interest in gifting our device to friends and family who smoke.”

Surely this is the holy grail for e-cigarettes or indeed any other product: how better get it into the hands of the end-user than by passively recruiting those around them to pitch it for you?

The cigalike has long been touted as a real alternative to smoking but until now has failed to deliver on that promise. While previous devices failed to satisfactorily answer the question of why smokers should switch to vaping, AYR flips the question on its head: ‘why not?’

WE TALK TO THE ORGANISER OF THE NEXT GENERATION NICOTINE DELIVERY CONFERENCE ABOUT THE EVENT, AND THE VAPE INDUSTRY GOING FORWARD.

SHORTLY AFTER THE NEXT GENERATION NICOTINE DELIVERY CONFERENCE RETURNED TO LONDON TO ENJOY ITS FOURTH OUTING, WE CARRIED OUT AN EXCLUSIVE Q&A SESSION WITH ITS FOUNDER AND HEAD, CHARLES HAMSHAWTHOMAS. CHARLES HAD PLENTY TO SAY ON EVERYTHING FROM SHORTFILLS TO LONG TERM STRATEGY. HERE’S WHAT WE LEARNED FROM TALKING TO CHARLES.

VM: In an interview ahead of the event, you spoke of some noteworthy developments for the trade of alternative nicotine delivery systems:

• CAP consultation on changes

• Christopher Chope’s (MP) Private Members’ Bill to exempt e-cigarettes from UK law derived from Article 20

• Stoptober’s e-cig inclusion

• NICE consultation on draft guidance

• PHE’s next evidence report on e-cigarettes

Which of these do you see as carrying the most weight?

CHT: Potentially all of them are significant. One must also consider the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology Committee’s Enquiry on E-cigarettes (announced 25 October 2017). They all indicate a growing body of interest in, support for and endorsement of vaping and other reduced risk new nicotine products as a third tobacco harm reduction plank – alongside discouraging initiation of smoking and encouraging cessation – to UK public health policies regarding tobacco and smoking.

In my view, Public Health England’s Stoptober Campaign and their endorsement of e-cigarettes as an aid to stop smoking could well be viewed as a game-changer for the industry. With hindsight in years to come, when the history of e-cigarettes and vaping comes to be written, I’d suggest it’ll be seen as a seismic moment in e-cigarettes gaining greater public legitimacy.

Also of interest to me was the pre-announcement of the Committee of Advertising Practice, made at both the Next Generation Nicotine Delivery Event and the E-Cigarette Summit, which suggested that the current prohibition (under both the CAP and BCAP Codes) on manufacturers and suppliers making health claims like claims that e-cigarettes are healthier and safer than tobacco may be eased.

An announcement is expected soon and if the prohibition is indeed eased, it’s likely that the marketers will need robust evidence to substantiate that any claims made (even general ones) are true for their product. It’s undoubtedly an interesting development and a case of “watch this space!”

VM: Do you feel Next Generation Nicotine Delivery 2017 achieved everything it set out to achieve?

CHT: From all those I’ve spoken with who attended, I’ve got the sense that they felt the event was a further progression of the necessary industry dialogue about the key challenges and issues that the industry faces.

As Chair, the key takeaways were firstly, the potential size of the market and whether it’s being significantly under-stated, due to its youth and the diverse and fragmented market place of online and on the high street, in convenience stores, supermarkets, pharmacies and specialist vape shops. There is still limited robust evidence and quantitative data regarding the size and make-up of the UK market.

Secondly, there is a growing sense that the industry is maturing and that more of its participants are understanding the challenges ahead and the need for investment and collaboration on the common issues uniting us.

There was also much discussion over some of the most immediate challenges in the marketplace – notably the ‘short-filling’ practice which is seriously undermining industry pricing and profitability.

VM:Which particular talks and issues raised at the conference do you feel deserve more recognition and attention?

CHARLES HAMSHAW-THOMAS

CHT: I think it was very helpful to have both the MHRA and the Committee of Advertising Practice, the former provided a useful update of developments since 20 May 2017 (such as the notification process), outlining their plans going forward and as before providing a constructive platform for future dialogue and engagement with the ‘new nicotine’ industry.

The latter gave a heads up concerning possible changes to the the current prohibition under both the CAP and BCAP Advertising Codes on manufacturers and suppliers making health claims like e-cigarettes being healthier and safer than tobacco.

I also think the presentations made by Global Data and E-Cig Intelligence were helpful in highlighting the value of more robust evidence regarding the market, the products, the demographic breakdown of consumers and the patterns of consumer use.

VM: Did anything surprise you and change your views?

CHT: I was pleased to see a wider audience in terms of industry participants. The industry has grown very quickly, there are a diverse range of interested businesses of different sizes, with different resources and with differing priorities selling a very wide range of different products and services. Hitherto conferences like these that I have attended or presented at have not been as widely representative of the industry.

It strikes me that more businesses and their owners and executives are recognising the importance and value of these events in terms of coming together, to listen to and to talk to their peers and identify the possible opportunities that can follow, whether establishing new contacts and relationships, working collaboratively on the common challenges or in forging business or other strategic alliances.

VM: Going into 2018, what will be the most pressing issues for the e-cigarette trade?

CHT: While short-fills would be viewed as the most critical and immediate issue for large sections of the industry at present, for me the single most pressing issue is to make sure that the industry and its products are better understood. In its rapid growth over the last five plus years, the vaping industry has failed to build a trusted public presence and profile. This means that the positive public health story that the vaping industry has to tell is not being told. The vaping industry also has no leading or consistent ‘voice,’ and correspondingly the continuing rapid growth of the vaping category is at risk. If these outcomes are to be avoided, and vaping is to gain wider acceptance and legitimacy, it is vital the industry truly comes together and takes a lead, with the public health and scientific experts, with Parliamentarians and with all the regulatory agencies.

This will help ensure the industry and its products are properly understood, and the science is de-mystified and to make sure all the important and difficult issues and concerns are being properly considered and openly discussed.

VM: What do you hope to see highlighted, discussed and resolved by the time the next conference comes around?

CHT: At the Next Generation Delivery Event one attendee said from the platform ‘…the time is ripe for the industry to start working together on the many ‘common challenges and issues’ that we face …’. At the next conference in 2018 it would be great to understand and assess what progress has been made.

It would also be great to see much more convergence between the industry and the public health, tobacco control and scientific communities. If vaping and ‘new nicotine’ are to realise their true potential in the quickest time possible, it’s important that all the debate around the industry, the products and the related public health, scientific and regulatory concerns is as inclusive as is possible.

VM: Is there a conflict coming between e-cigarettes and the emergence of heat-not-burn? How much attention should trade figureheads pay to the involvement of “Big Tobacco?”

CHT: Aren’t heat-not-burn products just another iteration of reduced risk alternatives to cigarettes? If it’s recognised that they are – and the recently announced (4 December 2017) preliminary findings of the Committee on Toxicity suggest it’s likely that they carry less risks than cigarettes, then I would contend that the only critical issue is that there is consensus and clarity regarding the risks associated with their use relative to cigarettes, e-cigarettes and all other ‘new nicotine’ products so that smokers can make informed choices.

For whatever reason, presumably because of the significant investment into the category made by the tobacco industry since 2012, the public discourse and narrative around e-cigarettes and vaping has become very dominated by either a ‘Big Tobacco’ or ‘Anti-Big Tobacco’ theme.

For me, the elimination of smoking should be the primary focus for all stakeholders with an interest in e-cigarettes as opposed to the elimination of cigarette companies. Who ends up owning the e-cigarette industry in ten, twenty or more years’ time isn’t the biggest priority for me – my biggest priority would be an enormous and thriving e-cigarette industry which has brought, or is close to bringing, an end to smoking.

THERE IS A GROWING SENSE THAT THE INDUSTRY IS MATURING AND THAT MORE OF ITS PARTICIPANTS ARE UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGES AHEAD AND THE NEED FOR INVESTMENT AND COLLABORATION ON THE COMMON ISSUES UNITING US.

Next Generation Nicotine Delivery will hold its first US conference in April

From the vibrant city of London to the beauty of Atlanta, Georgia in the early spring, Next Generation Nicotine Delivery – via Arena International – is reasserting its authority as a premier summit on both sides of the Atlantic.

As seen in our main feature, Next Generation Nicotine Delivery 2017 in November received glowing reviews from every corner of this multidimensional industry. Now, its organisers, attendees, partners and participants are on a hot streak for the new year. In the world of business, all roads eventually lead to America, and the e-cigarette trade is no different. Next Generation Nicotine Delivery is turning its power to entice the best and brightest thinkers in nicotine delivery to the USA, home of the world’s largest e-cigarette market.

Adapted to meet the unique needs and conditions of American regulation, business practice and public debate, the goals have been laid out as follows:

• Understand and adhere to US FDA’s PMTA (premarket tobacco product application) regulations

• Explore international sales opportunities and adhere to local regulation within these regions

• Introduce consumer trends from local and international markets to increase sales at home and abroad

Like its forebears, this event will have a unique focus on the B2B side of nicotine delivery, and is geared towards meeting the needs of manufacturers and investors, describing itself as a “strategic event targeted at those who have commercial or regulatory responsibility.” This practical approach is something of a break from the traditional conference format of emphasising medical and scientific findings – specifically studies related to vapour and nicotine products and how data can be used (or misused) to shape regulation:

“This will not be a scientific or medical research focused event, but a platform to share best practise and meet solution providers to allow US manufacturers to start and increase sales within the US and abroad.”

However, scientific data and discovery, though not the main focus, will still be represented in the speaking programme.

An ambitious first outing to say the least, Next Generation Nicotine Delivery USA will provide a platform to a total of 26 speakers.

The programme presents it as a distinctly American event with a cooperative, internationalist focus. For example, guests will be treated to such talks as: ‘Identifying The Next Steps For Global Expansion - Considering Europe, Canada & South America’ and ‘Understanding The Barriers Of Entry Into The European Market.’

So why should a Vapouround reader attend? Next Generation Nicotine Delivery has an excellent track record in the UK, and regardless of where you are or which section of the trade you occupy, this could be an inroad into the American market, or a means of delving deeper than you currently are.

On the event’s website, Arena International specify the 2018 conference as especially designed for e-cigarette/vapour product companies and manufacturers, as well as purveyors of similar means of nicotine delivery (such as SNUS and inhalable nicotine) There is also invaluable opportunity abound for makers, suppliers and manufactures of e-liquid, and non-vape companies that have subsidiaries in e-cigarettes and vapour products.

Despite its nonpartisan, B2B focus, the official ‘Who Should Attend?’ list also welcomes policy makers, regulatory bodies and public health officials and service providers to the industry.

With its American debut, Next Generation Nicotine will continue diversifying its skillset, and the skillsets of its attendees; the jack of all trades conference for the modern, versatile business mind. Seeking, in its own words, “to create a unique platform bringing together strategy, development and sales and marketing leaders to deliver a 360° view on next generation nicotine delivery.”

The conference will retain its traditional two-day format, this time taking place on 24-25 April. The event’s programme, as well as the full reservation process for attendance and sponsorship can be found at www.arena-international.com/nextgennicotineusa

“This will not be a scientific or medical research focused event, but a platform to share best practise and meet solution providers to allow US manufacturers to start and increase sales within the US and abroad.”

5

Groups of The Anti-Vapor Establishment in the U.S.

By Tony Ottomanelli II

In America, there has been so much anti-vaping sentiment, that there is now an entire establishment involved in expressing these attitudes against vapor products. Who accounts for making up this establishment? Which individuals or groups occupy these anti-vaping attitudes? There are a number of areas within American society creating an Anti-Vape Establishment.

Tobacco Control Groups: (Campaign for Tobacco FREE Kids & Tobacco 21)

U.S. Democratic Party Members (a portion of politicians who oppose vaping are always Democrat, such as Sen. Chuck Schumer, Sen. Al Franken, Sen. Elizabeth Warren & Sen. Richard Blumenthal)

5. 6.

Big Pharma (not necessarily a group, but an entire industry with an immense amount of power)

Lobbyists (those who lobby for tobacco control groups & pharmaceutical companies)

Public Health Organizations (American Lung Association, American Heart Association, American Cancer Association, etc. receive funding from Big Pharma in which these financial gifts create funding for anti-vaping groups like Campaign for Tobacco FREE Kids which seems like an oxymoron).

Typically, we would include particular government agencies, such as the FDA. However, of course, the recent comments from FDA Commissioner Gottlieb to extend the deadlines for the PMTA deadline has been hopeful and refreshing to learn, yet the FDA is still launching an anti-vaping campaign that will be specifically targeting teenagers.

So, due to the FDA being accountable for starting all this vape-drama by announcing these overreaching regulations on May 5th, 2016, perhaps we should give them an honourable mention. Then again, most vapers surely appreciate the actions Commissioner Gottlieb has taken recently, maybe they should get an outdated honourable mention. As long as the Commissioner maintains his stance on harm reduction, we will at least allow him to receive a thumbs up emoji.

