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MANGO

EDITORIAL

Editor - Patrick Griffin

Journalist - Jordan Millar

Junior Journalist - Oliver Smith

DESIGN

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Lead Designer - Aaron Rana

Graphic Designer - Amy Harrison

Design Support - Lucy Booth

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Finance Director - Kris Worton

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Office Assistant - Anna Difusco

EVENTS DIRECTOR

Abida Razaque

MANAGING DIRECTORS

David Turner

Pom Kaila

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Hello and welcome to our first issue of 2022.

I’d love to say that the struggles of last year are behind us and the ideological hurdles of old are far back in the rear-view mirror…but this is sadly not the case. While it’s a new year, the industry is still facing the same tired misinformation, with anti-vaping groups across the world fighting tooth and nail to eliminate lifesaving e-cigarettes.

Whether it’s through new and increasingly complex regulations, swathes of propaganda or distorted public perceptions, they continue to disparage the good name of vaping. But the global community has just one thing to say; enough is enough.

Our industry is resilient and has never been one to give up easily…not while millions of lives hang in the balance. Even Skip Murray, a beloved advocate who was forced to close her small-town store in the face of regulations and antivaping campaigns, has refused to stop fighting for harm reduction.

In this issue, she vowed to continue advocating until she ‘just can’t do it anymore’, stressing that stopping isn’t even an option while ‘people are still dying everyday’.

And it’s not just Skip who is standing up for the power for good of vaping, with advocates around the world working tirelessly to defend the public health prize.

In a bold challenge to anti-vaping campaigners, Charles A. Gardner –executive director of INNCO – offered a lucrative cash reward for anyone who could prove even ONE death caused by nicotine vaping…something tells me his money is safe.

I can only hope that brave activists like Skip and Charles continue to support tobacco harm reduction and that many more people from across the globe will rise up and join them.

There’s no telling what the next 12 months hold for vaping and I, for one, am eager to see how the industry will evolve, grow and change for the better.

Thank you for your continued support.

BEST

MAG FIVE YEARS RUNNING

Patrick Griffin | Editor

CEO

Paul Caplin

SHORTFILLS

Four pages filled with short vape-related stories and research making news from around the world.

Millar

THERE GOES THE ‘GATEWAY’ THEORY THEN

Vaping can help smokers quit…even if they have no intention of doing so. Researchers from America’s Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center focused on adults who were content with smoking. They discovered that, by switching to daily vaping, people were eight times more likely to quit than those who carried on smoking. Dr Andrew Hyland from the Roswell Park Center said: “These findings are paradigmshifting, because the data suggest that vaping may actually help people who are not actively trying to quit smoking.”

FISH & QUITS

As quit smoking methods go…this has to be the most unusual of them all. Scientists who exposed sleeping smokers to rotten fish and cigarette smells found that it helped them cut down. Test subjects who inhaled the foul odours for just one night, smoked 34 percent fewer cigarettes in the week that followed. However, unlucky volunteers who endured the smells while awake did not cut down at all, according to the study reported in the Journal of Neuroscience.

IT’S OFFICIAL

A UKVIA guide to retailers on how to keep within the law when selling disposable vape products has been certified by Trading Standards. The endorsement means the advice - developed in partnership with Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards Service – can be considered official guidance. A spate of counterfeit and illegal disposables have entered the market in recent months and many non-specialist retailers are confused about what is and isn’t allowed. The three-page guide explains the UK regulations in everyday language.

THE VAPOUROUND AWARDS ARE BACK!

The seventh annual Vapouround Awards are coming…and we’re returning to Birmingham - the birthplace of our prestigious showfor a night of celebration. Running alongside The Vaper Expo UK –one of the biggest exhibitions in Europe – our must-attend event is sure to be packed with networking opportunities and plenty of laughs. Patrick Griffin, Vapouround Magazine Editor, said: “Last year is going to be tough to beat but we’re up to the challenge. “I can’t wait to see all those familiar faces – and some new ones too – both at Vaper Expo UK and at this year’s Vapouround Awards.”

Shortfill section editor: Jordan

PLAYING CATCH-UP

Northern Ireland has banned the sale of vape products for under 18s for the first time since they became available in 2007. Alliance Party health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw said the belated move demonstrated how Northern Ireland was ‘playing catch-up’ with the rest of the UK. She said: “Many parents will be surprised that under 18s have been able to purchase e-cigarettes legally for so long.” From February 1, shopkeepers can also be fined up to £5,000 if convicted of making underage vape sales.

UNITED VOICES

One of vaping’s biggest myths is that Public Health England are the only people saying that e-cigarettes are 95 percent less harmful than smoking. However, Irish advocacy group Respect Vapers has set the record straight on social media. It tweeted: “When you hear people dismiss the PHE findings that vaping is 95 percent less harmful than smoking, just remember that they are not alone.” Other major bodies endorsing the findings include The Royal College of Physicians, the British Medical Association, ASH UK and Cancer Research UK.

KEEPING IT GREEN

The Vapouround team is adding a new category to its roster of prestigious awards ahead of this year’s show – Best Sustainable Initiative. By recognising the most eco-conscious and greenthinking brands in our industry, this award celebrates a dedication to harm reduction for smokers…and for the planet. To hear more on our new award, as well as this year’s not-to-be-missed event, check out our story ‘Seven years of celebration’ later in this issue.

STOP THESE AT-TAX ON VAPING

Plans for punitive new e-cigarette taxes in South Africa could ‘increase vape prices by up to 200 percent’ the World Vapers’ Alliance has warned. The consumer advocacy group also believes the proposals could push around 23 percent of the country’s 350,000 vapers back to smoking. Vape products are currently unregulated in South Africa, but the government wants to bring them into its existing tobacco control laws.

LET US SWITCH

DON’T FORGET THE SMOKERS

The vape industry has ‘forgotten’ that its main goal is to help smokers switch to a less harmful alternative, World Vape Show London was told. Public health expert Konstantinos Farsalinos said: “The industry seems to be adjusting itself to satisfying the needs of established vapers. It has forgotten that we need to expand to the millions of people who are still smoking combustible products.” He said there was evidence of a shift back on track, but warned that more needed to be done to encourage smokers to switch.

Nine-out-of-ten Filipino smokers want new government policies to encourage smokers to switch to vaping and other less harmful alternatives, says a consumer study. New laws to regulate reduced-risk smoking alternatives are currently awaiting Presidential approval. The legislation would ban sales, promotion or advertising close to schools and playgrounds to ensure that minors don’t have access to vape products. Tobacco harm reduction groups said the new law could help save 16 million lives in the Philippines.

America’s favourite tobacco-free nicotine pouch* is now available in Extra Strong. New ZYN ® Cool Mint 9MG delivers a stronger kick of nicotine that lasts up to an hour, perfect for when you can’t smoke or vape. Pop one under your lip and no one will know it’s there. Just remember to wait for the ZYNGLE to let you know it’s working.

B-ARMY ANTI-VAPE MESSAGE

A tweet from the US Army’s Public Health Center sparked fury online after it spread the ‘irresponsible’ message that adult smokers should avoid smokefree products. It featured a cartoon of a vape and cigarette, warning that nicotine is ‘addictive’ and ‘harmful’ no matter how it’s delivered. Greg Conley of the American Vaping Association said: “Thrilled to see the US Army has joined the vaping wars and doesn’t feel a responsibility to give complete and accurate information to people who are willing to die for their country.”

EVERYONE DESERVES HARM REDUCTION

The UK’s leading vape advocacy group has teamed-up with Ipswich Night Shelter to help homeless people kick the habit. A number of UK Vaping Industry Association members – including Riot Labs, Oxford Vapours and V2 Cigs, have already donated hundreds of vape products under the partnership. The Ipswich Night Shelter has also set-up a designated vaping room to further help guests on their quitting journeys. Ben Johnson of Riot Squad said: “Harm reduction should touch all parts of society and we’re committed to helping people quit…no matter what their circumstances.”

HOW DID IT COME TO THIS?

In his latest – and final – SPOTLIGHT on Canada, celebrated director Aaron Biebert gave a sombre look at the country’s anti-vaping landscape. Throughout the ‘Without Us’ mini-doc, Biebert reflected on his own time investigating harm reduction in Canada and heard from doctors, experts and activists who all passionately defended vaping. Biebert also highlighted that the vaping community is being ‘bullied, shamed and ignored’, all while the short film’s haunting soundtrack asked: ‘How did it come to this?’

A MAGIC BULLET?

If you could travel through 360 different realities, vaping could help you quit smoking in 357 of them, new research has found. University of Michigan scientists used complex computer modelling, based on real world data, to determine the effectiveness of vaping in hundreds of possible scenarios. The study - A Magic Bullet? The Potential Impact of E-Cigarettes on the Toll of Cigarette Smoking - concluded: “On average, vaping-induced quitters gain an extra 1.2 to two years of life compared to smokers who quit without vaping.”

THE REAL COST OF SMOKING

Smoking costs England’s society an eyewatering £17 billion every year - £5 billion more than previously estimated – warns shocking new data. The Action on Smoking and Health report stressed that cigarettes and tobacco addiction are a significant burden, draining the NHS of more than £2 billion in annual funding alone. It also revealed that loss of productivity from smoking-related illness and death clocks in at over £13 billion and ‘fire costs’ total almost £300 million. The report added that, if England could ‘stub out smoking for good’, it could generate around 500,000 jobs and millions in public finances.

TAXED TO DEATH?

The Canadian government is being accused of putting tobacco tax revenues ahead of saving smokers’ lives. Geoff Russ, writing in The National Post, said vaping was the ‘biggest threat’ to tobacco tax revenues. He wrote: “Switching from cigarettes to vapes got millions away from inhaling deadly carcinogens. So why are Canadian governments so keen on punishing vapers and the vaping industry with new taxes and regulations? “Federal and provincial governments love the revenue tobacco brings them and will fight to protect it — even if it means high rates of smoking and more deaths.”

BILLY’S NIGHTMARE CONTINUES

Brit Billy Hood, jailed in Dubai after police found CBD vape liquid in his car, has had his prison sentence cut from 25 years to 10. The 25-year-old Londoner, who said the e-liquid belonged to a friend, is a former semi-professional footballer who moved to Dubai to coach young soccer players. His anguished mother Breda Guckion said: “Billy has done nothing wrong. He’s been told the charges against him have been dropped yet he is still there for another ten years...it’s heart-breaking.”

WHEN VAPING GETS TOO POPULAR… BAN FLAVOURS

Lithuania will ban flavoured e-liquids from July… apparently because vaping is becoming too popular in the country. Its MPs voted to ban all flavours, except tobacco, to reduce the appeal of e-cigarettes. Critics say it makes no sense to discourage vaping, especially as around 28 percent of Lithuanians smoke – five percent higher than the EU average. It is also illegal to sell e-liquids containing additives, vitamins, caffeine or other stimulating compounds under current laws.

QUIT-E THE STRUGGLE

Smoking doesn’t just impact physical health but can ‘wreak havoc on your self-esteem and mental wellbeing’ too, say vape advocates. Longtime smoker turned harm reduction activist Janine Timmons recently tweeted about the toll that failed quitting attempts can have on your self-worth. She said: “With every failed attempt I felt worse and resigned myself to an abbreviated life…but quitting in two weeks by switching to vaping restored my self-pride.” Hundreds flocked to the post, echoing the message that kicking the habit through vaping can liberate smokers and praising Janine for shedding light on the often-overlooked struggle.

THIS SHOULD BE EASY

US regulators are being told that allowing smokers to switch to less harmful alternatives should be an ‘easy decision’ to make. A briefing paper from lobbyists, ‘Citizens Against Government Waste’, said current US government policy made no sense. It said: “The success of THR products in England, Sweden, and other countries should be followed to help reduce the harm caused by smoking cigarettes. Yet Congress and federal bureaucrats have instituted regressive taxes, strict regulations and outright bans on harm reduction products.”

WHAT IF YOU’RE WRONG?

An ex-World Health Organization director has condemned the health body’s harm reduction denialism, marking yet another devastating blow to the WHO’s reputation.

Words: Jordan Millar

The World Health Organization should be ‘embarrassed’ after a former WHO director accused the body of ‘losing its way’ in tobacco control.

Speaking at an international harm reduction summit, a former director of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion for the WHO, slammed the group’s ‘shameful’ anti-vaping attitude.

Professor Robert Beaglehole, who worked alongside the health body for almost five decades, warned that the WHO needs to ‘lead’ and ‘not obstruct’ harm reduction strategies.

And with tobacco killing more than eight million people every year, he said it’s high-time the World Health Organization ‘actively promoted reduced risk products’.

Beaglehole said: “There’s a much-needed sense of urgency in tackling this huge death toll and the WHO has to be at the forefront of these next steps.”

The longstanding public health expert stressed that the WHO has allowed funding from ‘vested interests’ to muddy its approach to harm reduction.

He highlighted that the infamously antivaping Bloomberg Philanthropies alone has supported the health group’s tobacco control efforts ‘to the tune of at least $1 billion’.

Beaglehole said: “Regrettably, this source of funding has been detrimental to the WHO, because of Bloomberg’s personal prohibitionist approach to less harmful, effective alternatives.

“The missing ingredient is harm reduction… but, under pressure from Bloomberg, the WHO has actively discouraged the use of less harmful products…madness you might say.”

The Action for Smokefree Aotearoa (ASH) Chair, also outlined a desire for nicotine abstinence, a refusal to embrace less harmful products and an undue focus on youth use as reasons why the WHO’s tobacco control policies have failed.

He called for an independent enquiry into the World Health Organization’s tobacco control leadership, as well as a ‘relentless’ and ‘urgent’ focus on reducing deaths in adult smokers.

Beaglehole said: “We clearly require

a coordinated global response, so no country, no population, is left behind.

“The WHO needs our support in coming back to an evidence-based organisation that promotes ALL the relevant strategies for reducing this health burden.”

He added: “I would ask my WHO colleagues and harm reduction denialists ‘what if you’re wrong?’

“The cost will be huge and measured in millions of preventable deaths…this seems to me a totally unnecessary and unacceptable risk to take.”

Harm reduction advocates have since called for Beaglehole’s recommendations to be ‘taken seriously’, saying that his harsh critique has left a ‘significant dent’ in the WHO’s authority.

Martin Cullip of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance’s Consumer Center said: “Such criticism from a former director should be deeply embarrassing to the WHO.

“Surely it cannot continue to tread a nicotine-prohibitionist path forever while people die unnecessarily and the scientific evidence in favour of harm reduction continues to grow?”

There’s a muchneeded sense of urgency in tackling this huge death toll and the WHO has to be at the forefront of these next steps.

“ “

INCREDULOUS, LAUGHABLE AND EXTREMELY WORRYING

Advocates hit back at The Lancet - one of the world’s most respected medical journalsafter it published a ‘misleading’ and ‘one-sided’ report against vaping.

Words: Jordan Millar

A leading medical journal is under fire for publishing an ‘incredulous, laughable and extremely worrying’ anti-vaping article.

The shocking report was littered with ‘completely untrue’ statements about lifesaving e-cigarettes, even claiming that there was no robust evidence to support them as an effective quitting tool.

Experts are now questioning why The Lancet – one of the world’s oldest medical journals - would feature a report that so

boldly ‘ignores evidence’, especially given its dedication to ‘publishing excellence’ and ‘the best science’.

John Dunne of the UK Vaping Industry Association said: “Worryingly this isn’t just an article questioning the clinical evidence basis for vaping as a harm reduction tool.

