Issue 39

EDITORIAL

Editor - Patrick Griffin

Deputy Editor - Jordan Millar

Journalist - Oliver Smith

DESIGN

Head of Design - Hayley Parker

Head Designer - Amy Harrison

Graphic Designer - Michelle Piovesan

Design Team Co-ordinator - Lucy Booth

Design Support - Anna Difusco

MARKETING

Marketing Director - Katie Loomes

Web Developer - Kain Alden

Marketing Executives : Alicia Snow-Simpson, Carrie Strouther

SALES

Client Partnerships Manager

Steve Culf +44 7795 200 167

Senior Account Manager - Baz Bassra +44 7823 887 753

Account Manager - Kirk Martin +44 7917 582 001

Sales Executive - Giovanni De Pietro +44 7522 167 344

Account Manager - Sid De Silva +44 7305 664 972

Sales Executive - Pete Masters +44 7305 960 345

China Sales Executive - Arlen Luo +86 137 012 666 84

ACCOUNTS

Finance Director - Kris Worton

Finance Executive - Rochelle Warsop

EVENTS DIRECTOR Abida Razaque

MANAGING DIRECTORS

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Between hosting our own must-see awards shows in Birmingham and Dubai, as well as staying hot on the heels of some of the biggest industry news, our calendar is never empty.

And when you add attending massive events at exotic locations across the world…then this may well be the busiest time in Vapouround history.

This issue of the magazine comes as we close the curtain on our seventh annual awards show which, staying true to form, was an undeniable success.

International brands and vape personalities came together in a cacophony of worldclass entertainment to celebrate the very best that our industry has to offer.

The community also recently joined forces for World Vape Day, a time dedicated to promoting our lifesaving sector.

We were treated to a three-hour live stream curated by the World Vapers’ Alliance, where passionate advocates praised the awesome public health power of e-cigarettes.

In stark contrast, the WHO recently used World No Tobacco Day to once again steer people away from reduced risk products. Through a series of controversial tweets, the health body claimed that vape devices were a scourge on the planet, urging

people to choose between e-cigarettes and the environment.

But it’s not just the political sphere where e-cigarettes have made a stir, with the less harmful alternative also making an impact in the world of celebrity.

Hollywood superstar Robert Pattinson was recently spotted using an e-cigarette behind the scenes of The Batman and vaping made a comical appearance during the captivating Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard defamation trial.

Check out our coverage of these stories – and many more – in this issue of Vapouround Magazine.

Thank you and happy reading.

BEST VAPE MAG FIVE YEARS RUNNING

As the world’s leading vape trade publication, it’s fair to say that we rarely experience a dull moment.

Patrick Griffin | Editor

Pom Kaila David Turner CEO Paul Caplin

SHORTFILLS

DON’T PUNISH –HELP INSTEAD

Hong Kong’s plan to reduce smoking rates will be hampered by its vaping ban, says a leading tobacco harm advocate. Heneage Mitchell, founder of pro-nicotine group factasia.org was speaking on current affairs radio show Backchat. Since April, safer nicotine products have effectively been illegal and stricter controls on tobacco use and sales are planned. Mitchell said: “Hong Kong has really missed an opportunity to give smokers the choices they need to successfully quit. We have to help smokers not punish them.” He said the government should embrace, not ban, THR products.

FDA REJECTS MYBLU PODS

US regulators have banned myblu products from sale, making Imperial Brands the first major tobacco company to have its vape pods rejected. The Food and Drug Administration said the applications failed to show that the potential benefits to smokers outweighed the risk to youth. The company has 30 days to challenge the ruling. The FDA is still reviewing applications for pod devices made by other large companies including Juul Labs, BAT and NJOY.

A SMOKING PENGUIN…ARE YOU BATTY?

Warner Bros’ critically acclaimed ‘The Batman’ is the latest film to face Hollywood’s on-screen tobacco purge, with villain The Penguin being forced to ditch his iconic smoking habit. Actor Colin Farrell, who played the crime boss, said he ‘fought valiantly’ for the character’s trademark cigar and cigarette holder. However, the studio denied Farrell’s request, under its commitment to ‘reduce or eliminate the depiction of tobacco’ in its films. To hear about vaping on the set of ‘The Batman’, check out our story ‘Holy harm reduction Batman’ later in this issue.

DON’T DO IT

Scotland is being urged to rethink its ‘damaging’ plans for new vaping regulations which would see it depart from the rules that the rest of the UK follows. The UKVIA says the proposals conflate vaping and combustible tobacco, by aligning regulations on advertising and promotion with tobacco regulations. Director General John Dunne said: “These measures will only serve to perpetuate existing misconceptions in government, public health bodies and individuals looking to quit combustible tobacco.” Scotland is set to miss its smokefree 2034 target by 16 years.

Vapouround Deputy Editor Jordan Millar selects his pick of short

vape-related stories and research making news from around the world.

VAPING’S GREEN LIGHT FOR PREGNANT SMOKERS

Vaping is more effective than nicotine patches in helping pregnant smokers quit and is just as safe, according to new research. Dr Francesca Pesola from Queen Mary University London studied hundreds of pregnant smokers who had either used e-cigarettes or patches to give up. She said: “We would only recommend the use of nicotine to smokers wanting to quit their regular cigarettes. Using an e-cigarette poses no greater risk to the mother or baby than nicotine patches, which are both better options than continuing to smoke throughout pregnancy.”