Additional Information to Consider

“Iowa’s Attorney General, Tom Miller, is now encouraging the FDA to reconsider its e-cig regulations” known as the deeming rule. This is extremely significant to reflect on, due to the fact that the FDA seems to be reconsidering. Attorney General Miller has always been a Democrat so, not all Democrats are enemies of vapor. In fact, there seem to be fewer and fewer Democrats on board with the regulatory overreach on vapor products. Though, the vaping battles have become far more concentrated in particular areas or regions. Rather than states, there is intense debate and even illogical policies being passed in very small towns and big cities across the U.S.

Not to Mention, the Big Tobacco Industry has been assisting the Vapor Industry in much needed times for necessary assistance during political threats especially. At the same time, vaping products and other harm reduction tools, like heat-not-burn products, are a major investment opportunity for these massively wealthy and powerful corporate leaders. So, should Big Tobacco be considered as a member of the anti-vapor establishment? Most likely, yes. Though for the time being, they have proven to be very helpful in countless situations from the opposition desperately attempting to destroy the state-of-vape. Only time will tell how this relationship plays out.

Share Your Own Interpretation

By all means, feel free to share your insight on this via social media or perhaps your own blog - post whatever it is you believe may be missing from this list - I may have overlooked some key contributors to the anti-vapor establishment in the U.S. or even global players I don’t even know of.

Feel free to suggest some other groups who may be involved. Tell us if you agree or disagree. Which ones do you agree with? Education is the best tool in this war on truth! Also, if you wish to contact me directly, please do so at whorethevapersfilm@gmail.com

INTRODUCING #VAPETITHING

Can an Age-Old Concept Save our Modern Industry?

BY TONY OTTOMANELLI II

Fig Ramsey is a name synonymous with “Vape Advocacy” in America. When Ramsey became a vaper after decades of smoking, like many other passionate vapers, he took the initiative by becoming an industry professional. Fig is the owner of AdvoCotton, GonzoVapors eliquids and SkyVapeShop located in Oceanside, California.

Fig is also responsible for successfully bringing together 21 out of the 37 total state advocacy organisations to join his #GonzoGives affiliate program.

GonzoGives promotes Ramsey’s VapeTithing approach. Essentially, this idea is modelled after an age-old concept, known as “tithing” which basically just means “to give 10%.” Ramsey incorporates this funding system to each transaction made at his shop (both online and bricks ’n’ mortar) and the consumer gets to decide which advocacy group to donate the funds from the 10%. Plus, Ramsey has pledged to match that 10% and ultimately sends a total of 20% to whichever advocacy organisation is chosen. The fact that the “VapeTithing” funding approach is promoted by Fig Ramsey’s GonzoGives program is extremely crucial to consider.

From this, more state groups are likely to join, since all 21 groups who are members of #GonzoGives were the recipients awarded with the donations from the “VapesGiving Manufacturers Challenge.” This was an online Fundraiser Event organised by Fig Ramsey, Sponsored by Naked 100 eliquid and Hosted by the American Vaping Association. In one week, the event raised nearly $400,000. Never has a fundraising event in the U.S. boasted such results.

The age-old “Tithing” approach applied to this contemporary industry, reveals a quick-fix for the U.S. Vape Industry. Fig says: “If every business is able to kickback a small percentage to their state advocacy group, then every state can generate 5-10 million dollars.”

Think about that. It means if only 25 states raised a minimum of $5 million for advocacy groups. Then, that will guarantee $125 million in funding to combat anti-vapor agendas relentlessly proposed as legislation.

Ramsey says: “Advocacy organisations defending our industry do us a great service. However, the community needs to come to terms with the fact that before the end of 2018, we could possibly witness the disappearance of 50-75% of Vape Shops.” Fig explains: “It’s time to communicate more effectively with the big money players of our industry, namely the manufacturers and the distributors. We need them to contribute financially in order to fund our state advocacy groups.”

Ramsey makes a valid point because far too often, we end up seeing a lot of the pressure to fund advocacy efforts fall on the shoulders of small businesses, particularly Local Vape Shops. Essentially draining these establishments that Fig calls “the heart and soul of the industry” will eventually reach a point where no more capital is available to donate to advocacy or operate as vape shops.

Therefore, the strategy of #VapeTithing is undeniably the answer for the U.S. vape industry. Ramsey states: “Once we can get manufacturers and Distributors on board, understanding just how serious of a reality this is...then, state advocacy groups, must prioritise and stress more urgency to all consumers. VapeTithing essentially brings all these factors together to function as one major element” State and local anti-vape legislation is a major problem. “If we do not begin to ensure each advocacy group has a skilled lobbyist, who they’re able to compensate, then we are screwed!” Fig stresses how we should all be encouraging one another by coming together, spanning all sectors of the industry, from advocate to consumer, from retailer to distributor, from manufacturer to supplier — only then will we see our true potential.”

Ramsey illustrates: “When the shops we love begin to disappear

quicker than any of us could imagine, then what? We need to be prepared, we will need an advocating approach that is focused on local support. The ability to unify allows us to support all the other states struggling too. VapeTithing can produce the results we’re all seeking.” All things considered, as a vaper and advocate who has been reflecting on resolution for years, the potential of VapeTithing can reignite a sense of hope and enthusiasm

throughout the vape community at a level since before the FDA regulations were made official. VapeTithing must become an industry standard that is widely-accepted, fully-embraced and effectively applied by all vaping participants.

Visit www.gonzogives.com if you wish to learn more or feel free to reach out to me directly at contact@tonyottomanelli.com if you have any questions.

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, AS A VAPER AND ADVOCATE WHO HAS BEEN REFLECTING ON RESOLUTION FOR YEARS, THE POTENTIAL OF VAPETITHING CAN REIGNITE A SENSE OF HOPE AND ENTHUSIASM THROUGHOUT THE VAPE COMMUNITY AT A LEVEL SINCE BEFORE THE FDA REGULATIONS WERE MADE OFFICIAL.

All Photos courtesy of Fig Ramsey from Gonzo Vapors

#GonzoGives

Program Influenced by Ramsey’s System of #VapeTithing

TO

ADVOCATE IS TO EDUCATE

Some People Still Struggle to Define the word ‘Vaping’

BY TONY OTTOMANELLI II

When people ask me who I write for, whenever I mention the word “vape” or “vaping,” they often glare at me with a blank stare which is followed by a series of questions suggesting I just spoke to them in a foreign dialect. While the phenomenon of the “vape-clueless” is prevalent in the U.S., I’m assuming it is much less commoWn in the U.K. — after all, the United Kingdom is seen as the global capital for supporting vapers. Then again, we all know vape haters are ubiquitous, so hopefully nothing threatens our vape-friendly safe-haven while we witness the rest of the world continue to demonise a solution to the smoking epidemic.

Nowadays, we are more connected online than we are in the physical world of actual life. What remains as probably the best outlet and opportunity for one-on-one social interaction is the barbershop or beauty salon.

Everyone can most likely relate to the concept of small talk during a visit to a barbershop or hair salon, especially when it is your first trip with a new barber or hair stylist where we are all routinely asked about what our occupations or plans for the weekend. While recently getting my haircut I was asked what I did for a living but this is such an exhausting question to answer because the majority of the general public in America have no idea what

the word vaping even means. When I say I am a vaping journalist people often reply “What is that?” I then go on to explain what this profession entails: researching, networking, interviewing, reviewing products and a lot of advocating for harm reduction from tobacco abuse.

After explaining my passion for the efficiency, realness and the truth of these vapor products, every person who never understands that e-cigs and vaping are products of the same harm reduction tool, always replies, “once there is more research done on those things, people will figure out they’re probably just as bad as cigarettes?”

At this time during the discussion, I typically reply by stating, “Remember when I said I smoked for 15 years and dipped tobacco for 10 years but as soon as I began vaping, I quit all those dangerous products and now I’m very much a loyal vaping advocate, embracing the vapor movement?”

Not to mention, at this same moment, this is when you reach for your secret weapon: a series of facts that provide evidence to how “vaping is safer.” Most vapers tend to keep their “vaping is safer” arsenal stocked with up-to-date research studies in order to support fellow vapers when our lifestyles are questioned.

The first and most important statement to make is about the Royal College of Physicians research study that provided

scientific assessments that vape products were 95% less risky than smoking. That’s amazing odds — 95%? Where else have we seen such a gigantic leap in reducing harm? Nowhere, except vaping.

Then of course, I usually tell those who assume vaping will eventually be found to be just as bad as smoking, that The Royal College of Physicians was the same prestigious institution that warned America of the carcinogenic components found in cigarettes and us Americans naturally ignored their groundbreaking message. Why? I’m assuming it is because unless America is the place responsible for producing such information then it will never see the light of day — why? Because we are socially trained like pets to be suspicious of anything foreign and it is without a doubt, a sad reality.

All things considered, I ended up explaining my position about vaping the entire time to the woman who was cutting my hair. She appeared intrigued, asking more questions, responding with convincingly astonished expressions, shaking her head and cutting my hair at a deliberately slow pace since she was intensely listening. After my haircut, I thanked her for the service and she immediately thanked me. She even said, “I’m so glad I learned the truth.”

“You and me both,” I thought.

By no means am I suggesting that my own personalised form of expressing socially verbal communication is the only persuasive voice able to legitimise vaping. There are countless influential minds and voices assisting this industry on so many levels. However, this hair stylist could have just as easily been trying to get a good financially rewarding tip and she most certainly did. Then again, most people do compensate others who tend to share in like-minded beliefs such as facts.

Perhaps, I was the one suckered into forking out more cash, essentially charging me for regurgitating my never-ending vape advocacy narrative agenda. Whatever the case, after studying Sociology for nearly ten years at the Graduate Level of Academia, I’d hope I’m at least far more capable of reading human behaviour than others may assume.

Too bad I encounter at least 5-10 people daily who do not understand the significance of vapour products. Only through advocating in favour of vapour can this lack of awareness actually disappear. Believe it or not, this scenario was undoubtedly a form of advocating— it’s that easy to advocate! Simply be an influentially positive representative on behalf of vapers everywhere.

To advocate is to educate...

NEXT GENERATION NICOTINE DELIVERY USA 2018

APRIL 24TH & 25TH 2018, ATLANTA, USA

Understanding the changing landscape to ensure increasing domestic sales and access to international markets

Continuing from our ongoing global Next Generation Nicotine Delivery series we are delighted to visit Atlanta this April!

Next Generation Nicotine Delivery USA will bring together over 150 strategic leaders from across the nicotine products category, along with solution providers for 2 days of insight, discussion and debate.

Next Generation Nicotine Delivery USA conference will provide manufacturers with an opportunity to explore international business opportunities, gateways to compliance and provide an understanding for the international sector on how to enter the lucrative North American markets.

The 2018 event will spotlight: n Understand and adhere to US FDA’s PMTA regulations n Explore international sales opportunities and adhere to local regulation within these regions n Introduce consumer trends from local and international markets to increase sales at home and abroad Agenda Highlights:

Saadiq Daya, CEO, VanGo Vapes

BY PAUL CAPLIN

So this was to be my third visit to North Carolina in the past couple of years, and to be honest I didn’t really know what to expect.

I have had a couple of strange, to say the least, experiences the past couple of times coming to this State, one of them involving mass riots in Charlotte between armed police and angry mobs. We arrived the day before the show, and as usual, UPS had man aged to loose our shipments, and as we were aware that we had a booth and very little to put on it in the way of magazines and branding, embarked on an Apprentice-style mission to not only find a printers who could make us some banners for our booth within two hours, but to find someone back at home to design them at 8pm on a Friday night due to the five hour time difference. Somehow we pulled this impossible mission off and managed to find an accommodating printers, as well as a designer who could get us our desired artwork in time to have it printed. It seemed that the curse of North Carolina may be finally lifting. The morning of the show came round, and we headed off to what we thought was going to be a small, intimate local vape expo, much like the one we experienced two years ago. However when we arrived at the venue, the NC State Fair Exposition Center in Raleigh, we found an open air arena consisting of a sort of market / boot sale, along with various exhibition halls dotted around the grounds. We were greeted by one of the organisers and invited into the expo and then shown to our booth. To my surprise, the show actually looked quite large, with some great booths, and

many, many vendors. There must have been over 100 vendors exhibiting, and there seemed to be a buzz about this show, some thing that has seriously been lacking from many American shows in the past year. There was a host of new faces, companies that we had never met before, as well as some of the old guard. This was a fantastic sign that the decline that we have seen over the past year in the States due to the FDA scares were finally on the about turn.

Day one had a great business to business turnout, then as the day went on, the consumers flooded in. It was impressive to see so many people attend what I thought would be a small local show, especially as so many USA shows have had poor turn outs from both consumers and B2B alike. The show seemed to be well organised and everyone seemed to be happy. Talking to a few of the vendors, they told me that they were doing good business at the show and there also seemed to be a very happy carnival-type vibe at the expo, which was really nice to see. There were stilt walkers, jugglers and exhibitionists walking around taking photos with consumers and the whole atmosphere seemed to be happy and vendors, consumers and businesses alike all seemed to en joy what I would refer to as a celebration of vaping. I would totally recommend to anyone to attend this show next year, and look forward to going back to NC for another vape-related trip.