“This is an insult to all the independent companies who have not just contributed positively to public health, but have created huge numbers of jobs and one of the fastest growing industries this century.”

The UKVIA director general added: “We have the greatest respect for the medical profession, but for one of its leading journals to carry this article is quite unbelievable.”

Dunne said that everything about the report ‘smacks of anti-vaping propaganda’, with the ‘Another Public Health Catastrophe’ article even suggesting that the vaping industry exists simply to ‘line the pockets’ of Big Tobacco.

But with 95 percent of the UKVIA’s own membership having ‘no affiliation’ to tobacco companies, Dunne argued that the

report’s claims were far from the truth. What was perhaps most alarming was the article’s ‘laughable’ attempt to dismiss provaping findings from Public Health England, claiming that they contradict the rest of the world.

However, Dunne highlighted a host of respected organisations that recognise the harm reduction potential of vaping, including Cancer Research UK and the Royal College of Physicians.

He said: “It’s these types of one-sided and

misleading articles that leave smokers and vapers confused.

Dunne added: “Such a highly respected journal as the Lancet should know better when running articles and look at all the evidence and opinions across the healthcare spectrum.

“As a responsible industry, we’re more than up for continued independent clinical research into the long-term impact of vaping, to prove once and for all that vaping is the biggest public health prize seen this century.”

We have the greatest respect for the medical profession, but for one of its leading journals to carry this article is quite unbelievable.

THIS AIN’T VETO-VER YET

In a bittersweet victory for harm reduction, officials overturned Denver’s controversial vape flavour ban… only to call for statewide regulations instead.

Words: Jordan Millar

In a tornado of regulatory changes, last minute vetoes and political opposition, vape brands in Denver have dodged the bullet…for now.

After months of fierce debate and lobbying, policymakers passed a devastating flavour ban, which would see lifesaving vaping products outlawed city-wide.

However, the bill – which also extended to flavoured cigars and tobacco – was revoked just three days later.

In a moment of triumph for the vape industry, Denver’s Mayor Michael Hancock, blocked the measure, protecting both small businesses and thousands who rely on flavoured e-liquids to quit.

Desperate to push the bill through, antivaping policymakers tried to overturn

Hancock’s decision…but they failed once again.

Supporters of the ban claimed flavoured e-liquids were fuelling the alleged ‘youth epidemic’, accusing the Mayor of ‘succumbing to tobacco industry pressure’ and missing a ‘tremendous public health opportunity’.

However, critics said that attacking e-cigarettes and flavours because of ‘stoked up’ concerns about youth use could have disastrous consequences, calling vaping a ‘breakthrough in smoking cessation’.

Kevin Garcia, a tobacco harm reduction fellow for Filter Mag, wrote: “Vaping products are significantly more effective as cessation tools than traditional nicotine replacement therapies. “And sadly, Denver’s ban is likely to encourage an illicit market, increase

criminalisation and deter people from quitting the cigarettes that cost so many lives.”

He added: “The campaign against vaping is an egregious example of drugwar fear-mongering…prohibition, as we should know by now, creates many harms.”

Critics also highlighted that a blanket ban spelt doom for small businesses, who could take a serious financial hit, or even close, under the draconian restrictions.

Art Way of the Drug Policy Alliance said: “Out of all the places where these bans have passed, there are no provisions that do anything for the users.

“It’s all about how we can punish the sellers…and in this case, the sellers. you’re punishing are the mom-and-pop

tobacco harm reductionists.”

Experts are now warning that, while vapers won the battle to protect flavours, there’s no time to celebrate.

In the same letter overruling the city-wide ban, Hancock encouraged the idea of regional or statewide measures instead, which could outlaw vape flavours across Colorado.

He said that, while he wants to tackle youth nicotine use, the proposed ban would ‘fall short’, adding that his veto wasn’t meant to stop the conversation, but ‘broaden it’ instead.

Michelle Minton, a lifestyle economist and provaping advocate, said: “If you’re in Denver, it’s time to get busy speaking with and educating your representatives in government before this proposal comes back…

“…the veto just bought you about two years of time, at best.”

The campaign against vaping is an egregious example of drug-war fearmongering… prohibition, as we should know by now, creates many harms.

“ “

WORST QUITTING ADVICE EVER?

Ignoring the fact that vaping has helped millions of smokers kick the habit, the US CDC advises

taking up bird watching to quit cigarettes.

Words: Patrick Griffin

merica’s national public health agency has been ridiculed for suggesting that smokers should take up bird watching to help them quit.

The Centres for Disease Control offered the following advice on social media: “Bird watching is a great way to de-stress and keep your mind off nicotine cravings.

“Watch some birds and help your smoke-free life soar.”

The tweet was accompanied by a GIF, showing a number of people enjoying the delights of bird watching alongside the message: “Eyes on the skies and your mind off cravings.”

As soon as it posted the advice to the 36,000 followers on its @CDCTobaccoFree Twitter account, the US health agency was ridiculed by vape activists from around the world.

Lance Churchill, a US lawyer and vaping advocate said the advice ignored the most successful quit smoking tool ever invented.

He said: “So ‘bird watching’ is your latest NRT theory? 480K Americans die from smoking every year and this is your recommendation, when the

A “most successful smoking cessation product in history – vaping - is available to smokers?

“Even @CDCgov has admitted that 5M smokers have quit by vaping.”

Charles A. Gardner, Executive Director for the International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organizations added that advice like this served only to diminish the credibility of the CDC.

He replied: “The more you share evidence-free advice like this, the more you erode public trust in all CDC health advice.”

CDC health advice.

The more you share evidence-free advice like this, the more you erode public trust in all

To the @CDCTobaccoFree Comms Team: The more you share evidence-free advice like this, the more you erode public trust in all @CDCgov health advice.

I just did a careful search of the literature for any evidence that bird watching helps smokers quit or stay quit. Nope.

They’ve also misinformed the public to dissuade them from quitting smoking with the most effective means of doing so. Trust them as a smoker and you will likely die in misery from cancer, COPD, or heart disease along with 480,000 other trusting Americans every year.

I honestly thought this was joke, CDC can’t possibly be suggesting “bird watching” to quit smoking? @BridgetR0309

So “bird watching” is your latest NRT theory?

480K Americans die from smoking every year and this is your recommendation when the most successful smoking cessation product in history--vaping--is available to smokers?

Even @CDCgov has admitted that 5M smokers have quit by vaping.

Is this real life? You are suggesting bird watching for smoking cessation? Luckily you are a defunct org that no one trusts anymore. Worst advice ever.

I am guessing that no one that works for CDC Tobacco Free has ever smoked. The tips you give are absolutely useless to people who are trying to quit smoking.

YES PRIME MINISTER!

leader to openly celebrate vaping…while introducing a radical new generational ban on smoking.

Words: Jordan Millar

In a huge triumph for harm reduction, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern endorsed vaping on national TV.

This marks the first time a world leader openly and clearly acknowledged the public health benefits of e-cigarettes, with Ardern praising them as ‘important tools’ to help people stop smoking. She said: “We know that half of those who take up smoking will die from its effects and I think everyone’s in agreement that we need to find safer alternatives and ways for them to quit.

“We’ve already seen vaping used by people as a tool to stop smoking…we know that it is making a difference.”

Ardern highlighted that the success of vaping has enabled policymakers to tackle tobacco use and push towards their ambitious smoke-free 2025 goal. And while she knows people will want to debate the use of e-cigarettes amongst New Zealand’s youth, the PM said her focus was currently on preventing people from taking up smoking in the first place.

Michael Landl of the World Vapers’ Alliance applauded Ardern’s move and encouraged other political leaders to follow suit.

The WVA director said: “The science and experiences of millions of vapers show that it is the most efficient smoking cessation tool and finally politicians are recognising this as well.

“I see this as a huge step in the right direction for vapers and public

health in general…I hope more country leaders will do the same.”

The PM’s endorsement of e-cigarettes came as New Zealand officials announced a series of radical new measures set to stub out smoking.

Under the laws, Kiwis aged 14 and younger will never be able to legally purchase tobacco products with the goal of creating a smoke-free generation.

And with 80 percent of smokers picking up the habit before they turn 18, officials hope this new regulation will see cigarette use plummet.

The ban comes alongside a slew of ‘world leading’ measures that would restrict access to cigarettes for the nation’s near 500,000 smokers.

Associate health minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said: “Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand and, while we are heading in the right direction, we need to do more.

“We want to make sure young people never start, so we will make it an offence to sell or supply tobacco products to new cohorts of youth…this is a historic day for the health of our people.”

She added that the legal purchasing age for tobacco products –currently 18 – will increase year on year, eventually eradicating smoking completely.

THE STRICT NEW LAWS WILL ALSO INCLUDE:

• Significantly reducing the number of retailers that can sell cigarettes

• Lowering the nicotine content in cigarettes and

• Funding health promotion activities that support the smoke-free target.

While critics argued that these stringent measures infringe on the freedom on New Zealanders and would only lead to a black market for tobacco products, Dr. Verrall said they were a necessary step to end the smoking epidemic.

She said: “At the current rate of progress, it is expected to take decades to reach smoke free 2025 for all…we only have four years.

“This plan is therefore unapologetically bold…no single intervention will get us there; it will take a package of measures to reach our goal.”

Dr Verrall continued: “We have a smoke-free future in our sights and I am proud to be a part of it and ask every New Zealander to join in making our country one where every child can grow up in an environment free from the destruction that smoking causes.”

The science and experiences of millions of vapers show that it is the most efficient smoking cessation tool and finally politicians are recognising this as well.

CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION

Advocates welcomed new data showing record-high e-cigarette use in the UK, despite the plague of anti-vaping ‘smear’ campaigns and misinformation.

Words: Jordan Millar

Vaping in the UK has reached record-breaking new heights, while cigarette-use has plummeted to the lowest rates in years, say experts.

New figures from the Office of National Statistics revealed that the nation’s e-cigarette use skyrocketed over the past six years, with more than three million people currently using the reduced risk alternative.

It showed that the number of UK smokers turned vapers had jumped from 11.7 percent to 12.3 percent, while the country’s number of dual users increased by more than two percent.

Advocates called the data a testament to the vigilant efforts of dedicated pro-vaping campaigners, who fight tirelessly to promote the lifesaving public health prize.

John Dunne of the UKVIA said: “What these figures tell me is that the powerful anti-vaping lobby’s best attempts to smear e-cigarettes’ effectiveness are simply not working.

“Vaping advocates, on the other hand, have the science, political will and, increasingly, the healthcare sector’s support for increased use of vaping to help smokers give up their habits for good.”

The ONS ‘Smoking Prevalence in the UK’ report also revealed that the number of adult smokers had fallen below 14 percent for the first time since 2015.

It highlighted that, while cigarette use spiked to 16.3 percent during the pandemic, rates eventually dropped down to an optimistic 13.8 percent.

The UK Vaping Industry Association Director General said that, while the brief increase in smoking could be pinned to ‘pandemic anxieties’, the fact that many vape retailers were forced to close their doors could also be a ‘significant contributing factor’.

He added that the boost in vaping rates and dramatic drop in cigarette use was ‘cause to celebrate’.

John Dunne said: “This is a hugely welcome announcement as everyone on the side of harm reduction knows that vaping is far less harmful than smoking.

“This momentum is at long last cutting through the nonsense and misinformation about vaping to give consumers the confidence they need to take that crucial step towards transitioning away from smoking combustible tobacco.”

What these figures tell me is that the powerful anti-vaping lobby’s best attempts to smear e-cigarettes’ effectiveness are simply not working.

Your Favorites.

THE END OF AN ERA?

Words: Jordan Millar

In a ‘huge loss’ for public health and a dark day for harm reduction, the world-renowned Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group announced it will close its doors in March 2023.

This comes after its primary income source – the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) – cut its funding for all Cochrane review groups.

The news sent shockwaves across the industry, with critics questioning why the NIHR axed its grant for such a widely

respected group and brought an end to the CTAG’s 30-year-long legacy.

Public health researcher Gareth Hollands said: I’m very sorry to see this decision, the Cochrane TAG produces so much high-quality and useful evidence that it will undoubtably impact the global efforts to reduce tobacco harms.

“I fail to see how the benefits of a stable presence, extraordinary, accrued expertise and knowledge can be replaced…Cochrane Review Groups should be cherished.”

Critics stressed that, with all the misinformation and controversy that

plagues the vape industry, a science-led voice of reason can be hard to come by.

They said that the end of the CTAG – which is responsible for a catalogue of evidenceled reviews highlighting the lifesaving potential of vaping – would only hurt harm reduction efforts.

However, a spokesperson for the independent body said it is developing a new review production model that could allow it to continue its work, even after Cochrane ‘ceases to exist’.

They said: “While we are not certain what the future holds, we are grateful to have

After losing millions in funding, one of vaping’s most revered and celebrated review groups is racing to secure its future.

benefitted for so many years of stable funding from the NIHR.

“In response to this situation, Cochrane has decided to disband…but we’d like to be clear that the reasons for the NIHR’s decision have nothing to do with CTAG individually, or any of our work.” The spokesperson added that the group is ‘optimistic’ about securing alternative funding, saying that the CTAG ‘will continue its research’…just not as a part of Cochrane. Following the announcement, Vapouround Editor Patrick Griffin said: “I was deeply saddened to learn that the CTAG will soon

be phased out…this is truly the end of an era.

“I would like to thank the group for its continued diligence, its pursuit of the evidence and all that it has done for global tobacco harm reduction efforts.

He hoped that the CTAG’s crucial work could continue long after the 2023 deadline, saying that the loss of this ‘pragmatic’ and ‘respected’ review body would ‘no doubt leave a void in tobacco research’.

The NIHR was unavailable for comment.

I fail to see how the benefits of a stable presence, extraordinary accrued expertise and knowledge can be replaced…Cochrane Review Groups should be cherished.

Words: Jordan Howes

For a while now, the smell of lingering tobacco on my clothing has become overwhelmingly suffocating and I worry about my future health if I don’t quit smoking.

I’ve heard that vaping has helped many to switch, but I never gave it much serious thought until now.

The mess of convoluted and contradictory data out there has always put me off.

Some websites say vaping is a ‘healthier’ alternative to cigarettes, but others conclude that it’s ‘as bad, if not worse’, than smoking. And the ‘science’ is hardly helpful either.

Certain studies claim that vaping is not very effective in helping smokers quit but other sources (including the NHS) suggest that thousands across the UK have successfully stopped smoking with the help of e-cigarettes.

Which is it?

With cigarettes I know I inhale around 7,000 different chemicals –many of which are carcinogenic and linked to many life-threatening

conditions. Vaping removes combustion from the equation and I’m excited to learn that Public Health England regards it as 95 percent less harmful than smoking.

I owe it to myself to give this a try.

The extensive choice of hardware available is staggering and a little overwhelming but after a lot of research, I choose a relatively humble £30 pod kit from what seemed like a reputable online vape company and gave it a go.

The first few days were difficult as I got used to a new sensation, but I soon found that the cigarette cravings had gone.

I haven’t thought about lighting-up once and the smell of blackcurrant is much more pleasant than stale cigarette smoke.

The experience so far has been eye-opening and if I can use vaping to completely cut out smoking from my life then this will be a huge success for me.

It’s early days yet, but I am now more determined than ever to make smoking a thing of the past.

Criminology graduate Jordan Howes, 26, started smoking when he was 15 and, like many, always wanted to stop but never could… until he discovered vaping.

Join the UKVIA

Become a member of the UK’s largest and fastest growing trade body representing the vaping industry.