QUIT-E IMPRESSIVE

More Australian smokers could be encouraged to quit if the government relaxed its anti-vaping regulations, it is claimed. The country’s first study into vaping nicotine found that using e-cigarettes could increase the odds of successfully quitting by up to 124 percent. The study, published in the journal Addiction, suggested that vaping could be more effective than NRT and traditional stopsmoking medications. Its author, Dr Mark Chambers from the University of New South Wales, said: “Improving access to nicotine e-cigarettes could be expected to assist some Australian smokers to quit.”

MALAYSIA 1: DON’T BAN VAPING PLEA

The Malaysian government is being urged to remove vaping products from proposed legislation to tackle the country’s high smoking rates. The Anti-tobacco and Smoking Bill, due before parliament in July, would prohibit those born after 2004 from buying tobacco and vaping products. Rizani Zakaria, president of Malaysian Vape Industry Advocacy, said: “Vape and traditional cigarettes are completely different products and should not be regulated the same way. The government should seek evidence from medical experts from abroad, instead of only listening to the opinions of the anti-vape industry.”

MALAYSIA 2: WHY COUNTRY MUST EMBRACE THR

A top doctor says Malaysia must embrace ‘innovative solutions’ including vaping to encourage smokers to quit. Dr Arifin Fi said there was ‘little evidence’ that existing tobacco control strategies were working and said tobacco harm reduction would help tackle high smoking rates. He said 80 percent of Malaysians supported a regulated vape industry, adding: “THR would allow smokers to switch to less harmful alternatives in their journey to quit completely.” Business leaders also say a regulated vape industry would create new jobs and attract foreign investment.

KEEP FLAVOURS SAY IRISH VAPERS

Almost half of Irish vapers would quit e-cigarettes if a flavour ban was introduced, according to a new survey. Market researchers Red C found that 90 percent of vapers opposed a flavour ban, with a majority (59 percent) saying they would look online or abroad for products instead. Vape advocates have told politicians planning new vape regulations that they support restricting sales to minors but oppose banning or limiting flavours.

COLORADO SAVES FLAVOURS… (AT LEAST FOR NOW)

A high-profile bill to ban vape flavours in Colorado has failed to make it past a Senate committee…but its supporters have vowed to try again. American Vapor Manufacturers Association president Amanda Wheeler said: “Colorado rejecting the flavour ban is a signal for other jurisdictions to refocus public health efforts on what works…vaping. Nicotine vaping is the single most effective smoking cessation method ever devised.” However, Jodi Radke from pressure group Flavors Hook Kids said they would try to get the legislation introduced next year.

“BAN CIGARETTES NOW”

The UK could lead the world by immediately banning cigarettes to encourage smokers to switch to vaping, says a leading scientist. Dr Nveed Chaudhary, one of the world’s foremost authorities on tobacco harm reduction, told the Express newspaper: “Banning cigarettes tomorrow would force smokers to use e-cigarettes which will end up saving many, many lives. Unless we do something like this, we will never see the change we require. We need to make combustible products like cocaine and make them illegal.”

VAPE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM LAUNCHED

The World Vapers’ Alliance has launched a global Ambassador Program to nurture stronger connections between vape shop owners and thousands of consumers and activists. The initiative will also allow the ambassadors to ‘amplify the voice of vapers in their communities.’ WVA community manager Liza Katsiashvili said: “Most vape shop owners are passionate vapers and are helping people to quit smoking every day. We want to connect them even closer with consumer activists so they can become multipliers of our common message: ‘vaping saves lives’.”

YOU’RE KILLING US

An impassioned vape shop owner warned US tobacco control is a ‘danger to public health’ in a harrowing open letter. Marc Sils said the ‘fairytale narrative’ and ‘deadly lies’ of anti-vaping groups created a hostile world for those looking to ditch smoking. He also claimed ‘bald-faced prohibition’ from the Food and Drug Administration and its allies ‘whips people into a moral panic’ and pushes smokers back to cigarettes. Sils wrote: “You tax, punish and segregate us, pass laws against us and your only ‘tobacco control’ message is ‘quit or die’…you’re killing us, literally.”

MEXICO WAVES GOODBYE TO E-CIGS

E-cigarette sales have been banned in Mexico after President Andrés Manuel López Obrador extended the country’s anti-vaping crusade. Almost five million Mexicans have tried vaping at least once, according to government figures, despite an import ban being in effect since October. Backing the new restrictions, Assistant Health Secretary Hugo López Gatell denied that vaping was considerably less harmful than smoking, saying the statement was ‘a big lie.’

IN HIGH DEMAND

Vapouround editor Patrick Griffin recently took his wealth of experience and journalistic expertise beyond the pages of our magazine. He was a guest speaker for the World Vapers’ Alliance Academy, helping teach the next generation of activists how best to communicate with the media. Patrick also appeared on The ConsEUmer Podcast –hosted by Bill Wirtz – where he discussed the financial benefits of vaping and the dangers of flavour bans. He said: “To truly rid the world of smoking, we need to reach as many people as possible…so it was an honour to appear on these wide-reaching platforms.”