NORTH CAROLINA VAPERS CARNIVALE - NOVEMBER 18-19, 2017

#VAPORFAIR

www.vaporfair.com

„Business… driven by steam“

Take this opportunity. With more than 22.000 visitors and 200 exhibiting companies the VaporFair belongs to the most important Euro pean and international exhibitions, which is specialized in vapors, electronic cigarettes, liquids and related products. This expo provi des an unique opportunity for industry specia lists, manufacturers, and distributors to showcase new products, innovative technolo

gies, establish business contacts, and broaden their market share. This event provides a mee ting point for industrial players from all over the world and is therefore wellsuited for estab lishing and cultivating contacts and/or search for direct customer proximity. You can get information about recent developments, monitor the competition, or discover all the innovations.

The VaporFair offers a wealth of opportunities for you.

BY PATRICK GRIFFIN

A very stern looking checkout operator looked at the vodka, added disapproval to her facial expression and wagged a finger at me as she placed the offending bottle out of sight under the till. (I later learned that I had missed the 10pm cut off point for spirits sales.) The other thing which surprised me was that the weather was relatively mild, just a couple of degrees below freezing on arrival but no bitingly chilly winds that I had been led to expect. It was positively t-shirt and light jacket weather for the duration of the trip. I was also expecting long queues at the airport and an inefficient arrivals process but nothing could have been further from the truth. Clearing immigration, baggage reclaim and customs was all done within minutes and we were soon in a taxi for the 90 minute journey to the hotel.

We bumped into our friends Mo and Imran from The Doozy Vape Co in the hotel lobby and soon saw a couple of other friendly faces so we had clearly chosen a hotel which was convenient for the expo.

As we set out in search of food later that evening both I and colleague Dave Turner were careful not to trip on the icy pavements and roads. While our ultra slow walking pace kept us from falling flat on our backs, it was a little embarrassing to see little old ladies overtaking us with carefree abandon.

The expo itself turned out to be in a wonderful snow-covered forest and this was about as perfect a winter setting as one could hope to see. It was held over three days and followed the conventional format for these events; a business day on day one, followed by two days which were open to the public. Full marks for organisers

This was my first visit to Moscow and the last thing I expected was to have a bottle of Russian vodka confiscated from me at the checkout of the supermarket opposite my hotel.

Smile Expo for making the first day virtually music free so that you could easily hear people you were trying to talk to. Other expo organisers could do with following this example.

While the format of the expo was conventional, it was certainly not just another generic expo by any stretch of the imagination.

There were at least half a dozen vape models wearing virtually nothing but body paint and they certainly turned heads during the three days.

I swear I heard at least one English accent utter the word “Phwarr!” as they saw these girls waking past - like a character from the old Viz! comic come to life.

Another odd thing was the vape company which employed two guys to walk around the show made up as zombies while pulling a wheeled bath tub with a zombie girl inside it. As often as I saw this - and I saw it quite a lot over three days - the zombies never failed to make me smile.

The language barrier was the hardest thing to overcome but this just made for a more interesting experience and it did not detract from my enjoyment of the show at all.

The highlight of the show for me was being asked to be one of the judges for the show’s vaper awards which took place live on the main stage towards the end of the second day. I had been due to judge the awards with my Vapouround colleague Dave but due to an unfortunate bout of food poisoning he could only watch from the sidelines.

Huge thanks must go to Mo from Doozy who stepped in at the last minute and judged with me. We had a great time on stage and were really impressed with the quality of the juices, hardware and branding we were asked to judge.

I think Moscow has become one of my favourite international shows - it really ticked all the boxes for me and I would not hesitate at coming back for a return visit.

VAPEXPO MOSCOW THE AWARDS WINNERS - DECEMBER 2017 -

This three day event allowed 7,000 guests to attend the stands of 110 device and e-liquid manufacturers, to participate in vaping contests and to compete for the main prize: 200,000 RUB!

It was the 18th exhibition for organisers Smile-Expo, and its major feature was the division into B2B and B2C formats for the first time. The first B2B day included efficient networking, while B2C days provided a relaxed atmosphere for communication involving the vaping community.

“We wanted our guests to feel comfortable at the

exhibition. Therefore, we organised several lounge zones across the pavilion,” the organisers stressed.

A new feature of the event was the Mech Mods Alley, allowing vaping device lovers to examine novelties as well as to buy exclusive or popular mech mods.

Traditionally, there was an awards ceremony of the best vape industry players and Vapouround Magazine was delighted to be asked to be the judges once again.

The standard of the entries were very high indeed and the winners across 12 categories were as follows:

Best Mod: Crassus mod by Svarog Mods

Best Design E-liquid Bottle Design: Taboo by Taboo

Best Dessert E-liquid: Dinner Lady Strawberry Custard by Vapeliga

Best Drink E-liquid: Vape Menta by La Liga

Best Tobacco E-liquid: Three flavors by Vape Sfera

Best Original Taste E-liquid: Trix World by Smoke Kitchen

Best Fruit E-liquid: Ice Paradise – Black & Red by Uncle Vova Presents.

In addition, the following winners were chosen by online voting and voting from attendees at the expo:

Best YouTube Channel: Korobka

Best Stand: Vapeliga

Best Blog: ParNyxa

Best Shop: Vape Shop Parobar

Best Online Shop: redvape.ru.

At the final vaping exhibition of 2017, VAPEXPO Moscow, thousands of vapers experienced hundreds of e-juice flavors and devices, got acquainted with new contacts, met established contacts, took part in contests and enjoyed give aways. It was a great event.

WHEN WILL THIS HAPPEN AGAIN?

The next VAPEXPO Moscow will take place on June 15-16, 2018! See you then!

ROTHERHAM TOUR | 24TH NOVEMBER 2017

Some would say that you’d be mad to head north at the tail end of November when the country is in the grip of a cold snap. It certainly felt that way as we wound the Vapouround bus through the freezing cold streets of Rotherham. But we had a job to do. Come rain, shine or bone-rattling cold, the Vapouround bus is out and about meeting vapers and helping smokers quit for good, not to mention bringing them in from the cold. Why smoke outside when you can vape in the warm instead? Oh, did I mention that it was cold?

Given that it was Black Friday, we anticipated that it would be busy and we weren’t wrong. We must have met upwards of 100 smokers and committed vapers over the course of the day. But our first customer fell into another group that’s rarely discussed – the smoker who’d tried to make the switch but for whatever reason hadn’t been converted.

“I tried it but it’s not quite the same. I wanted something that actually tastes like tobacco but I couldn’t find anything quite right,” she said.

Fortunately my colleague Reuben knew just the thing, so I jotted down the name of his recommended e-liquid and the customer sped off to a nearby shop to try it for herself.

Demand for goody bags was off the charts - I had to replenish them every half hour or so. The inflatable flamingo mod-holder proved to be a bigger hit than the juices with one customer, who

popped it on his head, donned the blue plastic sunglasses and proudly posed for photos.

As we moved into the afternoon, more and more people came by to enquire about CBD e-liquid, presumably in response to a recent ITV programme on the subject. It was the perfect opportunity to encourage them to pick up the December issue of the magazine that included a feature on the subject. Always on-brand, me.

Also on-brand and on-message was Reuben, who responded to an enquirer’s rant about the tax increase on tobacco with the statistic that vaping is getting cheaper every year. Perhaps these two facts explain why the locals were so keen to find out more and try the various liquids in the vape box.

Later in the afternoon, hardened vaper Darren came to see what we were up to, having recognised the bus from October’s Vaper Expo UK. He was happy to share his story with some fellow vapers.

“A mate of mine recommended vaping. He’d cut down from 20-a-day to two – one in the morning and one just before bed. I thought I’d try it. But unlike him, I didn’t need fags at all. Since then, my health’s improved and I just feel better in myself.”

This was a really enjoyable day out. The people of Rotherham were almost exclusively pro-vaping and it was great meeting so many people. We shall definitely make a note to come back here.

We’re always happy to answer any questions and if you want to know more about getting the Vapouround Bus to your store or event then contact either David Turner or Jorgie Shaw on 01332 895953. Alternatively, they can be reached by email: dave@vapouround.co.uk jorgie@vapouround.co.uk

CANNOCK TOWN CENTRE TOUR | 1ST DECEMBER 2017

The first day of December saw us back in the West Midlands, something of a second home for the bus of late, having touched down in Lichfield a few weeks before and welcoming thousands of vapers at the Vaper Expo UK at the end of October.

With a light frost carpeting the ground, we set up shop beside the busy market square with our vape box fully stocked with juices and plenty of goody bags ready to hand out.

We were all set for a busy day and the first of many visitors to introduce himself to us was Daniel, a 19-year-old who said he had already been smoking for many years and would still be doing so if it had not been for vaping.

He said a friend had recently introduced him to vaping and since then he had not touched another cigarette.

“I actually started smoking when I was still at school – not all the time but older kids who did it would sometimes let me have a drag on their fags. But now that’s all behind me. I already feel a lot healthier.

“ I consider it a lucky escape for me so I am really pleased that there is something like the Vapouround bus which goes around the country to show smokers - especially young smokers - that

there is an alternative they can use instead.”

Word of our presence spread fast as business ramped up noticeably over the next hour. As is often the case, visitors were especially impressed by vapes in the Vape Box and we had to turn down numerous offers from people wanting to buy them throughout the day.

Leslie was one of a few locals to pop by multiple times during the afternoon. He’d gone from smoking 40 cigarettes a day to just a few here and there. He was confident that he’d quit for good by early 2018.

“I’m still in that transition period and haven’t managed to completely switch just yet. But it will happen,” he said confidently.

A little later on, I found myself caught up in a theological discussion with a Jehovah’s Witness. A small queue began to form beside the Vape Box, providing me with the perfect excuse to cut the conversation short. Dr Salt and Lik Juice were proving to be especially popular with the vapers –as was our own Toffaccino e-liquid, which seems to sell itself on smell alone.

“Ooh, that is nice,” Jan, a former 20-a-day smoker said, before grabbing a copy of the magazine, a goody bag and presumably heading home to make an order on our website.

And so we packed down for the day, stopping occasionally to chat with passing vapers. Once everything else was packed away in the bus we unplugged the music and headed home.

We’re always happy to answer any questions and if you want to know more about getting the Vapouround Bus to your store or event then contact either David Turner or Jorgie Shaw on 01332 895953.

Alternatively, they can be reached by email: dave@vapouround.co.uk jorgie@vapouround.co.uk

For God, Country and Vape; clearly the tagline says it all. Souljar is a proudly Malaysian made E-juice manufacturer that has been around since 2012 but recently in 2017 they made their rst breakthrough by going international.

Let’s talk about the background of Souljar. The company is founded in 2012 by a group of young talented entrepreneurs and Souljar is not only one of the biggest vape brand in Malaysia but also their members own a well known beverage company called Hausboom. A sparkling real juice that started from local to international and just like Hausboom, Souljar is also a growing brand. Souljar has successfully, believe it or not, sold 2 million bottles in just mere 6 months in the UK, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Souljar is not your day to day ordinary vape brand, before starting the company they did a total of 5 years of research, meticulously and thoroughly before producing their brand. Making sure they’re able to produce a taste that is not only tasteful but also impactful that will surely stick in your taste buds which makes them more than your ordinary vape brand.

Their rst aim was Europe, pretty big target for a small brand but nonetheless they were able to made their mark during their soft launch at NEC, Birmingham at the Vaper Expo U.K on 27th till 29th October 2017. During those 3 days event Souljar got nothing but only positive feedbacks on ALL of their avours.

Box" Launch Party in Southampton as an o cial introduction in the UK market while launching their special Holiday Series edition for Christmas.

Over 300 people attended the launch party, from friends and family to business man and wholesalers. There was dinner, music by a dj, performance by vape artists and avor taste station of Souljar's 8 premium avors and their newest edition of the Christmas avors.

VAPOUROUND REVIEWS

HARDWARE

Please note: All hardware and e-liquids are reviewed by external reviewers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Vapouround Magazine. All e-liquids are reviewed at a 3mg nicotine level. Mod reviews are rated on specific scales depending on the style of the products recieved.

On first sight this tank looks like any other top-fill, big baby from Smok which is one of the most widely used tanks on the market from the TFV8 range. This kit comes in a variety of colours but the product I am testing is the ever popular 7-colour device.

The TFV8 big baby light addition comes with a wide bore drip tip, perfect for pulling huge clouds but ideally comes with an additional 510 drip tip adapter making other tips suitable.

The kit itself includes three hyper engine coils that have quite a limited wattage range suitability but that doesn’t stop the great flavour production or cloud production.

As I tested all three coils the T8 coil was significantly better at both a low wattage and at its higher reach of 110w. Using the coils at the higher suitable wattage range significantly reduces coil lifespan but, in my opinion, it is really worth the extra great flavour.