So why should you join?

• Support from an ever-growing network of industry leaders & regulatory specialists.

• Strengthened by our global alliances with the leading international trade bodies.

• Engagement with political, regulatory and public health stakeholders.

We are a fully inclusive, non-profit organisation owned and run by its members, with a wide range of membership levels to suit your business and your budget. “

• Added credibility for your business as a recognised member and feature prominently on our members area and store finder.

• Exclusive access to a members resource hub and chat group.

• Free age verification resources and member discounts. ...and much more

Being a member of the UKVIA enables VPZ to be part of the wider engagement and education around the vaping industry with public health bodies and beyond by working together with other likeminded and professional companies that are part of the sector. UKVIA provides a great platform to help realise the the evidence-based life changing public health benefits of vaping products.

Mutter, UKVIA Board Member and Manufacturing and Compliance Director at VPZ

For

Doug

MEET IRELAND’S YOUNGEST VAPING ENTREPRENEUR

Words: Patrick Griffin

Vape store owner Eoin O’Boyle is a man on a mission.

He has a passion for vaping which extends far beyond just offering smokers a proven way to quit.

When the 23-year-old talks about vaping and the enormous power for good it can be, he does so with almost religious zeal. It is easy to imagine him standing at the pulpit, delivering a fireand-brimstone sermon on the evils of traditional cigarettes while exalting the praises of vaping. But the reality is far, far different, as the ever-growing number of customers at his vape store can attest.

He owns OB Vape in Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland, 35 miles north of Dublin.

It is a real family business. Eoin’s mum Majella is the retail manager while dad Declan and brothers David and Connor also help out at the popular store.

Eoin, who is also the spokesperson for Vape Business Ireland, seemed destined to end up in retail. As a four-year-old he would spend hours at his local grocery store, happily rearranging the stock on the shelves (at least the shelves he could reach.)

A year later saw him selling crisps and chocolate to friends and by the time he was ten he had become so good at pool that he was teaching older lads how to play. Like many youngsters growing up in Ireland it was not long before Eoin started smoking.

He said: “I started smoking at school because it was the culture at the time and I enjoyed the nicotine. “There was the macho image of smoking cigarettes and also trying to fit in.

“When I ask customers at the shop when they started smoking the most common answer is between 12 and 14.

“Thank God I discovered vaping otherwise I would still be smoking now.”

Vaping literally changed his life and allowed him to set up a business where he could spend every day helping change the lives of others too.

Eoin said: “I won’t let anyone under 18 buy vaping products in my shop, but there are no laws in Ireland to limit sales to young people and that is why I became spokesperson for Vape Business Ireland.

“We need laws to protect children while giving adult smokers

access to the vaping products they need to get them off cigarettes.”

He added: “I help thousands of people quit smoking every year and there are other shops around the country doing the same.

“Yet the national quit service for Ireland doesn’t support vaping, which is the most effective tool that smokers have to help them give up cigarettes.

“We need to help people, many of whom have been addicted to smoking for 30 years or more and give them a safer alternative.

“I have customers who, a year ago, could not even walk up the stairs, but after they switched to vaping they were running around with their children and having a great life.”

Eoin has built up such a loyal following that around 95 percent of his customers are regulars and he knows them all by name.

He said: “My mission is to have the best vape shop and my real passion is to help people quit smoking.

“For me, the most amazing feeling in the world, is when you see someone come in and you can make a genuine positive impact on their life.

“My mission is to achieve a tobacco-free Ireland, because the government’s current strategy will take 100 years to get there when the solution is right in front of them…vaping.”

My mission is to have the best vape shop and my real passion is to help people quit smoking.

THE WORLD’S FIRST CARBON NEGATIVE DISPOSABLE E-CIGARETTE:

THE NEW QBAR BY RIOT

Environmental impact of e-cigarettes

Disposable e-cigarettes have taken the e-cigarette market and vape industry by storm due to their ease of use, convenience and maintenance-free nature. As a result, they are the best product to quit smoking with...but they come at a cost.

Millions of disposables that were sold last year are now in landfills, as they’re not designed to be recycled. Even if the consumer believes they are recycling their device at local recycling centres, most devices end up in landfills.

Therefore, because disposables are such effective devices to quit smoking, Riot Eliquid has spent the last 12 months engineering a solution to the issue.

QBAR by Riot is the world’s first carbon negative disposable e-cigarette

Introducing the world’s first sustainable disposable, fully recyclable, carbonnegative, bio-plastic e-cigarette: QBAR by Riot. It is made from PLA plastic, a bioplastic made from cornstarch so no fossil fuels are used in the making of itit’s also 75% less carbon-intensive than traditional plastics.

All parts of the device are engineered to be recycled, including the battery, casing and mouthpiece. As part of the new Riot Recycle Scheme, Riot Eliquid has developed a recycling program where devices are deposited in recycling bins at locations nationwide. Riot Recycle Electric vehicles will then collect them and all elements of the devices will be recycled. This new sustainable disposable is nothing like anything that’s been seen before - a game-changer within the vaping industry.

Riot Eliquid is using their business to be a catalyst for change in the vaping industry, encouraging businesses and individuals to do their bit to combat climate change. They’re working with some of the best minds in sustainability to maintain their

carbon negative status, with ambitious plans to reach zero waste by 2025.

QBAR product features & benefits

QBAR consists of 10 unique flavours all of which are existing Riot Eliquid, UK-made award-winning best sellers; Triple Mint, Sweet Strawberry, Cherry Fizz, Blue Burst, Mango Peach & Pineapple, Grape Ice, Classic Tobacco, Strawberry & Blueberry Ice, Menthol Ice and Watermelon Ice.

There are three options of nicotine strengths available (20mg, 10mg, and 0mg), so consumers can choose the right nicotine strength that best suits their needs with the option to reduce their nicotine intake completely with a 0mg.

QBAR is unique to the industry because it’s the first carbon negative and fullyrecyclable disposable which has been manufactured with recycling in mind.

As well as using less carbon intensive materials, Riot Eliquid is taking it one step further by offsetting double the amount of carbon they used for production through tree planting and direct carbon capture. They’ll also be donating 5% of profits to charities within the UK and abroad.

QBAR POS & Marketing Opportunities

To display the QBAR disposables, Riot Eliquid are offering retailers various POS including; CDUs, posters, window stickers, Riot Rip up the Rule Book, shelf huggers, strut cards, Riot Recycle bins, shelf wobblers, counter mat and flavour cards.

To enquire about stocking QBAR and becoming a Riot Recycle Centre, please contact Riot Eliquid at sale@bemoreriot.com.

Riot Eliquid’s new QBAR disposable, a sustainable vaping solution to help your customers quit smoking.

LAST YEAR FELT LIKE A WATERSHED FOR VAPING BUT IT’S ONLY THE BEGINNING

Words: John Dunne, Director General, UKVIA

Last year felt like a huge watershed moment for those of us who advocate vaping as the best method for helping people quit smoking.

Not only was there a significant political shift in favour of vaping, but you could feel the groundswell of support emanating from the healthcare sector.

Key developments included vape devices being trialled for smokers attending A&E departments and the Department for Health announcing that e-cigs might soon be prescribed to smokers.

Then, at the end of 2021, we had the long-awaited smoking prevalence figures from the Office of National Statistics that showed not only that adult smoking rates were down, but that vaping had hit an all time UK high.

While all of this is important, to me it feels like we are still at the beginning of our mission, or at least on the first rung of the ladder

Lots of work and campaigning is still needed so that vaping – and all the hard-working businesses that keep the industry going –receives the widespread acceptance it deserves.

So, here are a few of the challenges and opportunities we face in 2022:

TOBACCO AND RELATED PRODUCTS REVIEW (TRPR) – this much delayed report will look at how the UK can tackle smoking prevalence in a post-Brexit world, where we can govern ourselves free of the shackles of the EU. The UKVIA submitted a landmark package of recommendations to the TRPR consultation, called a Blueprint for Better Regulation, aimed at maximising the public health benefits of vaping and bolstering ambitions for a “Smokefree 2030”.

TOBACCO CONTROL PLAN (TCP) – another item delayed from last year, this is the process by which the government aims to tackle smoking, which remains the single largest cause of preventable death and the biggest cause of cancer worldwide. The UKVIA has been at the centre of political debates on the TCP, briefing ministers and MPs on the benefits of vaping and supporting the work of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Vaping.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT – from the rise in popularity of disposable vaping goods to the components and plastics in reusable vaping devices, everyone in the vaping industry is acutely aware of its impact on the environment and responsibility towards sustainability. As an Association we talk to our members about this constantly and wherever innovation is shown we will share as best practice.

NON-COMPLIANT VAPING PRODUCTS – crackdowns and raids on unscrupulous sellers of non-compliant products have continued ever since the launch of our campaign to combat this illicit trade was launched last year. We will continue working closely with our partners in Trading Standards and the MHRA to do everything we can to stamp out the sale of non-compliant goods which have the potential to stain our entire industry.

HEALTHCARE – while great strides have been made in getting vaping accepted by health services there’s a huge amount of education work to be done. We have written to more than 300 NHS Trusts across the UK offering support and advice to healthcare workers, to give them the confidence to properly show smokers how to use vaping to give up their habits. In addition, we’ve partnered with the Smoke Free App and launched a “healthcare hub” at WWW.UKVIA.CO.UK

ANTI-VAPING PROPAGANDA – this has been a constant battle in recent years and nothing tells me that it won’t continue into 2022 and beyond. The World Health Organization, funded by the Bloomberg billions, shows no indications that it will budge from its anti-science position that there “isn’t enough data” about vaping. This is despite organisations such as the former Public Health England, Cancer Research UK and, most recently, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence publicly backing the use of e-cigarettes in smoking cessation services.

LEVELLING UP – all evidence points towards an indisputable correlation between smoking prevalence and deprivation...in short the poorer people are, the more likely they are to smoke. We believe that, as part of the Government’s levelling up agenda, it needs to address this life-shortening issue and promote vaping in these areas of deprivation alongside other nicotine replacement therapies such as gums and patches.

FIGHTING MISPERCEPTIONS – from the EVALI scare to the fear of “popcorn lung”, myths and misperceptions about vaping have swirled around online and in print for more than a decade. Every few days a new story appears in the media linking vaping to anything from erectile disfunction to helping spread COVID! Wherever we get the chance we will provide rebuttals to this nonsense – much of it driven by the desire to publish “clickbait” headlines – and try to keep some sanity in these discussions focusing on science, evidence and plain old common sense!

While great strides have been made in getting vaping accepted by health services there’s a huge amount of education work to be done.

m i c r o

/ˈmīkrō/

(adj ) e x t r emely sm all, p o c k et s i z e

MYLÉ ’ s new Micro device is just that, a tiny handheld device that can claim to be one of the smallest, most compact devices on the market Featherweight, sleek, compact, easy to use, a pleasure to hold and one that delivers great flavor

MYLÉ ’s new Micro device is just that, a tiny handheld device that can claim to be one of the smallest, most compact devices on the market. Featherweight, sleek, compact, easy to use, a pleasure to hold and one that delivers great flavor.

VAPING GETS ITS OWN SUPERVILLAINS

The Consumer Choice Center launched a comical collection of NRTs, highlighting some of the most controversial public policy ‘supervillains’.

Words: Jordan Millar

An international grassroots advocacy group has joined the growing NFT craze with the release of its ‘Consumer Choice Supervillains’ collection.

Inspired by iconic retro Pokémon trading cards, these one-of-a-kind digital collectables feature some of the most notorious names in public policy.

Including well-known characters from healthcare, politics, philanthropy and the silver screen, the Consumer Choice Center hopes its new line of non-fungible tokens will help fund the ‘fight for more freedom’.

Yaël Ossowski, deputy director of the CCC said: “When it comes to discussions about policies, especially those around vaping, we all know there are supervillains out there.

“We thought it important to highlight why these public figures’ statements and actions on harm reduction have run contrary to the broader goals of public health.”

Amongst the CCC’s league of ‘villains’ are the infamously anti-vaping billionaire Michael Bloomberg and World Health Organization director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom.

The one-off tokens also featured Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids president Matt Myers and acting FDA commissioner Janet Woodcock, who are both criticised around the globe for their actions against the lifesaving alternative.

However, it wasn’t just anti-vape crusaders who made the cut, with the virtual cards also including Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, US President ‘Sleepy’ Joe Biden and award-winning Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo.

Michael Landl of the World Vapers’ Alliance praised the ‘hilarious’ NFTs as a new and innovative way to support consumer choice and defend reduced risk products.

The WVA director said: “Innovation is the main driver to make our world better and vaping is arguably the greatest innovation in the public health area over the past few decades.

“In the same way blockchain is changing the way we do business; both these technologies should be embraced instead of feared.”

The ‘Consumer Choice Supervillains’ tokens are currently available to buy from leading NFT marketplace OpenSea, currently priced at around $200 each.

When it comes to discussions about policies, especially those around vaping, we all know there are supervillains out there.

Warning - This product may contain nicotine which is a highly addictive substance

Harm reduction powerhouse Charles A. Gardner is putting his money where his mouth is and offering a lucrative bounty for any REAL proof that vaping is deadly.

The neurobiologist and renowned advocate said he would give $100 to anyone with concrete evidence that nicotine vaping has killed even one of its 68 million users.

And with donations from likeminded consumers and activists, the modest prize pot quickly swelled to an attractive $1,600.

The question now is whether or not anti-vaping groups will step up to the challenge and provide proof of just one person who died from using nicotine e-cigarettes in the past two decades.

Lance Churchill, attorney and harm reduction advocate, asked infamous anti-vaping groups Parents Against Vaping and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids why they haven’t collected the reward.

He said: “Is it because you can’t find even one death from nicotine vaping from anywhere in the world?”

Others suggested that the cash prize would need a ‘few more zeros’ to attract the attention of anti-vaping organisations, with the contributions from consumers being nothing more than ‘small change’.

Along with the call for evidence, Gardnerexecutive director for the International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organizations (INNCO)outlined a handful of exceptions where he would not pay out including:

• EVALI deaths can NOT be blamed on nicotine vaping

• Allergic reactions can happen with anything - including ingredients in e-cigarettes – this doesn’t mean vaping itself is deadly and,

• Killing an existing nicotine vaper won’t land you the prize pot.

He added that, even if anti-vapers could prove one death caused by nicotine vaping, e-cigarettes would still be a lot less harmful than cigaretteswhich have killed more than 120 million people in the last 20 years.

Gardner said: “I’m sad about any death, but I wouldn’t be sad if they could prove one, or even 10 deaths, out of 68 million people.

“This would mean they’re admitting that e-cigarettes are among the safest consumer products on earth.”

YET ANOTHER WIN FOR HARM REDUCTION

Advocates say arguments against vaping are ‘weak’ and ‘nonsensical’ as the UK’s leading health watchdog includes e-cigarettes in its stop smoking guidance.

Words: Jordan Millar

The UK has long stood as a shining beacon for tobacco harm reduction, spearheading the international effort to stub out smoking.

Its pro-vaping policies and progressive approach have been the envy of advocates around the world, who time and again have pointed to the country’s gold standard regulations.

Now, in yet another win for the industry, the nation’s leading health watchdog has – for the first time - included vaping in its stop smoking guidelines.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s latest report stressed that e-cigarettes should be ‘accessible to all adult smokers’.

It also called on medical staff to give ‘clear’ and ‘up-to-date’ information on vaping to those who are considering it as a stop smoking tool.