STRONG ON FLAVOUR

Vaporesso launched two new vaping kits featuring its state-ofthe-art COREX heating technology at Birmingham’s recent Vaper Expo UK. The technology was designed to give stronger and more accurate flavours and is featured in the new GEN PT60 | 80 S and LUXE X kits which also boast anti-leak technology. Vaporesso said: “User satisfaction is at the heart of our brand and the continuous innovation in design and technology ensures that the products remain of top quality.”

NEXT GEN JUUL2 POD SYSTEM LAUNCHED IN UK

Juul Labs has launched its next generation JUUL2 system in the UK, with an emphasis on appealing to adult smokers while making life tough for counterfeiters. JUUL2 comes in 18mg nicotine strength in a range of tobacco and menthol flavours and features a JUULpod ID system to combat counterfeit pods. Juul Labs’ EMEA VP, Dan Thomson said: “We believe the best method to switch adult smokers to a potentially less harmful, non-combustible alternative, is to provide a product that closely resembles the consistency and experience of smoking.”

FEELM FIRSTS

FEELM unveiled the world’s first ceramic coil disposable pod at the recent Vaper Expo UK. The company said: “FEELM Max is to disposable vapes what internal combustion engines are to airplanes, automobiles, ships and trains.” FEELM said ceramic heating increases puff count by 25 percent compared to traditional cotton coils and gives smoother and more flavoursome vapour production. It also showcased other disposable vaping solutions, including an ecofriendly, non-nicotine disposable e-cigarette which replaces plastic with recyclable paper and aluminum foil.

CHINA’S E-CIG CLAMPDOWN

China will ban foreign investment in e-cigarette sales under its new vape regulations, according to a report from Reuters. The country’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration also plans to review foreign investment in vaping production, requiring pre-approval from the regulator. E-cigarette companies operating in China may only sell their products through authorised channels and only tobacco flavours are allowed for the domestic market. The regulator said it would also ‘reasonably’ control e-cigarette production to prevent overcapacity in the market.

VAPING’S WATER FIRST

Technology innovator Aquios Labs has unveiled the world’s first water-based vape product. The Aquios Bar uses water to reduce the PG/VG content to give smoother vapour, cleaner flavour profiles and a reduced dry mouth sensation. The disposables, made by industry leader Innokin, are targeted at the convenience and specialist retail vape market, petroleum forecourts and cash & carries. An Aquios spokesperson said: “Our water-based vape product goes where vapes have not gone before. We want to become the innovator of choice for responsible retailers, OEMs and brand owners.”

MAKEsmokingHISTORY

New survey shows that 54 percent of Britons support banning cigarettes in favour of vaping to help UK go smokefree.

Words: Patrick Griffin

Most Brits support a national cigarette ban which would encourage smokers to switch to vaping instead, according to a new poll.

The survey, commissioned by the Express newspaper, revealed that 54 percent support an outright smoking ban.

It showed that across all age groups and economic categories, more than half wanted smoking outlawed.

The anti-cigarette sentiment was higher amongst women, with 59 percent happy to see a rapid demise for cigarettes.

The findings came as a major independent review into tobacco control policy is was published.

Anti-smoking tzar Javed Khan released his comprehensive 101-page review ‘Making Smoking Obsolete’ at a London briefing in June.

Khan, the former Chief Executive of Banardo's, wants vaping to play a key role in helping the governmet meet its 2030 smokefree objectives and also favours imposing new ‘polluter pays’ taxes on cigarette manufacturers.

The NHS has already embraced a number of initiatives to encourage smokers to switch to vaping but Khan says more could be done.

Vape advocates say it is vital that the government does more to inform smokers that vaping is at least 95 percent less harmful than smoking.

It has been estimated that if the government fails to ramp up its tobacco control plans, it will miss its smokefree targets by seven years.

Now we eagerly await the government’s response to the Khan Review. To read more about the recommendations see our extensive coverage in the features section of this issue.

KEEP YOUR ON THE PRIZE

eye

New

Words: Patrick Griffin

has been shown to discourage smokers from trying to quit using the reduced risk alternative.

New Zealand is being warned that a vocal minority could wreck the country’s ambitions to become smokefree by 2025.

Tobacco harm reduction advocate Nancy Loucas says a worrying return of anti-vaping media coverage has the potential to sabotage the decadelong national smoking goal.

She is worried at the increase of negative stories which demonise vaping, despite it being the most effective quit-smoking tool ever invented.

Media reporting of bad science about e-cigarettes

Now, New Zealand media is reporting debunked claims that vaping is akin to previous generations getting hooked on tobacco.

Loucas said: “The likes of some media commentators and University of Otago academics continue to distract the Government and country from doing what is right.

“We need to keep focus on cigarette elimination but increasingly the country is getting sidetracked by calls to ban vaping and for nicotine to be phased out altogether.

“These are very unhelpful distractions that won’t save even one life.”

Loucas, Executive Coordinator of the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates, warned that there was ‘renewed alarm’ about youth vaping ‘despite nicotine killing no one and combustible tobacco killing 5,000 Kiwis every year.