The capacity of the tank is a modest 5ml but this does make the tank non TPD compliant. With a big capacity in mind the size of the tank is quite small and built with a good quality stainless steel which gives good durability. The tank literally comes with everything you need in spares too.

Down to the vaping… so the tank has my personal preference of a lower airflow which really assists the pull and flavour production. Here’s where it gets interesting, when the fire button is pressed the tank illuminates from the bottom. It has 12 LED lights built into the base and at first I though red was the only light option but I was so wrong. The package comes with six varieties of interchangeable seals that change the colour. The tank is very gimmicky and the only difference is that it lights up but that just makes everything feel better. It takes customisation to a new level.

Overall I thought that the extra lights would increase battery drain but it actually only has a negligible effect on battery use while providing a lot of extra pizzazz!

All in all, this is a great tank. Really cool.

WHEN THE MAG MEETS THE PRINCE!

On first look the mag kit is very intriguing. I am reviewing a metallic red device but it also comes in a variety other cool colours. The whole concept of the device is cool with great in-hand comfort due to its curves and trigger-like fire button.

The device has a 510 adapter, two function buttons below a large HD screen, a trigger fire button and a mysterious silver button too. Now this is where it gets unbelievably fun because when the silver button is pressed the mod releases a magazine clip like a real gun. The mag clip is a well built plastic battery holder that takes two 18650 batteries. I am really impressed with the coolness of this kit.

The screen functionality works on a three press basis which gets you into the menu system, and it is five presses for power lock. In the menu you press once to cycle through to specific settings or press and hold to enter individual settings sub menu. The first menu is a simple build up of output modes universal to both wattage modes and temperature modes with material specifics. Optional are puff settings and other customisable options for the screen. The off function is also found in the on screen menu.

Smok have really hit the nail on the head with the screen layout which is clean and simple but which provides all the vital information that any user would need.

One problem with the kit is, although it is comfortable in the hand, it isn’t very ergonomic as the screen is on the right face of the device. This means if you are right handed you are going to have the screen in your palm. I feel if the screen was on the roof of the mod like the T-PRIV it would be more efficient.

Not only does the power bank look cool, the tank included is the new TFV12 prince tank that is very sought after. See VM14 for the extended review on this tank.

When both the Prince tank and the Mag mod are paired the outcome is phenomenal. The output of the mod is 225 max wattage, so there is plenty to play with. The coils provided with the Prince tank keep you limited to around 120w. With the T10 coil 100w is enough power for a full flavour, huge cloud experience. It is just a perfect match. Hard mode in the VW settings really gives instant flavour but this comes at the cost of an early demise for the coils.

The vaping experience is glitch free, smooth and just screams power without draining the batteries too quickly. If you sub ohm vape you will find it very hard to find a kit that delivers such a great experience. The only problem is that it pretty much singles out the left handers which makes up about 10% of us and this is a real pity.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK...

I have here a Rev GTS mod. The device has a solid build, comprising a solid plastic frame with a metal trim and a magnetic battery case. The GTS has a great size and rounded corners for supreme in-hand comfort. The position of the fire button makes the mod efficient and ergonomic. The mod is also deep enough to house a variety of tank sizes, which is a bonus.

The outer design has a sports car appeal with a car pedal fire button and three menu buttons. The device takes two 18650 batteries and which sit in a snug-fit plastic battery housing. The look of the outer shell as a whole is clean and sporty.

When the screen is on the GTS has a HD screen with a cool variety of car dashboard themed layouts. The display is fresh and totally unique, featuring an innovative revometer style wattage and puff timer interface. This mod has so many fine details that rightfully earn the name Rev. This mod is most certainly a car enthusiast’s dream.

The interface is very straightforward with a listed menu. This menu is stacked with customisable options for the display and device settings such as display modes and time settings. The device also has a factory reset feature if you get in a pickle. The GTS output settings are VT modes (SS, Ti1, Ni200), which all have degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius option; there is also TCR memory mode for stocking up custom modes, and finally the trusty power/wattage mode. It also features a bypass mode and a handy customisable preheat mode which can help prevent dry burn.

The GTS is run on a Venom v1.1 chipset, which I hadn’t come across until now. It is a very responsive chipset that has an excellent reading. After using the mod extensively I could tell that it is one of the most reliable mods I have ever used. It is capable of firmware upgrades, which is nice in this ever-changing market. The chip can also support customised modes.

Overall, the vape production from a variety of tanks that I paired with this mod is excellent and the pull is uninterrupted. It gives you that glitch-free experience that we all want. It’s a simple device that is easy to understand and navigate. If you can, I advise you give one of these a go, you won’t regret it.

THE MOST COMPACT SWAG YOU WILL FLAUNT

The swag kit is a combination of the Swag mod and a NRG SE mini tank.

The compact mod takes a single 18650 battery into the top of the device with a metallic screw cap housing. It is made of a stainless steel and heavy duty IML plastic. The Swag has a small fire button with a nice press, a mode button at the base and a slender OLED screen all on the main face. The up/down buttons are on the left side and a micro USB on the right.

The overall look of the kit is very smart and compact, perfect for any occasion and is especially travel friendly.

The max wattage provided by the mod is 80w which is increased and decreased in 0.1 increments and then at a faster 1 increment when held past 1 point. The screen display is condensed and only displays vital information that is mode specific. The mode is changed by the function button below the screen. This is cycled by a press and hold, then further accessed into the sub menu specifics by system set.

I was very surprised with the smoothness of power that is outputted by the Swag mod. This is then received with perfection by the NRG SE mini tank which produces perfect flavour even at its medium 0.5 wattage resistance.

The NRG SE mini tank has a small 2ml capacity, bottom airflow channels and a swivel cap that exposes the fill hole. The tank is very small but that is ideal for keeping design compact.

The kit is capable of a low wattage mouth to lung vaping experience that works well with nic salts and other high PG liquids but it is also very efficient at creating a big cloud and smooth hit when sub-ohm vaping.

Overall the kit is sturdy and efficient, capable of an unmatchable vaping experience. The device isn’t very versatile when swapping to other tanks as the base that it would sit is only 25mm wide meaning a RDA bed would have to match this or be smaller.

This device will definitely go into my collection. It is very user friendly and travel friendly, perfect for a daily commute.

MINI KIT

This feisty little kit is as surprising as it is smart. At first glance the device looks just like the appealing Vapouresso Revenger mod but it’s a much lighter and compact version.

The mod has a very similar aesthetic to its cousin but this little guy doesn’t take batteries. It is packing a massive 2500mAh internal battery which gives the Revenger Mini a capable output of 85w. Another additional feature of this mod is its extravagant LED star pattern on the reverse of the device (this comes in a variety of designs.) The kit is ergonomic and comfortable in the hand and the fire button presses nicely too.

The OLED screen is bright with a nice layout that is clean and straightforward, making it perfect for even a beginner vaper. The mod is run by the new OMNI board 2.2 chipset which makes the interface very responsive. The menu system within the device is exceptionally easy to use and is accessed by holding the mode button above the +/- buttons. The interface firstly brings up all power modes such as VW, curve modes and temperature modes, all with sub categories and specifications. The menu also includes a system set option which holds all of the display, customisation and count settings.

I am actually really surprised how straightforward this device is, it’s amazing. Having such a user-friendly device, backed with a powerful battery, gives this mod an upper hand hand in the current market. The battery also charges very swiftly and allows usage whilst plugged in.

Paired with the NRG SE mini tank, the vaping experience is excellent on flavour. The power output isn’t limited by the tank as the coils reach a maximum of 70w so you can really test the strength of this pair. I wouldn’t advise hard mode with the NRG SE tank though as the coil wears rapidly. The best option with this mod is using CCW mode to create a nice custom wattage curve as you can really extend the coil life and flavour production.

Overall the usability is second to none. The build quality is professional with a smart, sleek finish. When vaping on this device you forget that it is a built in battery device with limited power because the flavour and vapour production is that good.

The Punk 220 is another steam punk style mod from Tesla. The mod is made of copper and feels very weighty in-hand. One of the nice things about this mod is it feels well built, a solid construct. The sides have a clear plastic covering allowing the internal cog style designs to be visible. The internals also feature a LED light display that has a variety of modes. The front of the device has a medium screen size with the light option button and +/- buttons beneath. The fire button is large and has a nice firm press which just adds to the build quality. The final visual aspect is the battery door which is a slide and magnetise cover that sits flush and firm with the shape. The problem with the battery housing is wrapped batteries get stuck.

The device has multiple material modes and a featured TCR mode. The variable wattage mode increases and decreases in 0.5 increments. The menu of this mod is accessed by a three press system and this allows you to cycle through the on screen options which lead to sub menus.

The power modes on this device are especially good for a variety of tanks. I personally use a high wattage range sub ohm tank with this and it reacts perfectly with the hard setting which fires up immediately but may reduce the lifespan of the chosen coils. For the mouth to lung tanks the soft mode is also perfect as it gives a delay and steady heat up to a higher resistance coil. The Punk 220 also features a user mode that allows the wave bands to be customised which is perfect for the custom builds, making this device really universal.

Overall the device holds the battery well and has a selection of modes that are suitable for all users. The power output is glitch free and makes for a perfect vaping experience. The one issue I had with this device is there is no off switch, although with five presses it locks and will eventually go into a standby mode.

The build of this mod is outstanding and Tesla have cut no corners on this front. With great looks and easy, step-by-step usability, this mod is perfect for all users providing a suitable tank is found. Great job Tesla!

REVIEWS

EDITORS SET-UP RECOMMENDATION

DOTMOD – PITRI SUBOHM TANK

The Pitri tank is clearly a flagship product from Dotmod. On first look this device is a beautiful piece of art, the chassis is coated in a classy 24k gold and comes with a selection of beautiful tips to complement this.

The Pitri tank holds SS 316L coils which are compatible with many other tank models, making replacements easy to find. The tank has a modest 1.9ml capacity and its base features dual airflow slots. The additional surface area of the tank paired with additional knurling makes this tank very ergonomic and easy to disassemble.

What I particularly like about the Pitri is the top fill design. The cap is easy to remove and the internal cavity is fully open, leaving the coils internals exposed, perfect for priming. The tank design really focuses on the user experience that the Pitri will provide. The structure has a PEEK thermal insulation gasket that sits inside the cap that helps thermal distribution and prevents unwanted cross threading.

When vaping on the Pitri the cloud production from open slots is commendable. When the slots are closed the flavour production seems to heighten giving the most from any juice used. The impeccable design, matched with high quality materials, really takes this tank into territories of excellence.

DOTMOD – DOTBOX 75W

The Dotbox has a very sturdy chassis made from anodised aluminium so that it prevents (in my case) its beautiful royal blue decoration being damaged. If that isn’t enough protection this encases a plastic internal battery housing that makes the mod impact resistant too.

The device takes a single 18650 battery and the case has a magnetic battery door. The general look of the Dotbox is simple and classy donning just three buttons, a bright LCD screen, micro USB port and a 510 pin; but when you look closer, the intricate details are made of 24k gold plating and the fire button holds the gold insignia pattern of Dotmod. It is attention to detail like this which underpins the fact that this is a really good device indeed and the visual design is in keeping with the look of previous Dotmod devices.

The mod has a variety of basic functions such as power mode, bypass mode and a range of materialspecific temperature modes making it a very versatile device. It is both ergonomic and responsive and the built-in microprocessor is very fast. This device also provides additional benefits such as fast charging and a responsive interface that gives the vaping experience an assured quality.

The device may not seem appealing to some, due to its max wattage of 75w but for those who require more power it also has a 200w big brother.

PAIRED - DOTBOX 75W & PITRI SUB OHM TANK

Together these two excellent devices create an unmatchable experience for such a low wattage. At 40w the power experienced is exceptional and produces a nice thick cloud that is saturated with intense flavour.

With this set up you will get the most from your e-liquids in terms or longevity and flavour profile. The extreme in-hand comfort and compact size makes this setup a reliable and versatile kit that you can take anywhere and which will certainly turn heads wherever you go.

I personally recommend both of these devices, they are a must have for any collection.

Johnnie Lovell to front our new YouTube juice review and vaping videos

It was just another day at the office until just one question from my boss changed all that. On the face of it, this was a really innocuous question: “Would you like to interview Johnnie Lovell?” ‘Johnnie,’ I thought. ‘Johnnie...’ “Oh, the guy from Vaper Expo? Yeah, sure.”

It turns out that interviewing Johnnie is something of a rite of passage at Vapouround. It also turns out that Johnnie Lovell is more than just 'the guy from Vaper Expo’ who bounds around the stage like an excitable puppy, pumping up the crowd and dishing out goodies. This year, Johnnie will co-host the Vapouround Awards for a third time. And now he's been signed up for a new role - fronting our YouTube vaping videos.

Vaping YouTubers broadly fit into two categories: you have the casually-dressed, middle-aged man methodically reviewing liquids and mods from his living room. Then there’s the zany and intense archetypal vaper in a snapback, shelf after shelf of mods and e-liquids behind him, excitedly shouting at the camera.