The ground-breaking NICE report also urged experts to explain how to properly use vaping as a less harmful alternative.

Louise Ross, Interim Chair for the New Nicotine Alliance, said: “We welcome this guidance and hope healthcare professionals will feel more confident in supporting their patients to try vaping in order to stop smoking.”

She added that, if successful, the measures could cause a ‘significant fall’ in smoking rates, resulting in a ‘greater likelihood of achieving the Smokefree 2030 ambition’.

Supporters from across the country were quick to welcome the report, celebrating it as another victory in the ‘fight to stamp out smoking’.

John Dunne of the UK Vaping Industry Association said: “This new guidance is a significant milestone towards the mainstream acceptance that vaping is a safe and effective cessation method.

“Not only do we have the science on our side, but we now also have widespread support from the worlds of politics and health services.”

The UKVIA director general highlighted that, in the wake of mounting science and an expanding library of real-world evidence, the attacks on vaping are weakening.

He said: “Day by day the anti-vaping lobby’s arguments grow more nonsensical…to the point now where they’re pretty much an irrelevance.”

Not only do we have the science on our side, but we now also have widespread support from the worlds of politics and health services.

SHE MAY HAVE LOST HER SMALL-TOWN STORE…

impassioned

Words: Jordan Millar

The vaping community was shaken to the core after beloved harm reduction advocate Skip Murray announced she was shutting her business down for good.

One of the most inspiring voices in the industry, many were shocked to learn that she was the latest casualty in the war on vaping.

But, like thousands before her, Skip fell victim to a cocktail of misinformation, COVID-19 measures and a relentless wave of policy changes…forcing her to shut up shop.

She said: “I knew it was going to happen, but I tried to pretend it wasn’t…one of the first stages of grief is denial and that’s

where I was for a really long time. “I kept hoping that something would change, holding out that the world would come to its senses…I’m just going to miss helping people.”

Even in the face of misinformation and cutthroat regulations, Skip pushed forward for as long as possible.

She fought tirelessly to serve her community and keep her Minnesota-based shop – Lakes Vape and Rec Supply – alive, even using funds from her overnight job in a group home to keep the business afloat. But, despite pouring everything she had into the store, even Skip knew things had to come to an end.

Eventually, she accepted her fate, let her lease expire and what was once a beacon of hope for smokers in her small town

sadly closed its doors for the last time. Grandmother Skip, 60, said: “After a while my regulars became like family…so for me to close was not so much about losing a business, but about no longer being here for the people who’ve depended on us for years.

“Obviously I didn’t put the misinformation out there, I wasn’t responsible for the EVALI crisis and I didn’t start COVID…but it’s hard not to feel like a failure.”

After taking over the store in 2018 from her son – who made the switch after suffering a smoking-induced heart attack – Skip quickly integrated herself in the world of vaping.

And through her dedication to helping smokers - as well as her work in consumer advocacy and online activism – she rose to harm reduction stardom, becoming one

…but

vape advocate Skip Murray refuses to stop fighting for harm reduction and the lives of smokers.

of the most recognisable names in the community.

However, now that her store is closed, Skip warned that many of her lower income customers could be forced back to deadly tobacco cigarettes.

She said: “We’ve never been the highly polished, super hip big vape shop, it’s just not our market…we’re the working man’s place.

“And I’m really concerned that some of my really low-income customers will end up going back to smoking…and I’m going to feel responsible.”

Skip explained that many of her regulars came in on the last day to stock up with as many supplies as possible and, in a lastditch effort to help them stay smoke free, she secretly doubled many of their orders.

She said: “Some of them bust out into tears they were so sad that we were closing… we’d built an attachment to each other.

“I knew when their grandkids were born; I know birthdays, wedding anniversaries and funerals…we are definitely small town.”

Skip has since vowed to continue fighting for the right to harm reduction, stressing that that the only real ‘winners and losers’ in the war between tobacco control and harm reduction are smokers.

She stressed that vaping is saving lives and that quitting advocacy is simply ‘not an option’…not until these crucial products are more accessible for smokers.

Looking to the future, Skip said: “I’ll continue advocating until I just can’t do it anymore, I’m not stopping while people are still dying every day, it’s not even a choice.”

I knew it was going to happen, but I tried to pretend it wasn’t…one of the first stages of grief is denial and that’s where I was for a really long time.

“ “

STOP SMOKING START VAPING

Words: Patrick Griffin

It is easy to see why Dr Colin Mendelsohn’s book ‘Stop Smoking Start Vaping – the healthy truth about vaping’ has been so highly praised.

It is a book designed to cut through the confusion, misinformation and bad science which has plagued the discussion about vaping for years.

‘Stop Smoking Start Vaping’ acts as a powerful antidote to the general anti-vaping bias which serves to keeps smokers addicted to deadly cigarettes.

Author Colin Mendelsohn is a smoking cessation expert who founded the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association.

It contains case studies of smokers who successfully quit with vaping, explains how it is different to smoking, tackles many myths about nicotine and has an entire chapter on the relative risks about smoking and vaping.

The book points out that there is ‘overwhelming scientific agreement that vaping is less harmful than smoking’ and then walks the reader through the evidence.

Written in plain English without complex jargon, there are ten chapters which explain everything a smoker needs to know to successfully make the switch.

This section covers everything from how devices work, how to choose e-liquid and how to vape safely.

It tackles, head on, some of the major vaping controversies, including the risk to young people, safety concerns, social justice and discusses common reasons that people oppose e-cigarettes.

For anyone who wants to learn the facts about vaping, this book should be required reading.

A new book designed to educate smokers about vaping is so good it is recommended as required reading for regulators and health care providers too.

DRALEXWODAK Director,AustralianTobaccoHarmReductionAssociation.

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PROFESSORRICCARDOPOLOSA

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LESSMANYWILLFINALLYUNDERSTANDTHEVALUEOFSWITCHINGTOE-CIGARETTESASAFAR HARMFULALTERNATIVETOSMOKINGTOBACCO.

SPEAK UP FOR VAPING

UK consumers have a vital role to play in preventing potential threats to the UK’s vaping industry…and here is how.

onsumers are being asked to speak up for the vape industry to protect it from overzealous regulation which could have far-reaching consequences for smokers and vapers alike.

Here Louise Ross, Chair of the UK’s New Nicotine Alliance, explains why it is vitally important that consumers understand the power they possess to help stave off ‘ominous’ threats to this reducedrisk alternative.

She explains that while the UK enjoys some of the most vapefriendly regulations in the world, this should never be taken for granted.

And she shows what needs to be down now, and in the future, to help ensure that the UK continues to be seen as setting the ‘gold standard’ for the way it helps smokers to use vaping to quit.

Words: Louise Ross

With the regulatory landscape around vaping products currently fairly settled, it is easy to become complacent and think that nothing is going to change, nothing needs to be done.

However, there are still significant potential threats which could emerge in the near future, so it is important that consumers stay alert and are prepared to make their voices heard.

In October, the UK government sent the clearest message yet of its backing of vaping by announcing that the MHRA will make it easier for manufacturers to apply for a medicinal license.

The NICE guidelines published in November also supported the use of vaping, equal with traditional licensed products such as NRTs and this could have an encouraging effect on smokers who have been reluctant to try vaping due to scare stories in the media.

However, it is worth noting that the government only sees vaping as a short-term smoking cessation option and wants them to quit vaping once they no longer use cigarettes. This could inadvertently push vapers back to smoking, by creating tension where it’s not needed.

The government does not endorse recreational vaping, and while the current policy does not state a time-limit on vaping, some public health activists talk about encouraging people to go nicotine-free as well as smoke-free, thus showing that they do not take account of the relative risks.

TOBACCO AND RELATED PRODUCTS REGULATIONS (TRPR)

Treatment of safer nicotine products is governed by the TRPR which is currently being updated following public consultation.

While we do not expect much to change with the TRPR, we must be on guard in case anything unfavourable is added at the behest of anti-vaping, prohibitionist opinion leaders in this space.

TOBACCO CONTROL PLAN

Similarly, the new Tobacco Control Plan is expected to be unveiled very soon and could well include recommendations for standardised

packaging of vape products.

This could see bans on colourful packaging, attractive designs and even possibly bans on some flavours deemed to be ‘child-friendly’ although there is currently no legal definition of this term.

The New Nicotine Alliance does not want to see young neversmokers starting vaping; this could fuel a moralistic frenzy as it has done in the USA.

We want to see a flourishing market, unhampered by overzealous regulation and a move towards risk-relative warnings on packaging.

THREATS FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION

It is also important not to imagine that threats from the EU have evaporated.

The EU Tobacco Excise Directive is being reviewed in early 2022 and it is almost certain that a minimum level of taxation for vaping and other safer nicotine products will be set.

Although the UK has left the EU it does not mean we will automatically escape these plans.

The UK has not yet diverged from EU regulations and may wish to adopt the same measures to harmonise trade with EU member states.

Treasury officials may like the idea of new taxes without realising the unintended consequences that higher prices may bring.

It is vital that safer nicotine products are kept more attractive to consumers than smoked products.

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

As well as sinister anti-vaping noises coming from Europe, we are also faced with the perennial threat of the WHO.

This is a body which is deeply hostile to nicotine use globally and is not showing any signs of changing; in fact, they seem to become more threatening day by day.

THE POWER OF CONSUMERS

Despite potential threats from regulators, it is still consumers who are the most powerful voice in the debate.

So if consumers do not want to see these ominous plans come to fruition, it’s important to speak up against them.

Doing this through the New Nicotine Alliance amplifies the power of individual voices.

The New Nicotine Alliance will continue to monitor the changing landscape towards harm reduction and will act on any threats as appropriate, but we cannot do so without the support of consumers.

We need UK consumers to continue to play their part by engaging with elected representatives and speaking up against proposals which may damage vaping in the UK.

GET IN TOUCH

If you feel you have something more to offer and would like to get involved in advocacy, we would love to hear from you.

Contact us on info@nnalliance.org to help us protect consumers into 2022 and beyond.

Despite potential threats from regulators, it is still consumers who are the most powerful voice in the debate.

PETITIONS, PROTESTS, PRESS RELEASES…AND MEMES!

WVA director Michael Landl is calling on the power of memes to promote the lifesaving potential of e-cigarettes and shut down anti-vaping misinformation.

Words: Jordan Millar

Celebrated advocate Michael Landl has already used an electric pink bus, cardboard cut outs and flavourless ice-cream to defend vaping… …but he also uses a growing library of memes to help push his message on a global scale.

Armed with his keyboard, a smorgasbord of iconic templates and a wicked sense of humour, the World Vapers’ Alliance director has taken the harm reduction fight online. His social media channels have quickly become a hot spot for entertaining – and in some cases, gut-wrenchingly funny – pro-vaping memes.

Here we highlight just a few of our favourites:

NICOTINE IS NOT YOUR ENEMY

Vape advocates from both sides of the Atlantic come together to highlight why the ‘futile’ war on nicotine harms public health.

Words: Patrick Griffin and Jordan Millar

The war on nicotine has been described as a ‘terribly unsuccessful exercise in futility’ as demands grow for it to end.

Two global vape advocacy groups have teamed up to show that when it comes saving smokers’ lives, nicotine is not the enemy.

The World Vapers’ Alliance and the Consumer Choice Center have highlighted six common nicotine myths to help end ‘the pointless and senseless war on nicotine and vaping in general.’

They have co-authored a briefing paper called ‘Nicotine is Not Your Enemy’ aimed at ‘governments, wealthy ‘philanthropists’, misguided activists and others waging a war against the wrong enemy.’

WVA Director Michael Landl said: “For decades, the war on nicotine has been a terribly unsuccessful exercise in futility – because the problem was never nicotine.

“So-called experts, media and politicians found a simple argument and a convenient scapegoat for an incredibly complex problem.

“They failed to prevent, as such, the deaths of millions of people around the world and they persist in their thinking to the detriment of 1.1 billion people.”

He said over the last decade, vaping has been shown to be the best method to help smokers quit and has proved to be a ‘stepping stone to life without cigarettes’.

Landl said the argument that vaping should be treated the same way as cigarettes because both contained nicotine, made no sense, especially as nicotine gums and patches were ‘celebrated, prescribed and recommended’ as a first step to quitting.

The WVA director went on: “Due to innovation, nicotine consumption can finally be decoupled from the hazardous effects of smoking and therefore help millions of smokers to improve their health.”

Nicotine consumption can finally be decoupled from the hazardous effects of smoking and therefore help millions of smokers to improve their health.

THE SIX MAIN POINTS

IN

THE PAPER ARE:

Current smokers must not be prevented from switching to vaping and other alternatives.

Yorkshire Cancer Research states: “There is no evidence that sustained use of nicotine alone increases the risk of cancer.

“Of the three main causes of death from smoking, none are caused by nicotine. The harm from smoking comes from the thousands of other chemicals in tobacco smoke.”

Nicotine has scientifically-proven therapeutic benefits for some people

From improving attention and working memory to other cognitiveenhancing effects, nicotine can have a positive health impact in some settings.

However, decades of demonising and association with cigarettes means ‘too many lawmakers and health agencies’ are blind to its potential.

Nicotine should be assessed without interference from the ‘antinicotine agenda’.

Nicotine in patches and gums is not a problem – neither is it when vaped or in a pouch

Nicotine is not considered a problem in conventional nicotine replacement therapy, therefore it cannot be a bigger problem in vaping.

A war on nicotine when vaped or consumed with pouches makes no sense, when at the same time it is no problem in patches or gums.

Misconceptions about nicotine are hindering progress

A majority of both the general public and physicians falsely believe that nicotine causes cancer.

If smokers believe that nicotine is the main factor of negative health effects, they have no reason to switch.

We can only fix the misconceptions on nicotine if smokers, experts and the general public are educated on the actual dangers of smoking.

Addiction is complex and not served by a war on nicotine

Nicotine is not the only culprit in smoking addiction.

If it were, people using nicotine replacement therapies would be able to ditch cigarettes immediately…but unfortunately that’s far from reality.

Smoking addiction is the result of a complex blend of nicotine, other ingredients and conditioned behaviour, so launching a war on nicotine alone isn’t enough to end the smoking epidemic.

Prohibition never works

Prohibition doesn’t work.

We don’t see moral panic over moderate beer consumption or caffeine intake and hence, have sensible discussions about regulation, public health policies and scientific research.

Unfortunately, when it comes to nicotine consumption such a rational approach is missing.

People consume nicotine, but they die from smoking

Warning - This product may contain nicotine which is a highly addictive substance

Warning - This product may contain nicotine which is a highly addictive substance

‘LET BLOOMBERG RUN THE WHO’

World Vape Show London heard that the United Nations health body was failing smokers when it came to tobacco control.

Words: Patrick Griffin

The World Health Organization represents a ‘real and present danger’ to public health according to Christopher Snowdon from the Institute of Economic Affairs.

Snowdon, the IEA’s Head of Lifestyle Economics, said the global health body had never been keen on vaping, but had ramped up its attacks in recent years.

Speaking at the World Vape Show London, he said: “The WHO is very influential around the world, particularly in developing countries, who rely on it for research.

“In many countries, when the WHO says something, that message is taken quite seriously.

“But unfortunately, insofar as it’s defined by its tobacco control efforts, it has been infiltrated by zealots, with the biggest of them all being Michael Bloomberg.

“It is now a real and present danger to public health because of its enormous, fanatical, antivaping attitude.”

He said the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control treaty was being used to ‘fight a war on vaping’ adding: “Every two years, the member states get together to thrash out new

policies and that is becoming increasingly antie-cigarette.