Zealand is being warned not to let anti-vaping activists sabotage the country’s Smokefree 2025 goals.

Loucas added: “No one wants secondary school students vaping but let’s not forget that the latest survey clearly shows any school vapers are overwhelmingly those who were smoking in the first place.

“We finally have Smokefree 2025 in our sights, but a vocal minority are doing their best to sabotage it.

“If New Zealand wants to be the envy of the world, CAPHRA is calling on the small, progressive nation to keep its eyes on the prize and not kill off the very goose that’s laying the smokefree golden egg.”

Kiwi adult smoking rates have almost halved from 18 percent in 2006 to 9.4 percent in 2021.

The country’s decision to embrace tobacco harm reduction and encourage smokers to switch to vaping is credited with helping bring the numbers down.

And while New Zealand’s vaping regulations have won international praise, CAPHRA say they too are hampering the country’s smokefree goals.

The organisation wants an end to restrictions limiting supermarkets, service stations and convenience stores to selling just mint, menthol and tobacco flavoured vape products.

Currently, only licenced specialist vape stores can sell a full range of flavours, but Loucas says this makes little sense.

She said: “The law claims to strike a balance between ensuring vaping products are available to adult smokers while protecting young people.

“However, banning the most popular flavours from general retail only stops adult Kiwis from quitting smoking.

“We’re calling on the next Director-General of Health to review this provision, because it’s hampering New Zealand’s Smokefree 2025 efforts.”

We finally have SMOKEFREE 2025 in our sights, but a vocal minority are doing their best to sabotage it.

‘ABUSIVE, SICKENING AND MORALLY REPUGNANT’

A special needs teen who was ‘brutalised’ after he was caught with an e-cigarette has become the latest young victim in the ‘absurd’ war against vaping.

Words: Jordan Millar

Two cops are under investigation for allegedly beating a special needs teen unconscious for holding a vape.

Keitherine Williams, claimed he later woke up in a jail cell and a medical examination revealed his injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma.

The 18-year-old was confronted by two sheriff’s deputies after school staff spotted him holding a vape device in a restroom.

The officers stopped Williams as he was leaving Dickinson High School in Texas, before they reportedly beat and ‘abused’ him in a violent arrest.

Graphic photos taken after the incident show the teen with a swollen and bruised face, as well as what appeared to be grazes and abrasions spread across his head.

Regina Williams, Keitherine’s aunt and legal guardian, said she watched some footage of the arrest and claims she saw cops pin her nephew and put a knee on his neck and back.

The teen has since been charged with resisting arrest and of being a minor in possession of tobacco.

The day after his arrest, Regina took her nephew to the urgent care centre, where a doctor’s report confirmed his injuries.

She added: “They abused, neglected and disrespected his ability and his needs…for them to do that I feel like somebody needs to be held responsible.”

Sadly, this is the latest in a string of ordeals where school children have been ‘brutalised’, beaten and, in some cases, even strip searched over alleged e-cigarette use.

In the past twelve months alone, Vapouround has reported on several of these shocking incidents, including a teen who was tased for vaping in Maryland and a group of young girls who say they were strip searched by school staff in a hunt for hidden vapes.

Furious and appalled harm reduction advocates maintain that, despite preaching the need to protect children, it’s anti-vaping lobbyists and their needless war on e-cigarettes that is putting kids at risk.

Paul Blair, Vice President of Government Affairs for Turning Point Brands, said: “The enforcement of anti-vaping policies has harmed more people than the actual act of vaping…let that sink in.

ENEMY OF INNOVATION

Two harm reduction experts make an impassioned plea for Canadian regulators to rethink its vaping policy…and

HEALTH CANADA HAS BEEN BRANDED THE ‘ENEMY OF INNOVATION’ FOR FAILING TO RECOGNISE VAPING’S ROLE IN HELPING ADULT SMOKERS QUIT.

Tobacco harm reduction advocates Clive Bates and David Sweanor say the health body’s ongoing review of its tobacco and vaping legislation is deeply flawed.

Writing on his website The Counterfactual, Bates said the review missed an opportunity for a ‘deeper rethink’ of the role that harm reduction could play in tobacco and nicotine policy.

He said: “There seems to be little interest in the consequences for adults or those adolescents for whom vaping may be a harm reduction alternative to smoking.

“There is no grasp of interactions between adult and teenage vaping or the role that e-cigarettes play as economic substitutes for cigarettes.”

Bates and Canadian public health advocate David Sweanor have written joint responses to the health body’s discussion paper on the review.

They said: “Vaping policy cannot be isolated from smoking policy and youth welfare cannot and should not be isolated from the effects of policies on adults.

“Measures that are ‘tough’ on vaping may have the effect, if not the intention, of increasing smoking and creating a net increase in harm.”

They said that vaping should not be opposed simply because ‘some young people may use it’ and added: “Health Canada is acting as an enemy of innovation.

“Unless it believes that nicotine use will somehow disappear, the availability of technologies for using nicotine with relatively low risk is an inherently beneficial development and a significant advance.

““

Measures taken to prevent trivial risks to young people may create lethal consequences for

“Health Canada and the complex of influential Canadian health organisations that oppose vaping and tobacco harm reduction may be doing more harm than good in tobacco policy.

millions of adults.