Johnnie does not fit into either of these categories but he certainly has an

abundance of excitement, passion and humour. The videos will bring out his trademark humour and hyperactive intensity but also his attention to detail and visible passion for vaping. Anyone who has ever met him, or just spoken to him on the phone will know that he likes to laugh. However, as funny as he is, he also takes his job very seriously, and for Vapouround editor Paul Caplin, this was an opportunity too good to miss.

Paul said: “I watched one of the videos Johnnie did for BH Vape and I loved it straight away. He’s well-known and loved throughout the industry thanks to his work at Vaper Expo UK and the Vapouround Awards, but I was really impressed by how he came across on camera.”

Shortly after Paul saw the video in question, we linked to it on Facebook and Instagram and it soon became apparent that our followers found it as hilarious as Paul did. It’ll come as no surprise that Johnnie is as excited about his new role as we are.

"We started making videos just for the hell of it, figuring that we’d do it for a few months to see what happened. We wanted to offer something new – content that was as entertaining as it was informative.

I’m obviously very enthusiastic about vaping and how it can help people but, at the same time, I acknowledge that it can take itself a little too seriously sometimes. I sent Paul our most recent video and he totally ‘got it’. I’m really looking forward to working with Vapouround to help bring the magazine to life."

Stay tuned to our YouTube channel and social media feeds for more hilarious and informative videos from the friendly face of vaping himself, Mr Johnnie Lovell.

REVIEW BY REUBEN HODGKINS

JUICE REVIE W S

MASTER TAB

The initial scent this juice offers is similar to that of a tobacconist’s shop. The scent connotes a range of tobacco scents mixed into one, however this juice does lack the impression of a thick heavy tobacco flavour like many others. Moving forward to the vape experience, the inhale offers little in the way of specific flavours with the exception of a light tobacco similar to an authentic cigarette. On the exhale the flavour slightly thickens and changes from a light tobacco to a much stronger cigar oriented flavour. Alongside the cigar flavour is an extra hint of vanilla and cream making the overall impression of the cigar flavour more convincing. Postvape this juice surprisingly leaves little to no after taste, which in a tobacco flavour is actually very pleasant.

TOTAL RECOIL

DELIRIUM DRINK

The scent of this juice before vaping is comprised of one sole smell; blackberries. The inhale offers a simple profile, being predominantly a cool blackcurrant flavour. With little in the way of tells to how this juice will taste, you may be shocked to hear it is very similar to an alcoholic cocktail. The exhale is where this juice gets interesting. The cool blackcurrant takes a quick turn, turning into something more fizzy and full with a hint of lemon, comparable to lemonade mixed with blackcurrant cordial juice. Along with this is an extra flavour which is mixed so much it becomes hard to define it’s particular flavour but it really is an interesting cocktail of juices. Postvape there is little in the way of after taste with only a hint of blackcurrant remaining.

This well-formulated juice begins its of fering from the scent, delivering a smooth peanut butter smell with a hint of natural sweetener from a fruit. From the scent and the name of this juice it becomes clear what particular flavour you may get. Moving on to the inhale, from the get-go there is a smooth peanut butter flavour with an almost creamy texture, however at this point no jelly (or jam as the Brits would call it) is obvious. It is the exhale where the jelly flavour starts to kick in, slowly increasing in intensity the straw berry jelly flavour intertwines with the smooth peanut creating an impressively tasty juice. The after taste of this juice is almost non-existent with only the sweet ness remaining for a short time after.

This UK-produced e-liquid comes in a 3 x 10ml multi pack in nicotine strengths of 3mg, 6mg and 12mg. Upon opening the bottle, a nostalgic and fresh scent met my nose. Blackcurrant menthol was actually the first ever e-liquid flavour I tried. This time, however, I would be using an RDA setup rather than an ego/CE4 setup, and I would also be using a higher VG percentage e-liquid. I had an inkling that it was going to be so much better than before so I dripped some liquid on my cotton, in sheer anticipation. First came a subtly sweet yet juicy blackcurrant that made my mouth water. I didn’t think it tasted like authentic blackcurrants, however it did come across as candylike, I think this is what the juice manufacturers were after anyway. I enjoyed the deep sweetness to the blackcurrant, it carried well and was not too overpowering in terms of flavour. As I began to exhale a slightly minty menthol hit the back of my throat, allowing a wave of coolness to rush around my mouth. It certainly felt cold and would be an ideal vape for vapers who like the iciness found in this juice. However, the menthol, for me, was a tiny bit harsh, but that is because I am no longer used to vaping menthol flavoured e-liquids, that is not to say it will be harsh for everyone. Vaping on ‘Tuned-Up’ gave impressive clouds, as the PG/VG was 30/70. Overall, I found that this juice took me way back to when I started vaping, and that in itself was a rewarding experience. As a juice, it ticked all the boxes, just the right amount of menthol mixed with a copious yet not too potent sweet blackcurrant.

REVIEW BY PEACHES ATKINSON

JELLY NUT

CUSH MAN

Cush Man has a very strong aroma of freshly peeled mangos. The smell is so specific that I have high hopes for this juice. On the inhale a sweet note brushes over the tongue followed by a cool sensation that travels down the throat. The exhale sees the sweetness continue and a lovely mango taste fill the mouth and smother the taste buds. The flavour is more of a mango fruit smoothie which subdues the icy feeling and leaves a light cool sensation that lingers after vaping. A very good vape especially if mango is your thing.

REVIEW BY JAMES PARNELL

REVIEW BY JAMES PARNELL

GREEN APE

This juice has an apple scent but it seems to be more of a apple candy rather than a fruit. On the inhale the taste is light with a slight cooling. The cloud production is great on the exhale and the flavour peaks. It has a green apple overtone that is quite juicy but there is a slightly sour edge to it which really elevates the flavour. This juice passes from a fruit to a candy vape and then back again. It is quite bubble gum-like but totally not at the same time. A very good unique apple vape.

TRAP QUEEN

Trap Queen has a very light strawberry scent. It is closer to jelly more than a ripe strawberry. On the inhale the flavour of strawberry is light and sweet followed by a low minty coolness. On the exhale the flavour becomes more intense. I wouldn’t say it’s a fresh strawberry taste, more of a sugary strawberry lace flavour. It is pretty good but the aftertaste starts quite sweet but then develops a bitterness which just makes you want to vape more.

MONSOON

This juice has a sweet berry aroma. The inhale carries a sweetness that is followed by a slight roughness in the hit as expected with a higher nicotine level. The exhale initially brings a sweet cranberry and strawberry mix that then transcends to a much sweeter raspberry blend. The flavours are rich and sweet which all work well together. The vape finishes on a soft raspberry note that is like a kiss on the tongue which makes you want more. I like this juice as the flavour depth gives you a new taste experience every time you vape.

MORNING SUN

Morning Sun has a very soft aroma that is slightly fruity. The inhale brings a sweet taste on the tongue that has a milky edge. I think the juice has a lower VG ratio as the vapour production isn’t very thick and the flavour is quite powerful.On the exhale a sweet cream flavour dominates like the taste of condensed milk. The flavour contains a mixture similar to a mixed berry smoothie but is so light that it just adds a light sweetness. The closest thing it tastes like is cereal milk once the charms have oozed into it. This is a unique juice that’s pleasant to vape with a unique profile.

STORM

Storm is clearly a tobacco vape. It has a premium rich, cigar-like aroma with a sweet kick. The flavour instantly stings the tongue with a sugary spike. This then switches up and becomes quite earthy with a crisp tobacco taste. The balance of juicy fruits and tobacco is quite harmonious as it gives waves of sweetness then bitterness which is ongoing, it really gives the vape depth. The aftertaste sits in the middle of the flavours and is surprisingly moreish. If you like tobacco vapes then definitely try this vape, it will excite your taste-buds.

SPACE NINJA

This juice has a strong citrus fragrance that has a fizzy edge. It is an appealing scent that takes a lemonade infusion appeal. On the inhale a flavour of sour lime hits the taste buds in an instant. This is then accompanied by a very light cooling on the breath. The exhale pounds out huge clouds and carries a light fruity cola taste. The flavours both clash and mix in harmony creating cold cola drink with a dash of lime cordial. The flavour profile then picks up a berry taste that complements the cola and balances the juice’s sourness. The aftertaste of this e-liquid is short-lived but carries a true cola taste and by this point the light menthol has worn off. Overall the juice has a straightforward profile of cola and lime which then gets influenced by a mixed berry taste. Its is a nice vape but I personally couldn’t vape it for a whole day. If cola is your thing then this is one to try.

CRYPTO CYBORG

This juice has a very soft fruity energy drink scent that’s exceptionally intriguing and makes you feel rehydrated. On the inhale the flavour is immense and instant giving a freshly sweet and fruity note on the tongue. This is then complemented by a light mint that cools the throat down to the lungs. Instantly the cooling dwindles leaving a fizzy feeling in the mouth. On the exhale a ripe pomegranate flavour emerges and it is beautifully fresh. This then picks up a slight citrus tone that makes it taste like a lemonade. After a few pulls the juice gets a clearer taste of an energy drink that combines the best of the pomegranate and citrus notes and smashes them together making a wonderful cold fruit drink taste. Overall the juice is exceptional, it is an energy drink lover’s dream. The aftertaste leaves a cold fizzy sensation on the tongue with a trace of fruit so you can’t help but want more.

CYBER VIRUS

Cyber Virus comes with a very strong tropical aroma that flaunts various hints of exotic fruits. Mango is the most predominant scent of all and it is really fruity. On the inhale the juice carries a hint of tropical juice and has a cold minty sensation that carries the vape to the lungs. On the exhale the mango flavour takes the stage and it is ripe and juicy. This then blends with a pineapple and banana mix to improve the sweetness. Whilst the flavours battle each other a sweet tangerine note squeezes into the picture giving the vape a cool and soft finish. The flavours that are present in the aftertaste are the ripened mango and light, sweet tangerine and it makes you want more instantly. Overall the juice is a fantastic light menthol vape that carries a wide variety of fruity notes. It has the characteristics of a Caribbean soft drink and is definitely an all day vape. Give it a go you wont regret it!

LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE

The fragrance given from this juice is a sweet blast of lemon with a cakey afterthought. On the inhale a subtle sweet lemon taste brushes the tongue, easing in a smooth hit and due to the e-liquid’s high VG mix the cloud production is thick as expected. On the exhale the flavour really flourishes into something beautiful. Starting with a strong zesty lemon, the flavour really wakes your senses and then a delicious baked sponge flavour comes through holding onto a light vanilla touch.This juice is so close to the border of fruit and dessert e-liquids that I would award it for both. The aftertaste is light and oddly bittersweet, leaving a afterthought of lemon drizzle cake in the mind. Its spot on.

PUKKA BLAZE

Pukka blaze has a sweet blueberry scent that is enticing and mouth watering, I’m excited for this one. The inhale brings a sugary undertone that is dropped on a cloud of ice that cools the throat and lungs. The exhale eases on the cooling and allows a strong and sweet taste of blueberry to come through, This blends perfectly with its equal. It is like a romantic dance of blueberry and raspberry on the tongue. It’s Beautiful. Slightly cooled but the warmth of joy eases it off. This is by far one of the best blue raz vapes and a new favourite of mine. Someone give Pukka an award for this one.

PINK DONUT

This juice smells just like a strawberry icing doughnut and has an inhale that greets you with a sweet cakey essence that sees the thick cloud to the lungs like a treat. The exhale has a very sweet iced glazed doughnut taste that oddly develops into more of a red velvet taste, if you know your cakes. But that’s it. What happens next is magical! The flavour ends and the aftertaste perks up with a sugary strawberry taste. Now that shocked me. This juice is perfect if you like sweet vapes but for me it’s slightly too sugary.

ORANGE TART

So, this juice has an initial scent that, to be honest, isn’t my cup of tea. It smells of baked oranges. Although fruit scented, it doesn’t sit well with me personally. However the scent doesn’t do this e-liquid any justice at all. On the inhale you are straight away overcome by a sweet orange taste which then heightens on the exhale which really gives a juicy notion. The orange then blends in with a fresh pastry flavour. This mixture of tastes really excites the taste buds and wakes you up. It is unique and tasty. The aftertaste is a lasting ghost of the orange that remains quite sugary until the next hit.

PUKKA PUNCH

The fragrance given by Pukka Punch is very light and fruity, just enough to intrigue the curiously minded. On the inhale a taste of passionfruit is evident from the get go. The exhale delivers a mixed flavour of melon and a hint of pineapples with the still strong overtone of passion fruit. The thing that makes this juice different is the cooling that gives it a summer punch feeling. It’s a fruit-lover’s dream with a very light passion fruit aftertaste which is moreish but compared to the other juices in the range, it is not as exciting.