“We should care about this because the majority of people in most countries now believe that vaping is at least as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than smoking and this comes in part from the WHO.”

Snowdon was highly critical of former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whom he described as a ‘fanatical anti-smoking, anti-vaping and antinicotine zealot.’

He told the WVS audience at London’s ExCeL: “The World Health Organization is very largely funded by Michael Bloomberg and…it is increasingly difficult to separate these two entities.

“Bloomberg has already spent in the region of $116 million trying to get e-cigarette flavours banned.

“He is essentially spending a very large part of his fortune before he dies on ill-conceived paternalistic ventures including his anti-vaping crusade.”

He said the UK government should consider withdrawing its WHO funding if the organisation continued its anti-vaping campaign.

The economics expert continued: “It is adding insult to injury to be paying for this organisation to act in direct contrary to the policies of this country.

Mike

“If WHO is not open to persuasion on this one, I think we should just let

Bloomberg run the thing.”

Insofar as it’s defined by its tobacco control efforts, WHO has been infiltrated by zealots, with the biggest of them all being Michael Bloomberg.

IS THERE STILL HOPE FOR CANADIAN VAPERS?

Could Health Canada’s appointment of pro-vaping Michael Pesko mean an end to the country’s harm reduction gridlock?

Words:

After its ‘killer’ federal flavour ban proposal sparked outrage around the world, it seemed clear that vaping was at the top of Health Canada’s hit list.

Advocates rallied in their thousands, accusing the group of ignoring best practice and ‘disregarding’ the lives and health of adult smokers.

But, in an optimistic turn of events, the health body appointed an experienced pro-vaping economist as a guiding hand for future e-cigarette policy.

Michael Pesko, responsible for a number of studies that investigated the potential of vaping as a consumer product and the consequences of stringent regulations, is celebrated by the harm reduction community.

And while he’s not the first pro-vaping member of Health Canada’s ‘Board of Scientific Advisors for Vaping Products’, advocates across the globe are asking if this could be a turning point for the nation’s regulations.

They highlighted that, despite the ‘tragic’ and ‘infuriating’ story of Health Canada’s approach so far, this could be a ‘positive move for the future’.

Vape activist Skip Murray said: “A good scientist does their very best to be unbiased, to actively seek accurate information.

“Mike supports people knowing the truth and he understands how deadly smoking is…I think he is a good choice for this position.”

Another, Hamish Bowley, added: “Something tells me Canada will

Jordan Millar

get past the noise and back on track, bravo Michael.”

However, while the selection of Dr. Pesko could be a sign of good things to come, it remains to be seen if Health Canada will even follow his advice.

Christina Xydous, a longtime harm reduction advocate said, while she hopes this marks a change for Canadian vaping policy, she doesn’t want to get too comfortable.

She warned that, in the past, the health body consulted with international tobacco control specialists – who support e-cigarettes as a reduced risk tool – and still pursued anti-vaping proposals.

The Quebec Coalition for Vapers’ Rights spokesperson (CVDQ) said: “There are increasing signs that positions may be changing, or at the very least, there might be division within Health Canada.

“This development probably signals an internal debate that’s happening…so maybe we will see the tides turning.”

Mike supports people knowing the truth and he understands how deadly smoking is…I think he is a good choice for this position.

PREPARE FOR PANAMA

While COP9 ended up being of little consequence for vapers, the upcoming COP10 conference in Panama in 2023 should be totally different.

Words: Patrick Griffin

The UK is being encouraged to forge alliances with other pro-vaping countries to help turn the tide of anti-vaping propaganda around the world.

Daniel Pryor, Head of Programmes at the Adam Smith Institute, proposed the move in an effort to change the global agenda on tobacco harm reduction.

Speaking at World Vape Show London, he encouraged pro-vaping governments to come together ahead of the COP10 tobacco control conference in Panama next year.

He also said that consumers had a vital role to play in giving governments the push needed to help make the change.

Pryor said: “When the next COP comes around, the government will remember the thousands of petitions, letters and consultation responses they have received on this issue.

“Those involved in government and public health can also expect a big consumer advocacy push next time and that will put pressure on them to really put forward the tobacco harm reduction case.

“The UK should make alliances with other countries with similar views to change the global agenda, as well as defending the UK’s domestic record on tobacco harm reduction.”

Martin Cullip from the Taxpayers Protection Alliance’s Consumer Center said the extra time to prepare for the Panana City conference was a ‘godsend’ to the pro-vaping community.

He said it was promising that countries including China, The Philippines and Malaysia had all recently decided to regulate, rather than ban, e-cigarettes.

Cullip added: “If we have two more years of more countries doing the same, then the representation at the next COP could be a lot different than it is now.”

The UK should make alliances with other countries with similar views to change the global agenda.

Could cocaine vapes be a smart new way to crack an old addiction problem?

Vaping technology can be used to administer many drugs other than nicotine, reports ECigIntelligence

Vaping technology has been employed for a while now as another way of using cannabis and cannabis derivatives, legally or illegally. The argument for making cannabis legal and regulated was demonstrated vividly by the 2019 EVALI crisis, which revealed just how dangerous it can be when mixed with inappropriate dilutants.

While moves are afoot now in several parts of the world to legalise or decriminalise cannabis use, the logical argument for doing so – that legal, regulated stuff is a lot safer than stuff made and distributed criminally – could be applied equally well to pretty much any kind of recreational drug. At the same time, there is a growing acceptance of the need to use legitimate, clean drugs to help addicts off the bad stuff.

So how about clean, well regulated and administered vapes to deliver appropriately judged doses of crack cocaine, say?

“It’s a thought I’ve had for a very long time,” toxicologist Fabian Steinmetz says.

The knee-jerk response of generations of lawmakers and reporters brought up in the long era of prohibition will throw up their hands in horror at the very idea, exclaiming in unison that drugs are Bad, and hard drugs are Very Bad. But it’s worth listening with an open mind to what Dr Steinmetz has to say.

He is lead author of a recently published paper, “The cocaine-e-cigarette – a theoretical concept of a harm reduction device for current users of smokable cocaine forms”, which makes a strong case for a crack vape device as a harm reduction tool for addicts.

It says: “While strategies based on drug prohibition did not eradicate the consumption of smokable cocaine forms, prohibition itself led to many harmful effects, such as criminalisation, stigmatisation, unpredictable smokable cocaine forms quality and hardly any safer-use education.”

It goes on to suggest “a cocaine-e-cigarette which could be prescribed to problematic users of smokable cocaine forms to reduce the risk of lung damage, exclude potentially harmful adulterants, limit intake (by formulation and/or technical settings) and also to bring users of smokable cocaine forms into the medical system”.

Proponents of nicotine vaping as a harm reduction system may not readily take gladly to any association of e-cigs with a drug generally viewed as more problematic. But it’s hard to resist the view that what works for nicotine addicts might work just as well for victims of other addictions. So far, Steinmetz’s idea is just an idea. But as he says: “The general principle to put drugs in e-cigarettes, I mean, this is already pretty old school.”

“It makes a strong case for a crack vape device as a harm reduction tool for addicts”

WIDE OF THE MARK?

Global leaders and public health officials from around the world are striving to eradicate smoking…but will they actually hit their smokefree targets?

Words: Jordan Millar

Tackling the raging smoking epidemic is at the forefront of international public health, with global leaders pledging to eliminate the world’s number one killer…cigarettes.

Many hope to bring an end to smoking in the next two decades, implementing policies and schemes to help people kick the deadly habit.

But, with millions of lives hanging in the balance, the real question is whether or not they will succeed. Here we highlight three countries – the UK, New Zealand and Canada – which have all made international headlines for their respective approaches to vape regulation, to see if they’re on track to hit their smokefree goals.

UK

Revered for its progressive, ‘gold standard’ approach to harm reduction, the UK government has allowed vaping to play an intricate role in its fight against smoking addiction.

Many believe the UK’s embrace of reduced risk products – which could be prescribed on the country’s National Health Service under bold new plans - will help it achieve its smokefree 2030 goal.

Mark Pawsey of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Vaping said that, while the government has taken a ‘world-leading approach’, experts predict we won’t reach our deadline until 2037.

I suspect that history will not reflect fondly on the faux moral outrage that led to the death of thousands of smokers

He said: “There is a long way for us to go to reach the Smoke-Free 2030 goal, and until we do, some of the most vulnerable members of our society are disproportionately affected.

“We must do this by embracing not just traditional tobacco control methods, but by following a harm reduction approach wholeheartedly.”

To read more on the debate around the UK’s NHS vape prescriptions, read our story ‘Another public health catastrophe…really?’

NEW ZEALAND

Making headlines around the world for its no nonsense approach to smoking – and its pragmatic attitude towards vaping – New Zealand is leading the charge against cigarettes.

Kiwi policymakers have adopted a number of radical and aggressive policies to hit their fast-approaching smokefree 2025 deadline.

The most controversial of these was a generational ban on smoking, which prohibited anyone born after 2008 from ever buying tobacco products.

And while some argued that the ban was a breach of freedoms and liberties, others called it a necessary step in preventing millions of tobacco-related deaths.

Dr Alistair Humphrey, Chair of the New Zealand Medical Association said: “The smokefree generational policy will be a defining moment.

“Cigarettes kill 14 New Zealanders every day and two out of three smokers will die as a result of smoking…but this action plan offers some hope of realising our 2025 goal.”

To read more about the generational smoking ban, or New Zealand’s PM openly endorsing vaping on national TV, check out our story ‘Yes Prime Minister!’

CANADA

Once one of the most ‘progressive’ countries when it came to vaping, many have accused Canada of pursuing ‘regressive’ policies and ‘denying the science’ on vaping.

And while the country’s leading health body - Health Canada – has acknowledged that e-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking, it has still proposed regulations that would devastate the lifesaving alternative.

The most alarming of these was a federal flavour ban that – even Health Canada confirmed – could put millions of lives at risk and drive thousands back to smoking.

Advocates, experts and pro-vaping lobbyists have since warned that health leaders need to offer a clear endorsement of reduced risk products, before they steer waves of Canadians back to tobacco.

They also pointed out that Canada was falling behind its smokefree 2035 campaign.

Darryl Tempest of the Canadian Vaping Association said: “The continued misinformation and half-truths are killing smokers.

“Continuing to conflate vaping with tobacco and the systematic denial of the science has caused Canada to lag behind other Commonwealth nations in eliminating tobacco use.”

He added: “I suspect that history will not reflect fondly on the faux moral outrage that led to the death of thousands of smokers.”

To see how Canada may well be changing its tune after enlisting the help of pro-vaping Michael Pesko, see our story ‘Is there still hope for Canadian vapers?’

Aone-of-a-kind exhibition in its first edition, planned on the 23rd to 24th of March 2022, Beverage and Vape Middle East combines the best of both worlds, liquor and vape all under the sun by the beach! Our show is unique in terms of being held open air, that avoids any kind of pressure the public shall feel exhibiting in a If

closed environment of an exhibition hall, due to Covid 19. Dubai, the gateway to the Middle East and North Africa has been chosen as the central point to focus this show and invite traders, distributors and manufacturers to collect and take advantage of the opportunities in the growing economies.

We are aware business has been affected and we would like to offer our support. Concept Zone Group of Companies has decided to offer space free of charge at the upcoming show! The only cost to the client for the exhibition shall be for the exhibition stand fabrication which is mandatory to be contracted through the fabrication team of Concept Zone.

FOOM Lab's mission to aid adult smokers move away from combustible smoking and encourage people to shift to a safer way of consuming nicotine.

SEVEN YEARS OF CELEBRATION

The seventh Vapouround Awards are just around the corner and we’re inviting you to join us in Birmingham for an unforgettable night of celebration.

Words: Jordan Millar

It’s almost time for you to once again don your suits, throw on your finest shoes and join us as we celebrate the seventh annual Vapouround Awards.

This year, we will be returning to the birthplace of our prestigious show –Birmingham – to honour the brands and industry personalities that have made vaping what it is today.

And while last year’s luxurious Dubaibased awards will certainly be a tough act to follow, our 2022 event – taking place this May - promises to be packed with laughs, drinks and high-class entertainment.

Patrick Griffin, Vapouround Magazine Editor, said: “Our annual awards show has truly become the not-to-bemissed event of the vaping calendar…a testament to the strength of our team and the community values of our industry.

“I am thrilled that we can, year on year, act as a hub for vaping excellence and inspire growth and innovation through our highly-sought after awards.”

He added that ‘it seems almost yesterday’ the Vapouround team was organising its first show back in 2016, stressing that he can’t wait to return to the ‘stomping grounds’ of the must-attend event to see just how far the industry has come.

The 2022 event will run parallel to The Vaper Expo UK – one of Europe’s biggest

and most popular exhibitions – meaning there’s even more opportunity to network and integrate with brands from across the globe.

Not to mention the crowd of consumers who flock to Vaper Expo every year, all looking to try new products, discover innovative brands and enjoy the three days of festivities.

But that’s not the only thing to look forward to this year as, in honour of our seventh annual show, we are launching a new and exciting awards category – Best Sustainable Initiative.

Celebrating those who take extra steps to reduce their effect on the environment, this award recognises companies that actively improve the sustainability of their packaging, products and overall brand.

Following the announcement of the new category, Patrick Griffin said: “Harm reduction has always been at the core of what we do.

From the magazine, to the blog and our online events, we never stop trying to reach smokers who could kick the habit for good with vaping.

He added: “With this award, we want to inspire harm reduction of a different kind, we want to encourage brands to consider their impact on the environment and make changes that will better serve smokers and the world around us.”

I am thrilled that we can, year on year, act as a hub for vaping excellence and inspire growth and innovation through our highlysought after awards.

WORTH THE WAIT?

Why getting vaping products on the NHS could leave smokers at a serious disadvantage.

Words: Patrick Griffin

The ground-breaking decision by the NHS to prescribe e-cigarettes to smokers was one of the major discussion topics at World Vape Show London.

When the UK’s health regulator invited manufacturers to submit vape devices for approval, it made headlines around the globe.

It was seen as great news for the industry, while reaffirming the UK’s commitment to embracing reduced-risk products in the battle to drive down smoking rates.

However, as the London audience heard, the matter is not as clear cut as the initial euphoria over the move may have suggested.

The discussion panel identified a number of potential problems with the plan, stemming from the complex process required to get products approved for NHS use.

From a manufacturers point of view, the cost of obtaining a medical licence rules out all but the very biggest players.

The panel said the price of getting just one single product approved could cost upwards of £5M and take several years of investigations by the regulator.

Even though the NHS could be supplying the exact same products as are currently on the market, there is no getting around the exhaustive, long and costly approvals process.

UKVIA Director General John Dunne said: “You’re looking at probably three to five years with a cost of anywhere between five and ten million pounds and that is going to be a hard sell for many companies.”

Dunne also warned that many in the healthcare community didn’t like that the vaping industry had come up with an effective means to help smokers quit…especially when they had failed to solve the problem for decades.

Daniel Pryor, head of programmes at the Adam Smith Institute, said the extended time delay between application and approval would mean NHS smokers being prescribed potentially less effective products than those currently available on the market.

Innovation has been the cornerstone of the vape industry and even if it took just three years to gain medical approval, the NHS products would be considerably outdated by then.

Pryor also said it would not look good from a PR perspective if the policy resulted in the NHS prescribing quit smoking products which had been manufactured by Big Tobacco companies.

Martin Cullip, from the Taxpayers Protection Alliance’s Consumer Center said news that the government was backing vaping could help convince more smokers to make the switch.