“They should recognise that nearly everything they do in opposition to vaping has the effect of protecting the cigarette trade from competition, inhibiting switching from smoking to vaping and therefore prolonging the epidemic of smoking-related disease.”

Bates and Sweanor warned that measures taken to tackle ‘trivial risks’ to young people could create ‘lethal consequences’ for millions of adults.

They said: “For a coherent public health approach, the link between adult and youth behaviours must be recognised.

“The discussion paper is grounded in a naïve view of risk behaviours and the effect of regulation.

“Like all measures with a prohibitive element, such restrictions trigger changes in how products are supplied, who supplies them and at what price.

“We are not arguing that youth vaping should be of no concern, but that it is a relatively innocuous behaviour compared to, say, binge drinking, driving under the influence or regular use of cannabis.

“Youth vaping presents a far lower and probably transient public health risk compared to the risks facing adults who have already smoked for years or decades.

“The danger of focussing on ‘youth vaping’ is that it distracts from the primary public health mission and leads to more cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease.”

They said Canada’s public health policy goals should ‘focus on minimising the severe health and economic consequences of tobacco use, predominantly arising from smoking.’

SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Bates and Sweanor say Health Canada could improve the health benefits of its tobacco and vaping laws by:

• Setting a clear overarching goal focused on morbidity and mortality and, therefore, focussed on reducing smoking at all ages.

• Making policy that recognises that vaping and other smokefree products represent a public health opportunity that should not be squandered.

• Recognising that vaping and other smoke-free products brought with them only relatively minor incidental risks, even if these attracted a high political focus and

• Taking a risk-proportionate approach to regulation and recognising the risks to a middle-aged adult smoker are far greater than risks, if any, to an adolescent vaper.

Clive Bates, Director, Counterfactual Consulting, London.

“In mid-2018, Canada was a leader with a consumer-orientated approach to tobacco harm reduction.

“Health Canada had proposed publishing a range of informative statements about vaping and smoking that would have been a game-changer in public understanding and would have driven lifesaving and welfare-enhancing switching from smoking to vaping.

“Instead, it was derailed by a flawed paper published in the BMJ and started to adopt the same moral panic mentality as lavishly funded American prohibitionists south of the border. This was a strategic error and should now be reversed.

“The legislative review is an opportunity to take a more sophisticated view of the interactions between smoking and vaping, to consider harm reduction at all ages, and to rethink a policy towards nicotine, when consumed without smoking.”

“Canada has an opportunity to leverage disruptive technology to dramatically reduce cigarette smoking and the resulting health catastrophe.

“To do so our country must focus on science and reason and follow the lead we’ve now taken on harm reduction in dealing with opioids, cannabis and other drugs.

“Allowing the policy agenda to be misdirected by a manufactured moral panic on vaping repeats the disaster of the War on Drugs that our country is now finally addressing.

“The opportunity to prevent over a million premature smokingcaused deaths is there if we can only seize the opportunity rather allow inhumane abstinence-only advocates to seize up our regulatory agenda.”

David Sweanor, Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Ottawa.

ELUX PRO 600

Disposables device is powered by 550mAh built-in battery and pre-filled e-juice

Amid a worrying increase in schoolchildren vaping in Scotland, there are calls for £10,000 fines each time a retailer makes underage sales instore or online.

Words: Patrick Griffin

Rogue retailers who sell vape products to minors should be fined at least £10,000 for each offence, according to an influential trade body.

The UK Vaping Industry Association said the time had come to get tough and cut under-age sales off at source.

It also wants £10,000 fines each time stores sell illegal products and has called for robust enforcement to clampdown on unscrupulous traders.

The UKVIA says ‘serious consideration’ should be given to a vape retail license system to aid a tougher enforcement.

Licensing would require retailers to pay for a permit to trade vape products and would help fund an enhanced enforcement programme.

The call comes amid growing concern over a significant rise in the numbers of schoolchildren vaping in Scotland and the ease at which they can buy disposable products online and from local retailers.

UKVIA director general John Dunne said: “Enough is enough, the industry has a duty of care to young people.

“We need to send a strong message to the minority of rogue retailers and wholesalers who do not care about breaking the law as they know they won’t get severely punished for doing so.

“The time has come to introduce heavy fines to deter rogue retailers from re-offending and putting vape products into the wrong hands.”

Dunne said enforcement should apply to all retailers including specialist vape stores and e-commerce sites, convenience stores, supermarkets and online marketplaces.

He said greater enforcement would come at a ‘cost to the industry’ but said it would be a price many would be willing to pay.

Dunne added: “It is critical for the vaping sector to protect the reputation of the majority in the industry who are in it to help adult smokers quit through vaping which is considerably less harmful than smoking.

“We will be considering all options and ideas to make it as difficult as possible and a significant financial risk, for vape products to be sold to children.”

Geek Bar, one of the world’s leading disposable vape manufacturers, welcomed the proposed changes.

Allen Yang, Chief Executive of Geek Bar, said: “We applaud and fully support the call by the UKVIA.

“The responsible segment of the industry has to lead by example and rid itself of those who are, and will always be, intent on breaking the law by selling vape products to those who are underage.”