PUKKA HIGH

Right, this one is a mystery to me! It has a fizzy lemonade-like scent but I can’t work it out very well. I’m intrigued! The inhale gives a very soft fizzy ice effect and that carries a sweet taste. It’s like a freshly cracked can of pop. On the exhale the flavour really bursts out, it tastes so similar to Mountain Dew but the vape carries a citric sherbet-like taste with it. It has a nice blend of orange and lime tastes. The aftertaste leaves a cold fizzy sensation on the tongue and holds the same sweet flavour. This is close to one of my favourites of the Pukka range as a fan of sherbet vapes.

PUKKA JUICE

PUKKA DESSERTS

REVIEW BY JAMES PARNELL

I was so surprised that this juice smells like everybody’s favourite green soft chew. It has the light sweet scent of lime and a sugary lemon hint. On the inhale a sour lime flavour hits the back of the tongue followed by a light nicotine taste. The hit has a slight roughness but has excellent cloud production. On the exhale the flavours heighten and give a lasting sweet sensation on the taste buds. The lime intertwines with an equally strong lemon to give a fruity lemonade flavour with chunks of lime floating around. An excellent flavour with a lasting aftertaste.

BERRY-BURST

Berry-burst has a variety of notes in its smell. I picked up notes of blackcurrant, strawberry and raspberry but overall it has the characteristics of a summer squash drink. An overly sugary sensation hits the tongue on the inhale with no direct taste. The hit is sudden but light.

The exhale starts with a raspberry overtone which then flips to a blueberry taste. This then mixes with light tastes of blackcurrant and strawberries. It’s a fruit lover’s heaven. All the sweet flavours combine but the sugary taste fades making this juice definitely an ADV. My personal favourite of the range so far.

This e-liquid has a sweet raspberry candy smell that is similar to millions chew sweets. On the inhale there is an instant taste of blueberry. The flavour comes with a nice thick cloud and a very smooth hit. The exhale sees the blueberry mix with a sweet, ripe raspberry taste. Together the flavours create a strong sweet and fruity taste that has the characteristics of a type of chew. The aftertaste is pleasant and light but makes you want more instantly. This juice has a lot of potential for an all day vape and is a definite must try.

SLAMMIN PEACH

Wow, now that’s nostalgia! The aroma from this e-liquid is like Robinson’s peach squash, my grandma would love this.

The peachiness of this vape is instant on the inhale. The juice is very strong in flavour and very accurate too.

There is a juiciness about this vape that makes it so moreish. If you like peaches, you will like Slammin Peach. I would give this vape full marks just on accuracy of the flavour alone. The light hit and thick clouds are just a bonus.

APPLE + WATERMELON

This Duo e-liquid has a light apple scent. On the inhale the flavour isn’t expressed much, other than a light apple note, but the hit is very smooth. On the exhale the first flavour to pick up is a sweet Gala apple flavour. The second hit is when an undertone of watermelon mixes into the taste. The battle between apple and watermelon continues to the aftertaste where the juice picks up a sour note. Overall the flavours are quite subtle but that makes it easier to vape it for longer periods.

KIWI + STRAWBERRY

Duo Kiwi and Strawberry has a pleasing scent of a strawberry smoothie. The profile smells almost creamy. On the inhale a light kiwi taste comes through that rapidly turns into a strawberry when exhaling. The strawberry is soft, more like a chew sweet flavour. This is again overcome by a tangy kiwi taste that lasts through the short-lived aftertaste. It’s a moreish vape that has more of a candy appeal with a sugary kick. I would recommend this to the fruit lovers out there as a mellow ADV.

All these bottles are supplied in 30ml and in 3mg of nicotine with childproof caps in high quality and no leaks.

Matata

You open the bottle and your mind thinks “Hmm grape.” Now in my opinion grape is a tricky flavour to get right. No one apart from the odd few have got it right. It’s either way too sweet or very sickly. So I wicked up my coil and dripped it right on there. Boy was I surprised! The awesome people at Twelve Monkeys, I don’t know how you’ve done it but you have surely smashed it. Finally, a grape flavour that’s not too sweet and not too sickly! To inhale it, it’s like the best grape I have ever tasted but wait there’s more, did I mention there’s apple too that was a perfect surprise; apple and grape. The exhale is an awesome sweet with a taste of sour apple and my god, it’s amazing the two flavours complement themselves perfectly to make one awesome e-juice. Like most of my reviews I’m using a mech mod with a dripper and the throat hit is perfect, just enough to satisfy my craving without overpowering the taste. If I’m completely honest, I’ve vape like half of this bottle whilst reviewing this juice because I loved it so much.

Mangabeys

First of all, the name catches my eye instantly; Mangabey. For those who are unfamiliar with this word, please allow me to enlighten you. Mangabey is a type of monkey from the tropic islands so without even opening the bottle, I knew it was going to be a tropical mix of some kind. My first thoughts were “Well that can’t be right.”

Usually, tropical mixes smell very sweet with some kind of banana but no I was wrong it was creamy mango and I was in love immediately. As soon as you vape this you get a very smooth creamy mango with a sweet pineapple taste that dances on the tip of your tongue.

The exhale is more sweet with the guava mixing in with the pineapple to make an awesome tropical vape that drifts your mind away to sunny beaches, palm trees and cheeky monkeys. But then my wick gets dry and I am back in my office and I can hear the rain pitter pattering on the window, so I sit back in my chair and drip some more and my mind wanders off to the tropical island.

This juice is amazingly smooth, creamy and sweet all at the same time, top marks once again Twelve Monkeys, sweet and creamy with a perfect amount of throat hit.

Kanzi

This juice Is a lovely mix of strawberry and watermelon that deserves much praise. The vape you inhale from this juice is just awesome! It’s very fruity and refreshing, the watermelon is predominant in there although with a perfect amount of strawberry mixed in on the inhale. The exhale, however, gives you an added fruit just a little touch of kiwi will leave your mouth watering and while your tonsils will still be buzzing from the strawberry it will leave you very satisfied. Yet again, I cannot think of a single reason why you should not buy this juice it is simply perfect in my eyes and with that being said, I will always carry a bottle in my personal stash since the throat hit is so smooth and a great flavour overall. Twelve monkeys have done it again and made a juice that is simply divine! Top marks guys, keep up the good work

“Usually, tropical mixes smell very sweet with some kind of banana but no I was wrong it was creamy mango and I was in love immediately.”

NO MESS TOP UP

Innovative screw top nib for clean, easy bottle access.

Huge choice of bottle colours. Available in 120ml and 60ml Bespoke sizes and shapes available on request.

E-LIQUID

Many customers require access to their e-liquid bottles to ‘top up’ and control their chosen level of nicotine.

Existing e-liquid bottle nibs are not designed to be removed. The tight fitting nib needs to be removed by force, resulting in damage and messy spills.

HELIX™ allows the fill nozzle to be easily unscrewed, providing quick and clean access to the e-liquid bottle, while retaining a tight fitting undamaged nib.

BAT JUICE

This juice has a sweet fruity scent, almost like a blackcurrant squash. Bat juice has a complex blend of sweet berries. This is very subtle on the inhale giving a blackcurrant and cranberry overtone. On the exhale the berry flavour intensifies and then finishes off nicely with a slight cooling on the throat and lungs. The hit of this e-liquid is very smooth and the vape as a whole is really good. The element I like most about this juice is that it is a sweet menthol. No harsh hits and no bitter aftertaste. This is an all round great fruity vape.

EXOTIC TROPIC

The scent of this e-liquid is a fruity mixture. It smells very similar to tropical fruit juice but with an overtone of mango. On the inhale I was instantly hit with a tropical flavour. It has a overtone of mango to begin with. This then develops into a blend of mango, papaya, oranges and a hint of ripened kiwana (horned melon). That banana-esq note really finishes the fruity mixture to perfection. This is a sweet complex blend that is easier to get key tones like mango when vaped from a freshly-wicked coil. A very nice vape from start to finish. The smoothness is as impressive as the vapour production. I found that it works best at 65 watts. I really love this. Bravo Thor juice!

FLAMINGO

Sweetshop strawberry laces. That’s exactly what Flamingo has the fragrance of. This juice smells divine and I’m hoping it taste this good too. The juice tastes different to the sweet smell, although it is actually very similar. At first you receive the strawberry then it gains a slight peachy after tone and that is it from the start of the inhale to the exhale. When exhaled, the flavour escalates and an interesting creamy coconut undertone smoothes off the finishing flavour. This delightful taste lingers for a moment leaving you ready for another hit. Overall, this is a very interesting and pleasant vape, a unique all day vape for the strawberry lovers.

PEGASUS

This e-liquid has a vanilla, biscuit scent with a creamy undertone. This smells mouth watering. When first vaped the only taste I got was sugary vanilla. Then I went for a second hit. Upon inhaling there is a long lasting sugary pastry flavour, like a soft sponge or butter pudding. Then this pastry flavour develops with a creamy vanilla flavour, this has the taste of custard that really complements its predecessor. As a whole, the vape tastes like an authentic British pudding with custard. It is a pleasant vape but be wary that it is rather sweet so can be a bit too much after a while. Perfect for the dessert lovers and sweet toothed enthusiasts!

POSEIDON

This e-liquid smells like the generic delicious smell of all vape lounges across the land. A carefully blended mixture of desserts and fruits entwining amongst the air. The e-liquid has a nice blueberry scent and a strong cake-like essence. When first inhaled I got a taste of rich chocolaty cheesecake. It is a very strong dessert taste with a hint of nuts. This gives an organic, luxurious edge to the e-liquid. When exhaling, the flavour progresses and a sweet blueberry flavour comes through, this blends perfectly with the initial cakey nut flavour and creates a sweet creamy peanut aftertaste. This juice is perfect for the vaper with a sweet tooth. It’s everything you would ask for if you went for a tasteful dessert.

When vaping through a dual coil RDA the flavours come through much stronger and the biscuity cheesecake flavour comes through more strongly. You can really taste a nutty

mixture. The e-liquid creates beautiful plumes of smoke with its 70vg 30pg blend. I would definitely recommend this to all of my dessert vaping friends, it’s delightful.

ARES

This one’s a real treat for the sweet tooth, a strawberry ice cream sundae. The creamy taste of vanilla bean ice cream fills your mouth on the initial inhale as the sweet, syrupy strawberry rushes in to lift the whole vape to another level of dessertiness. This liquid produces some seriously sweet and dense clouds, leaving the room smelling like an ice cream bar. What a treat!

ORANGE ICE

First up from Fizzy Drip Co, we have Orange Ice. A super cold and refreshing fizzy orange flavour. The initial inhale with this juice is filled with sweet, yet slightly sour oranges, that is soon joined by a big ol’ hit of koolada that practically freezes your tongue! The orange flavour is lovely and authentic, not at all chemically tasting and it works extremely well with the iciness, producing a superrefreshing soda vape that I could happily puff away on for hours.

APPLE ICE

As the names suggest, all of the juices I’m reviewing today from Fizzy Drip Co feature a good amount of koolada icyness. The next e-liquid is Apple Ice. The apple flavour is a little more artificial than I would like, a bit more sour candy than Granny Smith but in this instance it probably works better with the ice than a traditional apple. All that said I enjoyed this juice a lot and it ended up being one of my favourites in this range.

GRAPE ICE

Another refreshing, cold soda in the form of Grape Ice. I absolutely love grape vapes so was very excited to give this juice a try, and I’m pleased to say it doesn’t disappoint. The classic grape soda flavour works so well with the icy koolada that i’m not sure I can go back to normal grape flavours. If you’ve never had a grape soda flavour before this would be a great place to start, definitely one of the nicest examples of this kind of flavour i’ve ever tasted. ADValicious!

MANGO ICE

Finally from Fizzy Drip Co, we have Mango Ice. Now...mango is my absolute favourite fruit of all time so I always have high hopes and expectations when I try any mango juices. Now don’t get me wrong, Mango Ice is a perfectly tasty vape but for me, in total contrast to Grape Ice, the coldness actually takes away from the sweet, ripe mango flavour. Of course thats just my personal opinion, and I’m sure a lot of people will love the combo but for me I long for a strong, concentrated mango flavour that I just don’t get from this liquid.

BLACKCURRANT

Well this a first for me! Reviewing flavour concentrates. Just as a foreword I mixed each of these concentrates into a 70/30 VG/PG mix at 10% and let them steep for a few days to try and get the most from each flavour, starting with Blackcurrant. Wow this concentrate smells delicious! It is like a basket filled with fresh blackcurrants. The taste is absolutely phenomenal, really clean and absolutely zero chemical taste. I think it’s a really versatile concentrate that could be mixed with thousands of different flavours to make any number of fantastic elixirs. An absolute essential in any juicemakers collection.

CINNAMON SUGAR

If you need to add any sort of sweet, spiciness to your juice blend, look no further than Cinnamon Sugar. I could see it fitting nicely into any doughnut liquid or ideally a churros juice. I actually tried adding a bit of this to the Biscuit concentrate when I was done reviewing it and it worked perfectly. An excellent concentrate for a wintery treat.

BUBBLEGUM

The scent here is immense, just like opening a fresh pack of your favourite bubblegum from your youth, intoxicating. Bubblegum is another extremely versatile flavour that works well blended with pretty much any combination of fruits and candies. Its sweet and moreish taste can happily sit in the forefront or the background of a huge amount of juices and you’d probably be surprised how many of your favourite liquids feature bubblegum somewhere in the mix.