He said: “For smokers who have read too many scare stories saying that vaping is dangerous, hearing that the government is backing e-cigarettes is a very good message indeed.”

However, he warned that many doctors have said they would refuse to prescribe products which were made by Big Tobacco companies.

You’re looking at probably three to five years with a cost of anywhere between five and ten million pounds and that is going to be a hard sell for many companies.

Where the convenience

A NATURAL APP-TITUDE FOR HELPING SMOKERS QUIT

Louise Ross knows that quitting smoking need not be hard and painful…now she has to convince smokers this is true.

Words: Patrick Griffin

n Twitter she is known by the username @grannylouisa.

But for many grateful former smokers, she is the person who helped them successfully quit.

During a successful career as manager of the Stop Smoking Service in Leicester, she and her team helped thousands of people give up combustible tobacco and switch to vaping or other less harmful alternatives.

Now retired, she still devotes huge amounts of her time to tobacco harm reduction and has no intention of slowing down.

In fact she is playing a key role in helping advise millions of smokers around the world how best to stop.

She is the business development manager for the Smoke Free app, where she trains and manages a team of advisers providing 24/7 on-demand help to anyone who wants to quit.

I caught up with Louise shortly before she was due to take part in a live panel discussion at London’s World Vape Show in December.

The vape advocate - who is also the Interim Chair of the New Nicotine Alliance - said: “For many people it is painful and hard for them to stop smoking and I see my job as letting them know that they don’t have to suffer.

“The problem is that nicotine has been demonised for so long that many see it as the devil they have to fear.

“I am so happy to have shown so many smokers that vaping can help them quit painlessly. I often say it works like an anaesthetic to take the pain of stopping smoking away.

“I have come across hundreds, if not thousands of smokers who say it came as a revelation how easy they could stop by using vaping.”

Now working with the Smoke Free app, she can spread her message wide and far.

More than six million people have downloaded the app in 200 countries and it has picked up in excess of 175,000 five star ratings.

Louise is responsible for recruiting and training the advisers who help smokers on their quitting journey.

She said: “It is very important that smokers feel they have someone to talk to when they need help and encouragement. There are also heaps of excellent features to use.

“For many they just want reassurance that they are doing the right thing especially when there is so much bad science and baseless scare stories about vaping constantly in the media.

“The app costs about the same per month as a single pack of cigarettes and helps people track their progress, see how much money they have saved as well as the health benefits they will get from quitting.”

She described many smokers as ‘vape curious’ because they were interested in switching but did not have the confidence or knowledge to know how to start.

“The great thing about the app is that smokers can ask an adviser how they can quit and they will be given knowledgable and impartial help to allow them to do just that,” she said

“I get so much pleasure helping smokers quit and with so much help out there for them now, it is just a matter of knowing where to look.”

The ‘Smoke Free - Quit Smoking Now’ app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play. Smoke Free - Quit Smoking Now (smokefreeapp.com)

The problem is that nicotine has been demonised for so long that many see it as the devil they have to fear.

Percentage

WHAT A COINCIDENCE!

As smoking rates plunge to a record low in New Zealand, vaping rates are at an all-time high

Words: Patrick Griffin

Daily smoking and Daily Vaping NZ Adults 15+

Daily Smoking Daily Smoking

New Zealand has just recorded the lowest smoking rates in the country’s history.

Ten years ago, when there was no vaping, 16.4 percent of the population were daily smokers.

Four years later, in 2016, when e-cigarettes were beginning to catch on, the smoking rate had dropped by two percentage points.

In what is being hailed as an enormous win for vaping, in every year that followed, as vaping became more popular, the numbers of smokers continued to decline.

The European Tobacco Harm Reduction

Daily Vaping

Advocates said: “The latest data on smoking and vaping prevalence in New Zealand has revealed that smoking rates have fallen from 11.9 percent in 2020 to 9.4 percent in 2021.

“This historic fall in smoking correlates with an increase in vaping.”

Advocates say it is no concidence that the NZ government’s decision to regulate vaping as a smoking cessation product has encouraged record numbers of smokers to quit.

Tobacco harm reduction advocate David P Forsyth said: “This is more evidence that vaping is a direct substitute for smoking.”

New Zealand’s Smokefree Environments

and Regulated Products Act has measures to protect children, while allowing adult smokers to access the best quitting tool ever invented.

The data was revealed in the country’s latest Public Health Survey and, if the trend continues, will give a huge boost for New Zealand’s 2025 smokefree ambitions.

The survey also revealed that quit smoking attempts had increased to 19 percent – a jump from 13.4 percent in the previous survey.

There was a dramatic increase in quit rates among all ethnic groups, particularly among Māori and Pacific populations.

COULD THIS BE ANY MORE COMPLEX?

Australia’s ridiculously complicated regulations have made it harder than ever for Aussies to access nicotine vaping products…while deadly cigarettes remain freely available.

Words: Jordan Millar

ustralian policymakers are increasingly coming under fire after their ‘absurd’ clampdown on nicotine vaping products put millions of lives at risk.

Harm reduction advocates from across the globe were outraged when officials all but banned the importation of lifesaving quitting tools, all while smoking continued to ravage the nation’s health.

New regulations meant more than 500,000 vapers – and 2.3 million smokers – needed a doctor’s prescription before they could access reduced risk nicotine vaping products.

But with a lack of willing medical professionals - and a complex importation system – many returned to smoking or were forced into the waiting hands of the black market instead.

Critics said the measures made it easier to access deadly cigarettes, which kill more than 20,000 Australians every year, than their less harmful counterparts.

Adam Metelmann, a vocal advocate and ex-smoker, highlighted that, while the process to purchase nicotine vaping products is ‘ridiculous’, cigarettes still remain widely accessible.

He said: “There are PLENTY of shops that sell cigarettes, in fact they are everywhere you look.

“Combustible tobacco – even with all the harm it causes – is still readily available…but you’ll be strong enough to resist that purchase urge, won’t you?”

Here we compare the steps Aussies must take to import one of the most effective and successful smoking cessation tools to date and the requirements to purchase cigarettes.

IMPORTING NICOTINE-CONTAINING VAPING PRODUCTS:

• First, you must book an appointment with a GP to discuss your smoking cessation options

• Next, take your prescription to a pharmacy that carries the products or order from an overseas seller through the Personal Importation Scheme

• If they decide vaping is right for you, they may grant you a prescription

• If you order from an overseas supplier, you can only import three months of your prescribed nicotine vaping products at a time and they must meet the correct requirements

• However, there are only around 500 authorised prescribers of nicotine vaping products in Australia

• You must also include a copy of your prescription in the order, otherwise it may be seized at the border.

ACCESSING CIGARETTES:

•As long as you are of the legal smoking age you can buy cigarettes from thousands of locations including supermarkets, petrol stations and convenience stores.

MUST DO BETTER

Concern

Words: Patrick Griffin

When it comes to the key decisions that our politicians make on our behalf, few can be more important than public health policy.

This is especially so when it comes to helping smokers quit and deciding whether to allow (or deny) them access to life-saving modern alternatives such as vaping.

So, it is no surprise that one of Europe’s best known vaping advocates finds it ‘deeply concerning’ that many European politicians have ‘little or no knowledge’ of any type of new nicotine product.

Michael Landl, director of the World Vapers’ Alliance, says that MEPs should know more about matters they want to regulate, especially where their decisions can have life or death consequences for millions.

He was speaking after two annual ECigIntelligence surveys showed that many MEPs were misinformed or uninformed about vaping and other less harmful alternatives to smoking.

Landl said: “It is deeply concerning that those making decisions about the future of vaping are doing so without accurate information.

“Policy decisions should be rational and based on science instead of vague perceptions.

“It has been proven repeatedly that vaping is less harmful than smoking and therefore public health policies must include it.

“We urge all politicians to listen to science and those who are hit the hardest by bad anti-vaping regulationthe consumers. Policy making must be evidence-based.”

The lack of political knowledge on the subject promoted the WVA to join forces with the US-based Consumer Choice Center advocacy group to put together a briefing document on modern alternatives to smoking.

The briefing paper, ‘Nicotine is not Your Enemy’, gives six reasons why the focus should be on stopping people smoking rather than stopping them using nicotine.

Landl added: “Due to innovation, nicotine consumption can finally be decoupled from the hazardous effects of smoking and therefore help millions of smokers to improve their health.

“And yet, vaping and nicotine consumption in general are unjustifiably demonised. This must end.”

from vape activists as back-to-back surveys show many Euro MPs know worryingly little about reduced risk products.

The key findings from the ECigIntelligence survey included: “

More than a third of MEPs have no knowledge of any type of new nicotine product (vaping, heat not burn, pouches), and over one in ten are not even aware of any of them.

Almost three-in ten MEPs (28 percent) believe that vaping is as harmful or more harmful than smoking and a further 18 percent don’t know at all.

Also, 16 percent incorrectly believe that vaping is likely to lead non-smokers to smoking cigarettes and

On flavours, the worrying trend from last year continues with 53 percent of MEPs in favour of regulating flavours the same or even more than cigarettes.

It is deeply concerning that those making decisions about the future of vaping are doing so without accurate information.

WORLD VAPE SHOW LONDON. DECEMBER 10-11, 2021. EXCEL LONDON

It had been 664 days since a live vape event was held in the UK, so this expo was both long overdue and hotly anticipated.

Words: Patrick Griffin

The Vaper Expo UK team - the organisers of one of the world’s most iconic live vaping events – had moved from their home base at Birmingham’s NEC to come to London on February 15-16, 2020.

It should have been another huge success for the multi-award winning team…but the timing could not have been worse.

COVID restrictions were starting to shut down international travel and many of the foreign exhibitors - especially those from Chinawere unable to attend.

London was also gripped by a massive storm which crippled transport networks and stopped many visitors from reaching the venue.

Many people had also made other plans for this Bank Holiday weekend and, finally, there were others - deeply concerned about the scary new virus - who had opted to stay away from large social gatherings.

Vaper Expo London was to be the last vape show in the UK. The UK’s

first national lockdown kicked in just a few weeks later and life has never been the same since.

Fast forward to December 10, 2021 and we have just entered a new phase of COVID restrictions in the UK, just as the World Vape Show is about to make its London debut.

However, this time round, the impact was much reduced and the organisers managed to put on a very credible two-day event.

Just like their recent show in Dubai, this was a more relaxed affair than the high-octane vape expos of old.

While this was a business and consumer event, the focus was very much on the B2B aspect, so the loud music and endless giveaways did not feature here.

There were not huge queues of consumers waiting for the doors to open, but instead there was a steady stream of attendees throughout the two days.

This served to ensure that the event was never like a shopping centre in the run up to Christmas, but that there was a good enough footfall to count the event as well attended.

As with Dubai, there was more uniformity of stand sizes than in the past and the emphasis was on functionality and doing business.

I noticed that many exhibitors had dedicated much of their floorspace to networking with clients, rather than just making their stands look pretty for consumers.

There were a lot of stands with relatively large private meeting rooms to conduct business deals, demonstrating that the organisers’ boasts of putting business first was not just hype.

Another sign here that the industry is more mature than it once was, could be found within the conference zone at the back of the hall.

I have been to many vape expos where the organisers would be lucky to get a handful of people turning up to listen to the live talks.

Very often the audience would consist of consumers just taking a break from bagging freebies.

These people were more interested in boasting on social media about the swag they had collected than actually listening to the people on stage.

However, this show was very different.

There was a packed programme of talks throughout the two days, with many distinguished experts discussing a range of topics including vape regulation, consumer trends, the scourge of misinformation, advocacy and more.

Speakers included UKVIA Director General John Dunne; Daniel Pryor from the Adam Smith Institute; Christopher Snowdon from the Institute of Economic Affairs and Martin Cullip from the Taxpayers Protection Alliance’s Consumer Center.

With a lineup of such high-profile speakers, there was little wonder that the discussions were very well attended by audiences who readily engaged with the panel members.

It was the same in Dubai, making it clear that the conferences are an integral part of the World Vape Show experience…not just an afterthought.

Overall, this show reflected the trends of the UK vape market with pods being the most dominant products featured.

London has traditionally been a challenging location to stage a UK vape show but after this event, perhaps not anymore.

World Vape Show London 2021 can be chalked up as a huge success.

SEE FEATURES IN THIS ISSUE COVERING HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CONFERENCE AGENDA.

E-LIQUID

VAPOUROUND REVIEWS

Please note: All hardwa re and e-liquid reviews a re reviewed by external reviewers a

nd do not necessarily represent the opinion of Vapouround Magazine. All e-liquids are reviewed at a 3 mg nicotine level. Mod reviews a re rated on specific criteria depending on the style of products received.

HADRON PLUS DNA 250C & AROMAMIZER PLUS V2 RDTA KIT

SPECIFICATIONS:

Dimensions: 58*34*98mm

Battery Compatibility: 2 x 21700/20700/18650 (not included)

Wattage Range: 1-200W Temperature Range: 200°F - 600°F Coil Resistance Supported: 0.1ohm-3.0ohm

Screen: 0.9” Full Colour TFT Max Charging Current: 3A (2A suggested)

Words: Peach Atkinson

Within the vaping world, there is a vast array of different devices, ranging from super straightforward disposables all the way to complex, yet rewarding, kits such as the Hadron Plus.

Whilst initially a little more complicated to set up than a standard tank and mod combination, once you get this hefty beast of a kit going, you’ll soon realise that the extra time and energy spent preparing it will be well worth it.

The kit includes a whole host of useful additions to enhance your vaping experience. For example, the Aromamizer Plus V2 RDTA comes with a spare glass, extension chimney pieces and a mesh deck, making this RDTA mesh-compatible too.

It also includes several simple, yet useful, items such as spare 18650 battery wraps and 18650 sleeves which allow vapers to use 18650 batteries in this device if they wish.

The Hadron Plus Kit is probably the biggest kit I have had the pleasure of owning, yet the outside of the mod is rather simple. It features a fire button, up and down buttons, a select button and a 0.9” colour screen. Below the buttons is a micro USB port that can be used to connect to a computer and update any EScribe preferences.

These mods are very sleek and have an air of sophistication and they are available in black, silver and gunmetal aluminium alloy.

While the outside looks good, it is the interior where things get really impressive. The Hadron Plus DNA 250C is a dual battery

device that can accommodate 21700, 20700 and 18650 battery types. If you choose the slightly bigger 21700 batteries you can expect much more battery life compared to regular 18650 cells.

This stunning piece of kit features the widely coveted DNA chipset which offers vapers a choice of innovative and advanced customisation options which include Wattage Control, Temperature Protection and Replay Mode.

The chipset also allows users to configure, modify and monitor the use of your device via EScribe. EScribe is a downloadable program on your computer (with Windows/Mac compatibility) that allows you to change certain settings via USB.

DNA chips are widely considered to be the gold standard within the vaping industry and devices such as the Hadron Plus show why this is the case.

Operating this device, once you get used to it, is a rewarding experience. The colour screen is extremely easy to navigate and has crisp, clear visuals.

By pressing either the top or bottom buttons, you can flip through the multiple modes, finding your ideal settings and can adjust the wattage to your taste. My preferred setting on this mod is ‘Watt Boost’ which delivers an instant, warm vape with good cloud production.

There are plenty of subtle touches that add to the premium feel of the Hadron Plus, including menu items such as Diagnostics

and Puff Info, both of which offer detailed information regarding how you vape, how often, wattage settings and even the board temperature. To me, it’s the small touches like these that boost the complex and sought-after nature of this kit.