We will be considering all options and ideas to make it as difficult as possible, and a significant financial risk, for vape products to be sold to children.

““

.... a significant financial risk, for vape products to be sold to children.

THE art OF ADVOCACY

A global alliance of vapers displayed an art installation outside the European Parliament in Brussels to protest against possible EU vape flavour bans.

Words: Patrick Griffin

There is an art to vaping advocacy.

And art was front and centre when the World Vapers’ Alliance took their ongoing #Flavours Matter campaign to the streets of Brussels.

A WVA team brought an art installation to the European Parliament to highlight the message that vaping flavours helps smokers quit.

The campaign aims to show EU policymakers how vital flavours are for smoking cessation and how they can help countries meet their smokefree ambitions.

There are signs that the campaign is having an effect in getting its message

When the WVA hosted a demonstration at the Hague in March, where politicians were considering imposing a vape flavour ban, a six month postponement was announced in the Netherlands.

And this new art installation event was attended by Italian MEP Pietro Fiocchi who

said: “I strongly believe that alternative systems to traditional smoking are the biggest instrument to greatly reduce the percentage of lung diseases and cancer.

“Any ideological approach against such systems is negative and against any scientific data.

“We all agree that not smoking is the best choice, but we also know very well that tax increases and limitations are not working solutions.”

World Vapers’ Alliance director Michael Landl said having a variety of e-liquid flavours was ‘crucial’ to ensuring that smokers quit cigarettes and never go back.

Landl said: “Vaping has helped millions of people change their lives and now we need policies to catch up.

“Data shows that adults who vape flavoured e-cigarettes are 230 percent more likely to quit smoking than those who use unflavoured e-cigarettes.

“We have to make sure that this is taken into account when the next regulations are drafted.”

I strongly believe that alternative systems to traditional smoking

the biggest instrument to greatly reduce the percentage of lung diseases and cancer.

are

Incomplete, inaccurate and outdated

An influential group of Canadian physicians has been criticised for urging health regulators to warn young people: “Smoking kills and vaping almost certainly kills too.”

Physicians for A Smoke Free Canada made the call in their recently published report “Science has marched on: it’s time to update the advice to Canadians.”

They added: “Using e-cigarettes will likely decrease the chances of success and will increase health risks in comparison with approved smoking cessation aids.”

PSFC say they are ‘working to reduce the toll of nicotine addiction’ and have a stated goal to end commercial nicotine and tobacco use.

However, two medical doctors and a professor of psychology have published a rebuttal, saying that it is ‘incomplete,

inaccurate and contains outdated information’.

Tobacco control activist Dr John Oyston, public health expert Dr Mark Tyndall and professor of psychology Dr Chris Lalonde hit back at the misinformation.

They wrote: “PSFC has a bias against any form of nicotine use. “We strongly believe that this is the wrong message and is not supported by the science.

“If left unchallenged, it will prevent smokers from switching to less harmful sources of nicotine, resulting in literally thousands of deaths and greater profits for the tobacco industry.

“It will also encourage all levels of government to make vaping less attractive to both smokers and non-smokers and therefore less effective as a way to quit smoking, by imposing artificially low nicotine levels, flavour bans, high taxes, and restricted access.”

Directly addressing the points made in the report, the trio comment on a number of key issues including:

Two medical doctors and a professor of psychology hit back at ‘Physicians for a Smoke Free Canada’ who claim vaping is NOT an effective smoking cessation tool.

Words: Patrick Griffin

NICOTINE USE HARMS YOUNG PEOPLE’S BRAINS

They say: “Studies that claim nicotine use damages adolescent brains are based entirely on studies of rodents.

“There is not a single study of humans that supports that claim. One need only ask where are all the ‘brain damaged’ adults who started smoking as teens in the 1960s?

“Reports of associations between smoking/vaping and teen anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues seem to miss the point. There is simply no evidence that smoking or vaping cause these conditions.”

VAPING IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE SMOKING CESSATION TOOL

The trio say: “The PSFC claim that e-cigarettes are not an effective smoking cessation tool is dishonest and most vaping opponents have distanced themselves from this position.

“Clinical trials and systematic reviews show that vaping is

currently the most widely used smoking cessation intervention and is superior to NRT and other cessation interventions.

“The PSFC report fails to recognize that vaping is driven primarily by people who smoke cigarettes and have purchased their vaping products in vape shops, online websites, and through a variety of commercial outlets.

“It is illogical and reckless to promote policies that would restrict or even ban the sale of vaping products in places where cigarettes are available.

“There is no public health precedent where a much safer medicine or medical device or procedure is introduced and then is heavily restricted or prohibited, while the deadly medicine/ device/procedure is allowed to continue.

“Yet this is exactly what is happening with e-cigarettes/vaping and all safer nicotine delivery systems.”

It is illogical and reckless to promote policies that would restrict or even ban the sale of vaping products in places where cigarettes are available.

COMING OF AGE

Words: Patrick Griffin

new hyperfast online age and identity verification system for the vape industry has been launched.

The ‘1click sign-up’ solution from 1account, promises faster transaction times and higher customer conversions than ever before.

1account, the UK’s leading specialist in digital ID and age verification technology, says its ultimate goal is to make selling age restricted products to minors history.