CAKE BATTER V2

YUM, is the first thing that comes to mind. Imagine a concentrated taste of licking out the bottom of the bowl after you’ve put a cake in the oven (come on now you’ve all done it). I can definitely taste this concentrate in a lot of the cake and dessert e-liquids I vape regularly. Absolutely delicious. Well it’s going to have to be 5/5 across the board for all of these Capella concentrates. As anyone who makes juice knows, Capella are the concentrate kings and at the top of the game when it comes to these little bottles of delight. Just don’t try to vape them straight from the bottle (tempting as it is)!

BISCUIT

If you’re looking to make any kind of cookie flavour, cheesecake flavour, pie flavour or to be honest any dessert vape in general, you’re going to need some Capella biscuit. I know I’ve used the word versatile a lot in this review so far but it’s the first word that comes to mind when I taste these concentrates. As with the other flavours, biscuit smells incredible, I kind of want to pump the scent throughout my house 24/7. It’s such an inviting taste and aroma. An absolute must have for any juice blender!

MANGO LASSI

WOW, this juice has a very fresh and realistic mango scent. You can get mango juice that smells less like mango than this. On the inhale the juice expresses a subtle mango taste that just teases you from the get go. The juice is high in VG and this shows in the vapour production. On the exhale the juice just gets better. The mango taste strengthens and gains a natural earthy hint making it taste as real as possible. These lovely flavours are then complemented by a soft milky note that blends perfectly, finishing the juice on a mango smoothie impression.

CARROT CAKE

This e-liquid stole my heart with its amazing sponge cake aroma that has a cinnamon hint. On the inhale the flavour is weak but the vape production is huge. The flavours slowly come through on the exhale giving a nutty sponge cake taste that is lightly complemented by cinnamon. The flavour carries the same bitter sweet taste as a real carrot cake but it is the bitterness that travels into the aftertaste. Overall the flavours are a strong imitation but the bitterness isn’t my cup of tea.

ICE BREAKER

This juice has a fruit salad kind of scent with a stronger note of apple squeezing into the limelight. On the inhale the flavour’s foundation is a light, sour spearmint flavour that has a light cooling effect.The flavours then flood out starting with a sour green apple that is then overwhelmed by a ripe kiwi taste. These then take a new step and a sweet strawberry undertone is carried out by the soft minty aftertaste. Overall a good light menthol perfect for an ADV.

REVIEW BY JAMES PARNELL

MR RED

This juice has a very light strawberry lace like scent. It is subtle but very appealing. On the inhale the flavour of red apple is light but instant. The flavour then gets some depth on the thick cloud exhale. A soft strawberry mixes in with the delicate apple which gives a soft drink feel. The vape is then finished off perfectly when a hint of peach kisses the taste buds. Overall the juice is very nice but not massively strong on flavour which gives it the potential to be an all day vape.

MR PURPLE

The scent of this juice is quite weak and has a alcohol-like edge to it. On the inhale the hit is smooth but barely any flavour comes through. This changes on the exhale as the juice picks up a purple grape flavour. The taste has more of a wine flavour than the usual soft drink grapes commonly on the market. I say this as the aftertaste takes a slightly bitter tone like a fine dry wine. Overall the juice is quite weak but when the flavour peaks it has a pleasant grape flavour.

MR YELLOW

Mr Yellow has a creamy sweet milk scent; it excels at expressing its fruitiness. On the inhale a sugary milk note teases the tongue, complemented by a smooth hit. The flavour then bursts on the exhale with the sweet milk, blending with a crunchy cereal taste. As the flavour develops, a fruity edge joins in giving a very light sour/ sweet hint that works perfectly to finish the vape. The aftertaste keeps you going back for more I think this is going to be a big seller. Top marks from me.

ARCTIC DREAM

With a name like ‘Arctic Dream’ I automatically assumed that this was going to be a super icy minty menthol – but when I smelled it I noticed a very enticing and pleasant aroma of sweet, tropical fruits. As I inhaled, this liquid started out as fruity and sweet, then I noticed a zesty and sharp lemon flavour that brought this liquid to life. As I began to exhale, a cold and minty edge came into play, and really finished off the flavour in a wonderful and straight to the point way. I particularly enjoyed the minty, cool side of this juice, as it made it very revitalising and gave off lots of flavour. It wasn’t too powerful though, it was in just the right amounts to make this a very palatable and more-ish all day vape.

DREAM JUICE

ROYAL DREAM

Even before I opened this bottle, I could smell a faint yet alluring touch of fruitiness. That meant that the flavour must be much stronger than I could imagine. I tentatively dropped some of this e-liquid onto my freshly wicked RDA, and took a long, calculated inhale. Instantly, there was a super strong hit of ripe and aromatic mango, enough to send my taste buds into overdrive. I found that there was a pleasant coolness on the back of the exhale, enough to enhance this juice, but not too much that it took away from the original mango flavour. There are only a handful of juices out there that could match the immense flavour found in Royal Dream. I think this is in part to do with the fact that this e-liquid is also 60% VG, meaning that this e-liquid has a higher percentage of PG and therefore a more pronounced flavour.

RASPBERRY LEMONADE

The juice lives up to its name from the get go. The raspberry has very a delicious smell and gives this vape a instant appeal. On the inhale the raspberry comes through in an instant. It’s a smooth hit but you get a very light taste at first. The exhale is the point at which the raspberry explodes with flavour filling the taste buds. The raspberry is such a tasty flavour it surprises you when it finishes on a sweet lemon note. This is an e-liquid that quenches the cravings of a sweet tooth and is definitely an all day vape.

PEACH LEMONADE

This e-liquid has a simple but effective scent. Straight sweet and peachy. Upon first inhale you are greeted with a super sweet peachy flavour. It is mellow and the very smooth hit really emphasises the peach. The flavour goes through a progression starting with a sweet fresh peach flavour which is then complimented by the lemon flavour that infuses gradually finalising the flavour and its very very good. The aftertaste is exactly as expected, sweet and lasting. This juice is a must have to add to any fine collection. A peachy delight!

FRUIT MIX LEMONADE

The scent of this e-liquid is a citrus blend giving a little more with a tropical undertone and it is pleasant to say the least. Very light and subtle but enough scent to get the mouth watering. On the inhale the hit is smooth and fruity. It leaves an almost fizzing sensation with a delightful strawberry undertone. On the exhale the juice develops and a flavour of mango and other sweet complexities emerge that really progress the juice from a standard citrus vape to something more special. The aftertaste is just as sweet as the vape itself and it lasts for a minute or two then ends leaving nothing other than the craving for more.

HIGH QUALITY LIQUID AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE

As a vape user, you can't compromise on liquid quality. There are plenty of factors that could decide your choice of liquid, namely taste, safety and even health concerns. Liquid is one of the most unique factors of vaping that makes conventional cigarettes obsolete. It is the main reason smokers switch to vaping.

RV Liquid was founded in 2017 as a result of thorough research into Indonesian vape user needs, providing the solution to their complaints. RV Liquid is manufactured in a modern flavour factory that had previously been in the food flavouring business for nearly half a century.

This professional environment helps create the most consistent taste, right until your last drip. RV Liquid is confident enough to guarantee that as long as RV Liquid is stored correctly no flavour change will occur as the liquid decreases in volume and it can also be stored for longer than other e-liquids without flavour change.

RV Liquid is made with the best ingredients we could get our hands on, hence the premium quality.

When inhaled, RV Liquid has that smashing throat hit sensation without any annoying 'itchy' feeling. One of the best indicators of RV Liquid’s quality is evident from looking at your your cotton and coil. RV Liquid, with its quality ingredients, will ensure that they stay clean for a longer time than with most of other liquids, even the imported premium ones.

The best sweetener, nicotine and other ingredients ensure a slow rate of caramelisation. RV Liquid guarantees that you won't need to change your cotton and wire as often as you would with other liquids. Like every vaper, RV Liquid is concerned about health and safety.

RV Liquid's ingredients, including all VG & PG components, meet United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), European Pharmacopoeia (EP), Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP), Brazilian Pharmacopoeia (BP) and Food Chemical Codex (FCC) standards, making it very safe to consume and inhale.

We use the world's best and certified liquid nicotine. It is colourless, odourless and completely safe to consume. RV Liquid use alternative sweetener, the best there is to substitute sugar. It is diabetic and diet-safe, because it is low in calories.

RV Liquid ensure that our products comply to halal and kosher specifications, so literally everyone can enjoy it.

RV Liquid is available in four lush flavours: Berry Nation (mixed berries), Pavlova (strawberry graham cake), Orange Pop (zesty orange), and Favorebel (vanilla and caramel). RV Liquid will revolutionise the taste and quality of your ordinary liquid into something extraordinary.

Try it for yourself and feel the sensation. RV Liquid, high quality liquid at an affordable price.

SALT NIC Sensations

For a smooth vape with a strong nicotine hit, nic salts have got you covered. HERE ARE 10 OF OUR FAVOURITES AVAILABLE IN THE UK

Neon Green Slushie by FAR

Hugely popular in the States, this e-liquid is famed for its sweet, tangy flavour reminiscent of green fruit pastilles. The menthol undercurrent really gives the flavour a boost, too. While it may be sweet it isn’t at all sickly, making it the perfect all-day vape.

Olympic Dream by Dr Salt

You’re not alone in thinking that Olympic Dream is an odd name for an e-liquid. But give it a taste and you’ll see why. The blueberry and pomegranate flavour is supercharged by the nic salt, giving an energy drink vibe to the vaping experience.

NS20 555 by Element

If you’ve run the gauntlet of tobacco e-liquids you’ll know how hard it is to find one that mimics both the flavour and the punch of real tobacco. This e-liquid ticks both those boxes, with the tobacco flavour complemented by hints of caramel, vanilla, hazelnut and walnut.

Blood Orange Lemonade by Mr Salt-E

These two flavours work really well together, evoking hazy days of summers past. And the orange really tastes like an orange picked from a tree – a rarity in the e-liquid world. The result is the kind of subtly sweet vape that could win over the sceptical smoker.

NS20 Watermelon Chill by Element

Fruit and mint is very much a ‘love it or hate it’ combination. If you’re in the ‘love it’ camp, we highly recommend giving this a try. Sweet but subtle watermelon flavour leads the way, and the undercurrent of mint is both cooling and refreshing.

Boost by Marina Vape

Shortfills and nic shots go hand-inhand and along with squonk mods, were the hottest trends of last year. While there are plenty of freebase nic shots on the market, Boost is one of a handful of salt nic alternatives. Drop Boost into your shortfill to give your smooth vape a satisfying nicotine hit.

Straw High by Dr Salt

Strawberries and cream is a triedand-tested, quintessentially British flavour combination. Best served in leu of a dessert or perhaps stealthvaped at Wimbledon. But you didn’t hear that from us.

NS20 Pink Grapefruit and Blueberry by Element

Pink grapefruit is an unusual flavour to find in an e-liquid. Throw sweet blueberry in there and you have something really special. Given the fact that pink grapefruit is such a sharp and tangy flavour, adding the punchy, salt nic hit to it makes perfect sense.

Grappleberry by Mr Salt-E

Another summery flavour from Mr Salt-E, this time combining green apple and strawberry. Both flavours have a natural tang to them and work beautifully in tandem. And the 50PG/50VG gives you the best of both worlds.

Twisted by Dr Salt

As the name and colours on the box would suggest, there’s a lot going on with this e-liquid but the flavours work very well together. Lemon and lime lead the way, with strawberry and pineapple following close behind. If you’ve got a sweet tooth you won’t be disappointed.

VaperBar is the product of educated enthusiasm and the conversion of a few willing followers, a collective of great characters and personalities with absolute focus on improving people’s experience of vaping by providing the best of the available products, advice and guidance.

The business was started by Darren Gyles in early 2014, over two years was fully restructured, ahead of the challenges of the pending legislation, the rebranded VaperBar emerged in 2016 with a well-established customer base, a refined philosophy and a budding reputation.

Darren said: “We didn’t build our reputation, our customers did that and we are here to understand people’s needs. When people consider moving from smoking to vaping they can be anything from apprehensive to terrified and we understand these fears.

“People move to vaping for a surprising variety of reasons, by choice, for health reasons or due to the wishes of loved ones and we take the time to treat everyone as an individual and to give them the one-to-one service they need.

“VaperBar is all customer facing, and we see everybody. Remember how the most interesting people at a party or a club were the smokers relegated outside, committed to their ‘fix’, ending up having the best conversations. These people vape instead now, and in some places they are allowed to enjoy their pastime indoors as a result of their decision. Now there are a lot of vapers.

We convert new vapers everyday. We have a family of very different people; it’s no commune, but it’s a transient, allencompassing experience.

“Once someone has walked through the door to a VaperBar, customers are welcomed, and people stay, and become friends for however long their journey is. By its very nature, VaperBar has become the new public house. Our customers can stay for hours at a time, no one has to spend any money, any time of day, any day of the week, there is always an entertaining, embracing atmosphere.”