The Aromamizer Plus v2 RDTA , which comes with this kit, is as versatile as it is impressive. It can quickly transform from an 8ml RDTA to an RDA in a blink of an eye. The kit includes two decks, the mesh deck and the postless deck, both of which are easy to build on and to wick.

The airflow options on this atomiser are phenomenal and cater for both the tightest and the loosest of inhales. With the sheer size of this RDTA, and the potentially massive open airflow, I was surprised that there was absolutely no leaking.

On a similar note, many rebuildable tanks run the risk of dry hits or leakages due to the overuse or underuse of wicking cotton, the Aromamizer V2 did not encounter this issue at all.

As a rebuildable, with a couple ni80 Claptons thrown in for good measure, the flavour was intense and warm and cloud production was plentiful.

I used a 70 percent VG e-liquid in 3mg and wouldn’t recommend going for anything stronger than 6mg as it will likely be very harsh to inhale.

Complexity is at the heart of this kit and therefore I’d recommend it mainly to vapers with some experience. Low nicotine and high VG e-liquids work best in this device and the possible personal configurations are nearly endless.

Simplicity in vape devices is generally always highly valued but this is the exception to the rule because it is the intricacy that makes this kit special.

Learning how to operate it and utilising EScribe sets this mod ahead of the rest, I was a little intimidated at first but soon after I was massively impressed by this kit.

PROS

- Capable of customisation via EScribe

- I really liked the fact that 18650 adapters were included with the kit

- The postless deck was easy to build on and to wick

- The flavour was powerful, as was the vapour production

- Impeccable build quality

CONS

- Might overwhelm those very new to vaping

- Due to its large size, it isn’t very pocket-friendly

CALIBURN G2 POD SYSTEM

SPECIFICATIONS:

Size - 110.5*22.5*13mm

Weight - 36g

E-liquid capacity - 2ml (TPD Compliant)

Output power - 18W

Battery capacity - 750mAh

Words: Peach Atkinson

A truly remarkable device, the Caliburn G2 is the embodiment of what a true pod system should be.

It checks off all of the important features one looks for when selecting a vape - whether it’s your first time choosing, or your hundredth time.

The first thing I noticed about this kit (something I had yet to come across in vaping) was a vibration alert when you connected or disconnected a charging lead as well as when short-circuit/low voltage protection was activated.

The Caliburn G2 is palm sized and stick shaped, with a fire/on/off button, a USB-C charging port and a window near the top of the device to easily check e-liquid levels.

This unassuming kit is available in a multitude of attractive colours and finishes, suitable for all preferences. The size and weight is similar to other devices in its class and will fit snugly in just about any pocket or bag.

No screen us needed for this device and the fire button is all that is needed to operate it.

The build quality is excellent and it even remained unscathed after colliding unceremoniously with the ground - and yet it still works perfectly.

The Caliburn G2 can be easily filled on the go and a small rubber seal valve eliminates any risk of leakages. The pod slots into the top of the device easily and securely, with no wobble or looseness. Inside the pod itself, the UN2 mesh coils just pop in and out without the need to screw them in place.

This kit comes with both a 0.8ohm and a 1.2ohm coil and they work great with 50/50 VG/PG e-liquids. Coil longevity is one of the best features of this device, and I managed to get well over 12 days of moderate usage before needing to swap the coil out.

The flavour on this nifty kit is fairly unexpected, especially so with the 0.8 coil. The taste of the e-liquid is conveyed accurately and is strong, with a warm inhale. In terms of inhales, the draw is primarily an MTL (Mouth To Lung) similar to that of smoking a cigarette.

With progressive airflow control on the side of the pod, you are able to adjust it to your preferences and can also get a slightly looser draw, also known as an RDL (restricted direct to lung).

When it comes to charging and battery life, you can expect this 750mAh inbuilt cell to last most of, if not all day. It is quickly charged up via USB-C within about 25-mins and battery life is indicated by coloured LED lights, red meaning low, blue being medium and green meaning adequate.

In comparison to disposable setups, running a Caliburn G2 can also be more economical in the long run.

As I briefly mentioned previously, the Caliburn G2 works incredibly well with thinner e-liquids and can handle high strengths of nicotine, delivering both a powerful hit and smooth flavour.

The vapour production on both of the coils included with this kit was modest and allowed for an inconspicuous vaping experience.

Convenience is where this kit thrives, down to its ease of use, low price point and discreet nature, it is perfect for new vapers as well as more experienced vapers that need something reliable, yet understated.

During my time using this device, I felt that it delivered on all levels. It truly is the perfect pod system and therefore has gained a place in my daily arsenal as my new favourite kit.

For me, there were absolutely no negatives - the battery life was fantastic, it was easy to operate, the flavour was impressive, the coils lasted significantly longer than many other similar setups and it looks smart and stylish. I feel that this device is a true all-rounder that will not disappoint and is ideal for vapers of all levels.

PROS

- Easy to use

- Faultless, reliable performance

- Intense and warm flavour, particularly for a pod system

CONS - None

Warning - This product may contain nicotine which is a highly addictive substance

JUICE N POWER DISPOSABLE BARS

SPECIFICATIONS:

Disposable Design - Non-refillable Pod Capacity: 2ml pre-filled e-liquid Draw Activated Salt Nicotine Strength: 20mg Approx Puffs: 600 Puffs

Words: Alex Shenker

Disposable vape devices are easy to use, readily available and deliver a decent hit of nicotine. They are also good choices in situations where you may not want to bring your usual daily setup - such as nights out or festivals. These Juice N Power draw-activated devices are non-refillable and non-rechargeable, typical for most disposables currently on the market. They come pre-filled with 2ml of 20mg salt nicotine e-liquid and are rated at roughly 600 puffs - enough to last a few days of light to moderate use. They are draw-activated, very pocket-friendly and each flavour is clearly defined by the colour of the individual bars themselves. When vaping, these kits deliver an instantaneous, solid hit of nicotine, smooth and rich flavour as well as a tight MTL inhale, similar to that of smoking a cigarette. These are the flavours I reviewed:

Blue Raspberry Lemonade

The tone of lemonade was mostly sweet, with an understated touch of sour bitterness. However, by no means is that a negative, because it worked well alongside the blue raspberry. The candy-like aura of the blue raspberry offered a subtle sense of sourness in its own right, giving a unique overall flavour to this e-liquid. At first, I thought that the collection of sweet flavours might have been a little too sweet, but it actually worked out well and didn’t get sickly in any way.

Cherry

A taste that is very reminiscent of a glacé cherry sat atop of a cocktail, this flavour combines the sweetness of a cherry with a subtle and revitalising hint of iciness. The resemblance to an actual cherry was uncanny. It was sweet, but not overly so, and the slight touch of ice gave the overall flavour a well-rounded and unique taste. Despite the discreet ice notes, there was no menthol added, steering this flavour away from sweets like cherry tunes and more towards a simple, but delightful, icy cherry.

Green Mango Ice

The very first puff on this bar literally blew me away, it was incredible! It invoked strong feelings of a natural, ripe mango from a faraway tropical island. There are several slightly different mango notes in

there, including a sharp and almost sour taste, followed by a smooth, pulpy and delicious mango. I could really notice the harmonious nature between the sweet and sour notes as each complemented one another. As indicated by the name, this flavour profile included an element of ice and had a cold blast on the exhale. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this flavour.

Blueberry Pomegranate

This e-liquid involved several unusual combinations that worked surprisingly well together. Blueberry was the first most noticeable flavour and was followed by a delicate and juicy pomegranate that offered a more laid back, crisp element into the dynamic. For me, both flavours worked well together and didn’t clash at all. I was impressed by the slightly more uncommon flavour constituents and the fact that it was super easy to vape.

Berry Lemonade Ice

A vibrant blend of forest berries is most obvious to begin with and they came across as sweet and full bodied, contrasting the sour notes of lemonade. The lemonade delivered elements that were the complete opposite of the more mellow berries. It was an interesting mixture of sweet and tart and closely resembled cloudy lemonade enjoyed on a hot day. I felt that the berries and lemonade notes operated separately but worked well alongside one another. There was also an unmistakable blast of ice on the inhale, adding to the refreshing nature of this e-liquid.

Blackcurrant Ice

Sharp blackcurrant and an even sharper menthol combine to create an unmissable, refreshing vaping experience. The blackcurrant is both powerful and juicy, and gives off a well-executed, ripe set of flavours. The icy menthol element comes across as very noticeable and rounds off the dominant blackcurrant notes. The menthol tones give off an ear-tingling sensation when vaping, only adding to the revitalising feel of this flavour on the whole. The combination of the two main flavours makes this e-liquid taste like a blackcurrant cough sweet and therefore gives a full-on and flavourful vape.

600 PUFF FRUNK BAR DISPOSABLE KITS

SPECIFICATIONS:

Disposable design: Non-refillable

Pod capacity: 2ml pre-filled e-liquid Draw activated

Salt Nicotine Strength: 10mg & 20mg Approx Puffs: 600 Puffs

Words: Peach Atkinson and Alex Shenker

Disposable vape devices offer a ‘no fuss’ alternative that can be appreciated by those new to vaping as well as vape veterans looking for something simple.

These Frunk Bar devices need no maintenance, refilling, charging or setting adjustments, they are prefect for those

new to vaping.

They arrive in boxes describing the strength, puff amount and flavour. Within the box, they are fully enclosed in a presealed wrapper and have seals on each end of the device - ensuring freshness and no risk of leakages.

These are extremely pocket-friendly. The mouthpiece is flattened, creating the perfect mouth-to-lung inhale and being draw activated, there are no buttons to press.

THESE ARE THE FLAVOURS WE REVIEWED:

Twisted Apple, 20mg

If you enjoy strong and tart flavours, this is definitely for you. The unmistakable taste of a sharp, green apple is the most prominent.

This e-liquid has the peculiar ability to give off a sour edge to an otherwise juicy apple flavour.

A bracing blast of icy menthol carries on into the exhale giving you a chance to enjoy a refreshing taste and a cooling sensation in your throat.

I found there to be minimal added sweetness - something I felt made this flavour an easy choice for all day vaping.

Grapefruit with Passion, 20mg Sharp and bitter grapefruit emanates a rich, citrusy and complex initial taste that is then balanced incredibly well with passion fruit. The passion fruit not only contrasts the grapefruit with its sweet and understated nature, but gives its own contribution to the overall flavour.

The passion fruit flavour was sweet, ripe and gave a subtle softness to the more robust citrus notes.

I can only commend the creator of this flavour for the stunning use of complementary tastes.

Frozen Grape, 20mg Ice and grape are a match made in heaven. I had an immediate hit of nostalgia when it came to the grape, it was bold and candy-like, without being overly sweet.

An ear-tingling iciness then joined the party giving the grape a chance to shine in all of its juicy glory.

If you are into cold e-liquids, this flavour will certainly impress. Both the grape and menthol elements are intense and give a revitalising, rewarding and powerful hit.

Cool Pineapple, 20mg

Like a glass of fresh pineapple juice, this flavour is refreshing, fruity and cold. The layered elements of pineapple offer complexity in the form of sweetness and an intriguing note that is beyond tangy.

The pineapple is definitely the most prominent flavour and is blended well with a slightly more subtle, but still

noticeable icy menthol.

I loved the powerful and sweet pineapple tones especially as the two main components united in a perfectlycalculated manner. This flavour will appeal to fans of full on fruity tastes.

Banana Freeze, 20mg

An essence of foam banana candy can be noticed when opening the plastic packaging. The sweet and almost creamy banana taste comes across as the obvious main flavour.

Now the interesting part, the icy element! It perfectly complements the banana and gives a unique flavour experience.

There was no taste of menthol, just a subtle icy exhale, making this one of my favourite, and yet unexpected, flavour profiles. When it comes to a banana and ice combination, this flavour shows how it’s done properly.

Orange Breezer, 20mg

This flavour has a light and refreshing feel. There are sparkling notes of bold, bright and zingy orange soda that give an immediate excitement to your taste buds. Citrusy orange is met with an arctic blast of powerful ice that almost takes over the fruitier notes.

Despite drowning out some of the orange flavours, I really felt that the icy overtones gave this flavour its rightful place as a reinvigorating taste.

This is absolutely perfect for your first vape in the morning.

Club Cola

I love cola vapes, so knew I was in for a treat as soon as I ripped open the foil packet and got a whiff of the sweet, classic cola flavour.

I wasn’t at all disappointed with the perfect representation of those retro, old school sweets that so many of us love.

It didn’t take me long to get through the 600 puffs and as soon as I finished, I wished I had about another 100 of these to review…Club Cola is the flavour to beat!

Watermelon Splash

Offering a mild and exotic flavour, Watermelon Splash was jam-packed with notes of refreshing melon.

A really smooth and extremely moreish

vape, I could happily puff on this flavour all day long.

I was a particular fan of the slight cold hint that helped round out the taste and take this disposable to the next level.

Iced Mango

With an initial sweet exotic mango, topped off with an icy cold hit, this perfect pairing is another refreshing blend from Frunk.

Iced mango is another bar that I could easily see myself returning to, due in large part to the awesome fruity palate and my love of cold vapes.

I find some mango vapes often have a weird or artificial after-taste, but Frunk have absolutely nailed the flavour here. Bravo!

Peach On Ice

More icy fruit on offer here, Peach on Ice is a much sweeter and more familiar flavour than the mango in the last bar.

It was authentic and wickedly sweet, steering clear of the chemically, artificial notes that so often plague peach flavoured juices…another win in my book.

Berry Mixer

Berry Mixer seemingly raids a ‘pick your own berry’ farm, squashes all the flavours down and blends them into this awesome disposable bar.

Each of the tasty 600 puffs gave me a heady mix of strawberry, blueberry and raspberry, creating a great blend of sweet and sour that kept me coming back for more.

This was an absolute triumph of a fruit blend that needs to be vaped to be believed.

Strawberry Nana

I think sometimes if you mix two sweet fruits together there’s always a danger of the vape being a bit too sickly, but that’s not the case here at all.

The strawberry and banana flavours are expertly balanced and they complement each other amazingly.

I really have to applaud Frunk for their flavour blends, as all of them have been perfectly melded to create some really moreish and tasty flavours.

FEELM AIR WORLD’S THINNEST CERAMIC COIL VAPE POD SOLUTION

Words: Peach Atkinson

FEELM have just announced a ground-breaking, cutting-edge, new generation ceramic coil - which is the world’s thinnest at just 3.5mm.

To accompany the launch, they sent a sample closed pod device, powered by this impressive new technology – the seven-element ultra-thin FEELM Air ceramic coil.

This is a major breakthrough for the industry and this revolutionary new product will soon be powering the pod systems of some of the biggest vape companies across the globe.

Currently around one-in-three pre-filled pod cartridges are driven by FEELM ceramic coils, including those from household names including Vuse, Njoy, RELX, HEXA and Snowplus.

This testing device measured just shy of 8mm and you can really appreciate how thin it is just by holding it in your hand.

Despite its small stature, this kit retains an incredible air of quality and craftsmanship that oozes reliability and innovation.

However, while it looks and feels good on the outside, it is what is on the inside that makes this amazing little device really shine.

The FEELM Air ceramic coil features a whole host of industry-leading technological innovations including a seven-layer, ultra-slim bionic film, improved safety and harm reduction, as well as unparalleled energy efficiency.

Because this is a closed pod system, it is an ideal setup for people wishing to quit smoking and removes any risk of accidental spillages or leaking.