The new system will be able to check the age and ID at the checkout process without any extra input from the consumer.

It works where consumers have previously verified their ID and age on any website which uses 1account technology and allows their data to automatically be pulled into a vape retailer’s website registration form.

1account’s CEO Ben Keirle said: “There are around three million vapers in the UK, 60 per cent of whom are buying their products online.

“Therefore, hyperfast age and identity verification is not only crucial to the industry’s reputation as being a responsible one, but to the online customer experience and the bottom line.”

Research by the Baymard Institute estimates that sales conversions can increase by more than 35 percent if a vendor uses the right checkout optimisation strategies.

1account, which aims to have three million verified consumers on its system by the end of the year, has already helped half a million customers prove they’re old enough to access vape products, amounting to 3,000 daily transactions.

It currently provides age verification services to 40 percent of the top vape retailers in the UK, including E-Cigarette Direct, Royal Flush Vape, Vapourcore, Vape Superstore, VPZ, E-Liquids UK, Not Blowing Smoke, Vape UK and eliquids.com.

solution promises higher conversions and faster transaction times for vape industry.

verification

“

38 NEWS

One in 12 adolescents reported vaping over a 30-day period, but only one in 60 vaped more than 10 days over the 30-day period.

Words: Patrick Griffin

Amajor new survey has found that global rates of adolescent vaping are low despite continuing alarmist scare stories about youth vaping ‘epidemics.’

Researchers from the University of Queensland (Australia) combed through World Health Organization data from more than 150,000 young people in 47 countries.

The WHO research was part of its huge Global Youth Tobacco Survey between 2015 and 2018.

Anti-vaping campaigners regularly use WHO research to oppose adult smokers having access to e-cigarettes, especially flavoured e-liquids, on the grounds that they attract young people.

However, this new study which was published in the scientific journal Addiction, found that while nine percent of adolescents reported vaping in the past 30 days, only 1.7 percent were frequent vapers.

The Australian study team concluded that this suggested that most young people who vaped were experimenting but not forming a vaping habit.

Lead author Dr Gary Chan, from UQ’s National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, said: “Our study found the prevalence of vaping in low-and middle-income countries was low.

“One in 12 adolescents reported vaping over a 30-day period, but only one in 60 vaped more than 10 days over the 30-day period.”

He said a combination of eye-catching packaging and the availability of nicotine-free products could help explain the study findings.

Dr Chan added: “E-cigarettes are often sold in colourful packages with highly palatable flavours that appeal to adolescents, and this could lead to experimentation but not continued use.

“While some e-cigarettes contain high levels of nicotine, adolescents can also vape non-nicotine or low nicotine e-cigarettes which are less addictive.”

The Australian team also found that higher tobacco taxes were associated with increased youth vaping rates.

Dr Chan added: “This could suggest that young people in countries with a higher tobacco tax might be substituting traditional cigarettes with e-cigarettes.”

He previously recommended that social media platforms should be able to age-restrict content to protect young people.

He was speaking after another University of Queensland study found that TikTok exposed young people to videos that could ‘reinforce a positive attitude towards vaping and e-cigarette usage.’

The academic added: “Considering how accessible these videos are to young people and previous studies associating exposure to vaping-related content with increased e-cigarette use, age restrictions on social media platforms are recommended.”

VApril 2022 WAS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL EVER

The annual UKVIA event reached record numbers of smokers to promote vaping as the most effective way to quit.

Words: Patrick Griffin

““

The UK must do more to encourage smokers to switch to less harmful alternatives such as vaping, a parliamentary reception to mark the end of VApril 2022 was told.

Mark Pawsey, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Vaping, said more work was needed to get the message across to smokers.

He was speaking at an event to celebrate the conclusion of the UKVIA’s fifth annual VApril awareness campaign.

The MP for Rugby and Bulkington said: “Despite the progressive stance of our government, the numbers of people who are switching from tobacco to vaping has plateaued in recent years.

“We have a real problem where many smokers wrongly believe that vaping is just as harmful as smoking which is why VApril is so important.

“It both raises awareness of the positive evidence about vaping and helps to encourage those smokers who may be thinking about vaping to give it a try and has the potential to help the government achieve its ambitions for a smokefree society.”

He said he was looking forward to seeing the findings of Javid Khan’s independent review into the UK’s 2030 smokefree plans, which he said promised to be an important and influential report.

UKVIA Director General John Dunne described VApril as the most successful to date saying that it generated ‘record engagement’ while promoting vaping as the most effective way to stop smoking.

He said VApril was also reaching record numbers of smokers across the globe and praised the UK’s stance on tobacco harm reduction.

Dunne said: “It is consistently proven that vaping is the most effective tool here in the UK in enabling smokers to quit.

“Regulators and industry and healthcare professionals must work together to create a joint approach to tobacco harm reduction as there are many millions of adult smokers who need our help in the UK.”

He said the UKVIA would continue to work with regulators, health care providers and others to get the message across that vaping was an effective and viable alternative to smoking.

Louise Ross, Interim Chair of the New Nicotine Alliance, said events like VApril encouraged smokers to take action ‘for the sake of their health, their household budgets and their quality of life.’