The company prides itself in offering continuous support to customers and, as a result, has built up a client base from both near and far with many travelling past much closer stores to get the VaperBar experience.

It says that the TPD has brought more professionalism to the industry. The VaperBar team are developing systems to embrace future challenges, perhaps further regulations, which it hopes will lead to more innovative product streams as they come to market.

Darren added: “There is often a disconnect between the manufacturers of both hardware, consumables and the e-liquids and the ultimate consumers. Through the maturing of social media, consumers are vocal, and will shut you down quickly. Our selection of e-liquids evolve continually; we have our staples, but we have tried and tested over 4,000 juices since starting and we are very selective about the product lines we stock.”

VaperBar is equally demanding when it comes to stocking mods and other vape devices, ensuring it chooses only those products which their customers actually want. Industry and product knowledge is essential here and VaperBar staff are all very experienced so they can give customers the best advice possible.

Darren said there was a a lot of ‘shiny-itis’ in the vape industry, adding: “There are more LEDs and colour screens, and personal customisation than you can wave a graphic equaliser at, with mods becoming quite feature driven to capture the heart, mind and wallet. It is almost the mobile phone revolution of the early 2000s all over again.”

“WE CONVERT NEW VAPERS EVERYDAY. WE HAVE A FAMILY OF VERY DIFFERENT PEOPLE; IT’S NO COMMUNE, BUT IT’S A TRANSIENT, ALL-ENCOMPASSING EXPERIENCE".

Photography by Oli Woods

C IL Porn

FEATURING STEVE MASSINGHAM AKA CRAFTY COILS

THE TALE OF THE STAPLE COIL

Once upon a time, there were two master coil builders, both at the forefront of a burgeoning industry. As friends, and to a limited extent rivals, they would set each other challenges which they’d race to complete first.

One day, the square wire challenge was thrown down. The first builder, let’s call him “Kent”, started exploring the idea of fusing four round wires together to form a square. The

other, “Ryan”, had been exploring the options provided by ribbon wire. It seemed simple at first: take some ribbon wire, stack it up, fuse it and there you have it; square wire. However, nothing in life is that simple even for Ryan who, prior to being a master builder, was an engineer. He looked at the wire and knew it wouldn’t work in the obvious way as the bottom of the stack would be under compression and the top under tension. With all the parts separate, it would never wrap into a coil that would please Ryan and win him the race, so he decided upon the novel idea of wrapping the wire with the ribbon on

its side. Now, this would only work if the fuse wire was good and tight, but work it did!

The race was won!

Even Ryan didn’t know the significance of his creation. The staple coil was with us and Ryan, better known as Squidoode, had forged a path through the coil world like few others. Right then, down to the nuts and bolts of staples. This can be a tricky

Okay, boys and girls. Take a seat and let Uncle Crafty tell you a tale of rivalry, innovation and inspiration, and the creation of something miraculous....

build for a novice. There are a few technical elements to it.

First is assembling the stack (Fig.1). I find the easiest way to do this is by passing your ribbon cores through the eye of your swivel and folding them. Then, with a light tension pulling against the swivel, gently form the stack with your fingers. Once it’s together, pinch it between thumb and forefinger and bind with some ribbon, then give the bind a little squeeze with some toothless pliers.

Repeat this process, but before you squeeze it, slide it down the cores, again gently guiding it with your fingers.

This should align all the cores and provide a solid grip point for your drill. Once the bind is in position, give it a squeeze with the pliers to firm it up, then mount this in your drill and tension the system. Wrap one more bind at the swivel end and run it to the drill. This will be your working bind. It gives the cores one final smoothing out and will stop the stack from collapsing as you fuse it.

Start by making small jumps - have the bind about an inch away from the fuse point and work up to it, pause, move the bind, and repeat. As your confidence and skill improve, you will be able to do larger sections.

The crazy thing about staple coils is the amount of juice they hold. This is caused by the tiny gaps in between the ribbons. They cause a capillary action, which occurs when the adhesion to the walls is stronger than the cohesive forces between the liquid molecules, meaning the coil actually sucks the juice off your wick.

As it has a huge surface-area-to-size ratio, you can vaporise your juice much more efficiently, giving you more flavour and bigger clouds. Special thanks to Squidoode for sharing the story of the staple coil.

THE HELIX

A SURPRISINGLY SIMPLE SHORTFILL SOLUTION

Most innovations are borne out of necessity and many of the developments from the past couple of years can be traced back to the TPD.

Shortfill e-liquids are one such example of a product being adapted in a way that meets the needs of vapers while complying within the regulations.

To an outsider, the cap on a Helix shortfill bottle is like that on any other e-liquid container. But a closer look reveals an ingenious innovation – a detachable nozzle screwed into a small hole, enabling the bottle to be refilled without causing a mess.

The men behind the detachable nozzle (or ‘removable niblet,’ as they call it) are Sami and Rafi, two brothers employed by Vape Distribution – a company located just outside London that has supplied vape products to independent retailers and major supermarkets across the UK since 2012.

“We were trying to find an easy way to fill a shortfill bottle without pouring liquid everywhere,” said Sami. “We had a few ideas along the lines of the existing e-liquid bottles on the market. But then we thought: ‘why not pierce through the lid?’”

They sent the design off to a manufacturer in the Far East. Barely

six months after inception, they had the mould that would go on to become the Helix.

The Helix isn’t the only innovation the brothers have developed. If you’ve tried the liquids on sale at a Vapouround Lounge or many other retailers, you may be familiar with Vape Distribution’s Taste Station e-liquid sampling machine. The company has also patented a head for e-shisha pipes that can be directly filled with liquid.

Shortfills have skyrocketed in popularity in the past 12 months, both for professional e-liquid companies and home DIYers, so there’s certainly a significant potential market out there. And with distribution channels across the EU and US, there’s every possibility that the Helix will become an industry standard as ubiquitous as the Post-it note or the Bic biro.

Like all the best inventions, the Helix is as simple as it is wellengineered: the answer to a problem that many people had previously accepted was an unavoidable occupational hazard.

Sami added: “The Helix makes it easy to fill a bottle without pouring liquid everywhere. We love looking at a problem and finding a solution that works.”

The vape industry is a fertile ground for innovation. From mods to liquids and even vape-integrated clothing, the level of creativity in the vaping world never fails to surprise

PimpMod My PLEASING POD MODZ

There’s a lot of talk about pod systems going around at the moment. It’s hardly surprising, considering how many boxes they tick. Compact? Check. Light? Check. Easy to use? Check. For these reasons, pods are a simple and accessible entry point for smokers looking to switch to vaping.

But pods aren’t just for newbies. Even seasoned vapers can benefit from a light and discreet system that fits in your pocket and requires very little faffing around. It’s also worth noting that pods function well for both mouthto-lung and direct-to-lung vaping.

While there are now more pod mods on the market than ever before, they do have some pitfalls to consider. Battery life generally isn’t great, for one thing, and not all pods are refillable. But if you still think pods might be right for you, try these on for size.

ASPIRE • VYPE • KIMSUN • SUORIN • ELEAF • JOYETECH

“ I t m a d e m e w o n d e r d o w e h a v e a n y v a p e s h o p s a r o u n d h e r e ? T h e r e a r e p l e n t y f u r t h e r n o r t h , s o w h y n o t h e r e ? ” W i t h t h e s e e d s o f a n i d e a s p r o u t i n g , s h e s p o k e t o a f r i e n d i n D o r s e t w h o o w n e d a v a p e s h o p a n d t h a t w a s t h a t “ I f t h i s d o e s n ’ t w o r k I ’ l l g e t a j o b , ” s h e t o l d h e r s e l f S h e s e t u p a s t a l l a t t h e S h a m b l e s M a r k e t i n D e v i z e s b e f o r e m o v i n g o u t s i d e t o a t t r a c t m o r e c u s t o m e r s . I n M a y 2 0 1 3 s h e o p e n e d a n o t h e r s t a l l , t h i s t i m e C h i p p e n h a m . T h e n , t h a t N o v e m b e r, t h e f i r s t b r i c k a n d m o r t a r P u f f i n H u t s h o p o p e n e d f o r b u s i n e s s i n R o y a l W o o t t o n B a s s e t t , W i l t s h i r e .

“ M y s o n B e n h a d j u s t s t a r t e d u n i H e t h o u g h t I w a s m a d a n d t h a t h e ’ d h a v e t o g e t a j o b ! ” B u t h e M n d t e d o u t h a o e n e e d n ’ t h a v e w o r r i e d T w o m o n t h s l a t e r, H e l e n r e c r u i t e d h e r f i r s t e m p l o y e e M e a n w h i l e , o v e r i n C h i p p e n h a m , b u s i n e s s c o n t i n u e d t o f l o u r i s h , a n d h e r g r o w i n g c u s t o m e r b a s e k e p t s a y i n g t h a t t h e y w i s h e d s h e w o u l d o p e n a s h o p i n t h e a r e a “ I f o u n d t h e i d e a l p r o p e r t y i n a p e r f e c t l o c a t i o n . A y e a r t o t h e d a y a f t e r o u r f i r s t s h o p o p e n e d , w e o p e n e d a s e c o n d i n C h i p p e n h a m ” .

T w o y e a r s o n a n d w i t h B e n n o w w o r k i n g a s e c o m m e r c e m a n a g e r f o r t h e b u s i n e s s , t h e P u f f i n H u t n o w b o a s t s a t h i r d s h o p ; i n S t r a t t o n , S w i n d o n . H e l e n ’ s o w n e x p e r i e n c e o f t r a n s i t i o n i n g f r o m s m o k i n g t o v a p i n g i s p r e t t y t y p i c a l S h e f e l t a r o u n d i n t h e d a r k a n d t r i e d a f e w d e v i c e s b e f o r e s h e s t u m b l e d u p o n t h e r i g h t o n e f o r h e r “ E v e n t u a l l y I t o o k m y v a p e a p a r t t o s e e h o w i t a l l w o r k e d T h a t m a d e i t a l o t e a s i e r t o u n d e r s t a n d h o w t o u s e i t p r o p e r l y ”

M a n y s m o k e r s g i v e u p o n t h e i d e a o f v a p i n g b y t h i s p o i n t a s i t c a n f e e l c o m p l i c a t e d a n d k i o i p e d o v e r w h e l m i n g . W i t h t h a t i n m i n d , H e l e n b e l i e v e s i n w o r k i n g f r o m t h e g r o u n d u p w h e n i t c o m e s t o i n t r o d u c i n g s m o k e r s t o e c i g a r e t t e s , s t a r t i n g b y r e f r a m i n g w h a t v a p i n g i s a l l a b o u t . “ P e o p l e c o m e i n t o t h e s h o p s a y i n g t h a t t h e y w a n t t o g i v e u p s m o k i n g B u t I t e l l t h e m , i t ’ s n o t a b o u t g i v i n g u p a l t o g e t h e r Yo u ’ r e o n l y g i v i n g u p t h e n e g a t i v e p a r t s o f s m o k i n g t h e s m e l l a n d t h e t a s t e a n d a l l t h e h a r m s t o y o u r h e a l t h Yo u s t i l l g e t t h e f e e l i n g o f s m o k i n g a c i g a r e t t e ” F r o m t h e n o n , i t ’ s a l l a b o u t f i n d i n g t h e r i g h t d e v i c e , t h e r i g h t l i q u i d a n d t h e r i g h t r e g i m e O f t e n , p e o p l e g r a v i t a t e t o w a r d s e x p e n s i v e a n d c o m p l i c a t e d e q u i p m e n t t h a t t h e y d o n ’ t n e e d H e l e n a n d h e r s t a f f k n o w f r o m e x p e r i e n c e t h a t s i m p l e , c o s t e f f e c t i v e d e v i c e s a r e f a r m o r e l i k e l y t o w o r k f o r t h e c u s t o m e r.

“ S o m e t i m e s I h a v e t o h u m o u r p e o p l e b y s a y i n g , ‘ j u s t t r y t h i s o n e i n s t e a d a n d s e e h o w y o u g e t o n ’ . I t u s u a l l y t u r n s o u t t h a t I ’ m r i g h t ! ”

C u s t o m e r s a u r e g u i d e d t h r o u g h w h a t s h e r e f e r s t o a s a ‘ m i n i c o n s u l t a t i o n ’ , w h i c h e n a b l e s s t a f f t o t a i l o r a p e r s o n a l i s e d s m o k i n g c e s s a t i o n p r o g r a m , t a k i n g i n t o a c c o u n t b u d g e t , s m o k i n g h a b i t s , f l a v o u r p r e f e r e n c e s a n d w h a t e x a c t l y i t i s t h e y h o p e t o a c h i e v e f r o m v a p i n g . I d e a l l y , t h e y ’ l l c o m p l e t e l y q u i t s m o k i n g t o b a c c o . B u t f o r m a n y p e o p l e , i t ’ s m o r e o f a g r a d u a l t r a n s i t i o n .