It is a draw-activated device which features a tight mouth-to-lung inhale that perfectly replicates the type of draw used when smoking a cigarette. This, in addition to its ease of use, makes it a great choice for new vapers.

FEELM Air coils give 30 percent longer battery life compared to the first-generation technology that they replace.

In addition, a mere 10-minute charging via USB-C cable will give around eight hours of moderate usage - quite a game changer in itself.

The composite heating film is an industry first, measuring just 2

micrometers thick - 40 times thinner than the previous generation.

There are so many intricate and ground-breaking features in this new pod that this review can’t possibly hope to cover everything.

However, none of that is worth anything at all if the product itself fails to give a good vaping experience and I am pleased to report that this provides a great vaping experience.

The FEELM Air device is just about as simple as it gets in terms of general operation and maintenance.

The straightforward closed pod system, paired with the tight MTL inhale, is definitely going to draw the attention of people wanting to kick their smoking habit.

The flavour, especially for such a little device, was intense and warm, with very little vapour production – great for those situations where you don’t want to draw attention to the fact you are vaping.

Quite possibly the quickest charging device in my arsenal of vapes, the FEELM Air was ready to go for the day and was fully charged within the space of just a few minutes.

The coil longevity was seriously impressive, and I loved how the flavour did not diminish with time.

One of the best features, in my opinion, would be just how thin this kit is. It somehow manages to hold an array of ingenious and impressive technology in such a minuscule exterior.

I felt that the FEELM Air was an overwhelmingly complex yet simplelooking device that has clearly been created by the best in the business and I’m excited to see the future of this incredible piece of kit.

PROS

Thin, unassuming shape and size

Ease of use

Super-fast charging time

CONS

None

BECO MATE DISPOSABLES

SPECIFICATIONS:

Battery: 500mAh (Pre-charged)

Puff Amount: 550 Puffs (Approximate)

E-liquid Capacity: 2ml

Nicotine Strength: 20mg Nicotine Salts

Words: Alex Shenker

An improvement on an already impressive device, the Beco Mate offers innovation, quality and reliability. Enclosed in a compact, colourful and streamlined exterior, the disposable delivers nicotine in an uncomplicated and easy-to-use manner.

The Beco Mate offers an instantaneous hit of nicotine, minimal clouds and is one of the most straightforward devices to operate, making it an ideal choice for nights out, camping or travelling. Utilising a true MTL inhale, the draw is very tight and works great alongside the high strength nicotine.

Lush Ice

Lush Ice is a tried and tested flavour for me and I was interested to see how the new take held up against the original Beco Bar version. After just a few puffs, it was clear that the Beco Mate offered a much more developed and powerful flavour, beating out the slightly more muted notes of the Beco Bar. The newer version had a sweet and candied watermelon palate, heightened by an intense icy exhale that made for a very refreshing vibe.

Strawberry Burst

When it comes to certain flavours, simple can often be better. Without overcomplicating the overall taste, Beco has absolutely nailed the execution on a straightforward strawberry flavour. The strawberry used in this device presents as both sweet and juicy, with a tiny bit of sourness dropped right at the end. It was bold and had very little cooling to it, presenting a more candy-like flavour as opposed to a realistic strawberry taste…enjoyable yet simple.

Green Grape

This flavour is not something I’ve come across in my time as a vaper, so I was quite taken aback. Most grape e-liquids I’ve tried fall somewhere in the purple grape soda/candy genres, so when I

saw this one, I was immediately intrigued. The grape notes were extremely crisp and, when paired with the decent amount of cooling agent, gave a revitalising, sweet yet somewhat mellow but clear tasting green grape.

Mango Ice

Definitely one of the UK’s more popular flavour profiles, Mango Ice encompasses the classic flavour coveted by so many. Rich and succulent mango takes centre stage and quite rightly so - it has all the features of a well-executed mango flavour. Deep, sweet and juicy mango is contrasted with a more subdued but still detectable sourness, both of which bounce off of one another giving similar but not identical tastes. The almost warm notes of mango are livened up by a strong blast of cool both on the inhale and the exhale, giving the overall flavour a frosty but enjoyable taste.

Blueberries Raspberries

An instant favourite of mine, this flavour incorporates the sour, tongue-tingling vibe of sharp and sweet mixed berries. When vaping this Beco Mate, you can easily feel the sour notes on the tip of your tongue as you inhale. Both the blueberries and the raspberries were powerful in taste and were rounded off subtly with just a touch of cooling agent - the perfect amount for this flavour. In fact, it was barely noticeable until the exhale, but this gave the berries a chance to really shine on their own.

Menthol

This menthol could easily be a go to for many vapers, combining menthol and a strong cooling agent to create a sharp, refreshing flavour. The menthol cuts across your palate like a blast of ice, emphasised by the powerful cooling agent. All of these cold elements combine to create the ultimate icy flavour that will, without a doubt, clear your sinuses and revitalise your day.

GABRIEL EQUAL DISPOSABLE KITS

SPECIFICATIONS:

Dimensions: 103*20.2*10.6mm

E-liquid Capacity: 1.5ml Battery: 280mAh

Puff Count: 450+

Words: Peach Atkinson

Designed by the well-renowned vape company UWELL, the Gabriel line of disposables is taking the world by storm, adding to their already expansive set of products.

The Gabriel Equal is what I will be taking a look at today. It is an understated, but attractive, bar shape and comes in a really cool transparent container - something completely unrelated to the function of this device, but was a nice touch.

In fact, the whole look of these devices scream style and simplicity. To me, the inhale on these kits was somewhere in-between MTL and RDL - my ideal preference. These are the flavours that came with the kit.

Coconut Coffee

Normally a user of fruity e-liquids, it’s been a while since I vaped a coffee-based flavour, so when I tried this one I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

The main flavour is (quite clearly) a rich, deep coffee with nutty tones added in for good measure.

To me, the coffee was rather smooth and creamy and did not come across as a sharp, black coffee.

Extremely subtle notes of coconut softly complemented the more noticeable coffee edges and brought about an even and smooth vaping experience.

As my first coffee flavour in a while, I was very impressed by the velvety tones of this e-liquid and the fact that it wasn’t too sweet made it a perfect choice as a flavour you can vape all day.

Peach Soda

As a beverage I have yet to try, this flavour was incredibly interesting to experience for the first time.

As opposed to peach-based dessert flavours, this e-liquid did not carry any creamy notes, instead utilising a set of fresh and slightly floral stone fruit flavours.

A relatively complex blend of tastes come together in a way that gave a well-rounded, satisfying vape.

The peach was both sweet and a little sour and this was amplified by a fizzy undertone that gave this flavour a bit of a kick.

There was just enough coolness added to imply a sense of this being based on an icy soda.

The combination of flavours and individual taste elements made for a unique and enjoyable experience.

AGAIN DTL DISPOSABLES AGAIN H DISPOSABLES

SPECIFICATIONS: SPECIFICATIONS:

- Battery Capacity: 500mAh - Coil Resistance: 1.6ohm - Nicotine Strength: 20mg - Features: DTL design

- Capacity: 2ml - Battery Capacity: 400mAh - Coil Resistance: 1.4ohm - Nicotine Strength: 20mg

Words: Peach Atkinson

‘Again’ disposable devices are designed to offer a far looser, airier inhale than most comparable products on the market. These DTL kits are cylindrical - quite the standard amongst disposables available today, but what is not standard is the airflow on the bottom of this device. The large airflow holes offer a longer inhale and smooth flavour and I was very impressed that they are a little different to other disposables.

Happy Planet - Happy Planet is a cheerful blend of mixed berries and what seems to be an assortment of tropical fruits such as mango and pineapple. The berries include a classic strawberry, sharp blackberry and sweet raspberry - all combining to create a deep and well-rounded overall flavour. Paired with a laid-back blend of fruity flavours, the loose airflow only improves the smooth quality to this e-liquid, giving you a flavourful and airy inhale.

Green Mango - A classic take on a popular favourite, Green Mango is a juicy and slightly sour flavour that just gets better each time you vape it. With powerful notes of mouth-watering and tropical mango, this flavour exudes a plethora of exotic tastes that will instantly transport you to a faraway tropical paradise. The e-liquid has a subtle iciness to it and if you are a fan of either fruity or cool vapes, you will really enjoy this complex collection of succulent flavours.

Grape Bomb - This flavour is sour and fizzy and both are conveyed extremely well alongside the loose inhale found on these devices. To me, I felt that the effervescent notes were well designed and really gave the impression of a fizzy grape soda. A subtle sourness was met with a sugary, candy-like grape giving this e-liquid a rather complex edge…very enjoyable indeed!

In stark comparison to the Again DTL disposables, these are true MTL devices. The inhale is short, sharp and closely resembles the type of inhaling used when smoking a cigarette. For this reason, this device would be a great option for people wishing to quit smoking or for new vapers.

Lime Soda - Lime flavours can be a massive hit or miss. Some can be very artificial and remind me of chemicals or cleaning products. Others, however, manage to be executed properly. This flavour has done just that, it has the unmistakable sourness and refreshing taste of citrus. There was a wonderful divergence between the sweet and sour notes of lime, followed closely by a blast of intense iciness that simply added to the idea of this being a cold lime soda.

Cantaloupe - Cantaloupe is a sweet and ripe tasting flavour and this one from Again is no exception. It features all the hallmarks of a delicious melon flavour; it is well-rounded and emanates a wonderful sweetness. Having said that, the mellow tones were not at any point too sweet, instead offering an unmistakable and realistic set of flavours with just a tiny bit of ice. For me, the best point about this flavour was its lifelike nature and how easy it was to vape all day long.

Grapefruit - This flavour offers a delicious and refreshing taste that any vaper can enjoy, with the strong citrus notes giving off a mouthwatering sourness. The typical bitter taste then follows, adding an extra dimension to an already complex flavour. The revitalising feel of this flavour is accentuated by a rush of cold that becomes most apparent when inhaling…for me, this flavour was the most invigorating one of the bunch.

WISMEC RX G MOD

SPECIFICATIONS:

Dimensions: 39.6*27.4*139.4mm

Weight: 206g (Without battery)

Battery Type: Single 18650 Wattage: 1-100w Charging: USB-C

Words: Alex Shenker

Today I’m reviewing the seriously cool Cyberpunk-style RX G Mod by Wismec, which boasts 100w max power and a slick red and gold colourway (one of three colour options).

My first impressions are that Wismec have certainly dared to be different with the RX G, using mirrored panels and buttons and the trigger-like fire button that’s shaped perfectly for either finger or thumb use.

The outer frame of the mod reminds me of an exoskeleton-type structure, featuring lots of different angles and shapes and a carbon fibre battery tube that’s visible from the outside.

The RX G is powered by a single 18650 battery that is not included in the package, so make sure you have one to hand if you’re looking to purchase this device.

I think that it would have been a good idea for Wismec to allow the use of 21700 batteries here as they would provide more battery life for the device.

However, limiting it to 18650 does make for a smaller overall design which is also a bonus.

The battery is fitted via an easy-to-use push-clip door on the base of the mod, which doesn’t rattle or resist when the battery is in. There’s also a useful physical locking switch beneath the fire button that slides up to prevent it from making any contact with the switch and eliminating any chance of pocket firing.

The adjustment buttons (up and down) are almost hidden, residing on a mirrored panel on the right side of the mod, but once you find them, they are extremely responsive and easy to use.

And while it’s slightly gimmicky to have them so camouflaged, but it does lend to the overall design, so I understand why Wismec have chosen this design.

As with most mods, it’s five clicks on the firing button to turn the RX G on and off, three clicks to lock the adjustment buttons and holding both the up and down buttons simultaneously opens the menu. This menu gives you a number of modes and options including voltage, wattage, temperature control, controls for the lights on the device and a dry hit protection mode.

The 0.96-inch screen efficiently shows all of this information and the perfect brightness means you can easily see the display.

When you fire the vape a cool little animation of a cloud of vape flowing upwards towards you plays on the screen - nice little detail.

I tried a variety of tanks and RDAs on the RX G and it handled everything with ease, the power is delivered almost instantaneously and I came across zero issues at all.

The only thing I did notice is that having the built-in lights on does slightly affect the battery life – something to keep in mind if you don’t have a spare battery or charger to hand.

Overall, I had an excellent experience with the Wismec RX G! It’s a real workhorse and I absolutely love the design…although it may not appeal to everyone.

PROS

Really cool design. Lock button is a nice feature

CONS

Would like to see support for 21700 batteries.

Rio

VG/PG RATIO: 50/50

DOOZY TROPIX NIC SALTS

Words: Peach Atkinson Malibu

Rio is a fantastic fusion of juicy yet crisp guava, sweet mangosteen and a strong undertone of cold citrus. Mangosteen offers up a variety of flavours, best described as a mix of lychee, strawberry, pineapple and peach. This is blended with ripe, crisp guava and sharp and icy citrus, thus creating a congregation of exotic flavours, with a refreshing twist. I found that the incredibly succulent and well-rounded notes amalgamated in a wondrous manner that was pleasant to vape. The intricate flavour constituents and their unique properties have obviously been created with great care and a lot of research, this is echoed in the way this e-liquid tastes.

Hawaii

VG/PG RATIO: 50/50

One for the aniseed lovers here, this e-liquid involves a detailed and unusual combination of flavours. Tart and sharp tasting, the very present note of huckleberry come across first when taking a puff. The best way I can describe it would be a slightly sour blueberry that manages to grab your attention immediately. Candied tones of blue raspberry then come along to mellow out the more potent huckleberry element. These fruity flavours are then compounded by warming aniseed and icy menthol. The combination of warm and cold really sets this e-liquid apart from the rest and it was super easy to vape.

Fiji

VG/PG RATIO: 50/50

A personal favourite of mine, Fiji emanates a sweet and vivacious set of flavours. Crisp and subtly effervescent fuji apple gives off a sweet and dulcet vibe that is complemented by a unique, but much welcomed, dash of cucumber. Using cucumber in an e-liquid can be a risky gamble, but for me, the addition simply enhanced the flavour in a way that made it easy to enjoy. Combined with an already calming but tasty collection of flavours, this e-liquid is then met with a smooth cucamelon. Cucamelon is a rather obscure fruit that also resembles cucumber in taste, but with a little more sweetness to it. The choice to include both cucamelon and cucumber gave an extra dimension to the pleasantly complex flavour.

VG/PG RATIO: 50/50

A completely tropical composition of fruits, this e-liquid manages to combine several powerful elements into the overall flavour. Sweet pomegranate-derived grenadine presents a fruity but sugary base layer on which sour notes of tangerine can settle. Then comes a smooth and creamy banana, giving a calming wave to the more dominant citrus. The banana came across as incredibly lifelike and gave this flavour a unique edge. A dash of ice is added as an undertone that gives this e-liquid a bit of a pop, without taking away from the fruity flavours. Another interesting combination of tastes that work really well together, kudos to Doozy!

Tahiti

VG/PG RATIO: 50/50

Described as a blend of citrus and maracuya, Tahiti oozes tropical vibes. Maracuya, another word for passionfruit, offers a powerful, sweet and zingy taste that I felt gave this e-liquid a strong platform to build upon. Bitter and sour ruby grapefruit is then added to the mix and gives this e-liquid a delicious and multi-faceted flavour. The match between the sweet, tangy maracuya and the sharp, fizzy grapefruit was clearly well-concocted as they both complement and contrast one another at the same time. As an overall flavour, I thoroughly enjoyed the sour and refreshing feel to this e-liquid and the fact that it was focused on powerful constituents, giving a full tasting and ripe set of flavours.