She criticised those ‘policymakers, lawmakers, scientists, researchers, journalists and philanthropists’ across the world, who ‘double down on their frantic and single-minded search to find theoretical harms and to spread misinformation, thereby keeping smokers smoking.”

Louise also called for consistent messaging from stop smoking support services and the wider health care profession, to ensure that confidence for smokers to switch from cigarettes was not undermined.

VApril both raises awareness of the positive evidence about vaping and helps to encourage those smokers who may be thinking about vaping to give it a try.

What was the inspiration for the start of MYLÉ…where did it all begin?

Ariel Gorelik, MYLÉ’s owner, has always had the urge to help others. Losing his mother Mila in 2016 to cancer was a devastating experience for Ariel - witnessing first hand her lifelong addiction to smoking.

Ariel decided after her death that no child should experience such a preventable loss. Losing his mother at such an early age became his driving force to improve the lives of others by offering alternatives for anyone who was a cigarette smoker.

What service do you provide for consumers?

MYLÉ provides various options for smokers to transition to a safer device that will allow them to step down their nicotine levels and eliminate the toxic elements found in traditional cigarettes.

Vape devices also provide aesthetic benefits such as eliminating the smoke smell from clothing, fresher breath and oral issues associated with traditional cigarettes are eliminated.

You have various delivery systems under the MYLÉ name, could you give us an insight to what these are?

We provide disposable devices, starter kits and flavour pods.

Our pod systems are very popular with our customer base due to our unique flavours that are tasty and mouthwatering.

Depending on the market we sell two percent and five percent salt nicotine pods. We also cater to an audience that prefers a zero nicotine product and have devices that are nicotine free - just flavour.

What steps have MYLÉ taken to remain well positioned in the ever-changing global counterfeit market?

We, like all major global brands, struggle with counterfeit products. Whenever you make a great tasting, easy to use, stylish product at a great price point, someone is going to try to capitalise on your success and copy your product.

Every MYLÉ product has a barcode on the packaging with an identifying number that can be entered into a database online that will validate your product as a true authentic MYLÉ manufactured product.

Counterfeit products are dangerous to customers because counterfeit manufacturers take shortcuts on product testing, premium ingredients and device safety - leading to device batteries malfunctioning, burnt tasting flavours and much more.

We invest a significant amount of time and money into safeguarding and educating our customers against the dangers of counterfeit products.

When you think of vaping devices, a host of companies and brands spring to mind…what sets MYLÉ apart from the competition?

MYLÉ is a premium global brand because we have a world class R&D team that spends time and resources on

MYLÉ prides itself in setting global standards in providing consumers with a premium alternative to smoking.

product safety, product education, developing devices that are great to use, have cutting edge technology and taste great.

We are in over 20 markets globally for a reason and we work hard to stay ahead of what others are doing to deliver innovation and quality.

Which MYLÉ products are you most proud of and are there any particular favourites amongst customers?

Hands down customer favourite is the V4 Pod System, as this is what we started with and it is our hero product.

We are constantly innovating yet, despite all the new, innovative products we produce, the original V4 has significant personal meaning to MYLÉ.

What are the biggest challenges you’ve had to face as a company and how did you use your expertise and industry knowledge to overcome them?

As previously mentioned, counterfeit products are a big challenge.

We also struggle with country-specific laws shifting and changing regularly.

We could have spent millions of dollars in product development on a new device and before the product has gone to market, the laws shift or change completely and that product cannot be released.

We are also challenged by big tobacco lobbyists seeding misinformation on the vape industry that eventually

affects country laws.

The customer suffers in the end due to misinformation and miseducation in our industry.

What has been one of the most exciting and stand out moments for MYLÉ?

We knew we were onto a great product that would be a global brand when we attended our first international trade show in Colombia (Vape South America) in 2017.

The overwhelming support we received there gave us a firm realisation of how positively our products have impacted people all over the world and global customer support would continue to grow the brand into something we always knew it would be and one that Ariel dreamed of initially.

Has MYLÉ got anything in the pipeline? And can consumers expect any upcoming product releases or new ventures?

Since we have a dedicated world class R&D team, we are constantly planning a robust pipeline of products that are innovative.

We take pride in our new releases but due to confidentiality, your readers will have to wait to read about our new products as they are announced.

Words: Patrick Griffin and Jordan Millar

Vaping should play a crucial role in helping the government meet its ‘smokefree 2030’ ambitions, according to a landmark new report.

The Khan Review also wants the legal smoking age raised every year until nobody is allowed to buy cigarettes.

This would mean that anyone aged 14 or under today, could NEVER legally buy a cigarette.

Dr Javed Khan, the former chief executive of children’s charity Barnardo’s, said his recommendations must be implemented in full to make smoking obsolete by 2040.

He also wants to bring back ‘stop smoking’ messages, to be shown on TV, radio and on social media platforms and says the NHS must do more to help smokers quit.

He called for an annual £125 million investment package – ideally funded by the tobacco industry - to ensure that the government meets its smokefree goals.

Khan said: “I don’t care how the money is found, but it has to be found and has to be found quickly.

“There can be no shortcuts, quick fixes or excuses and I urge the government to seize this moment and fully commit to making smoking obsolete.”

Launching his report via a YouTube livestream he said: “In the past few years smoking has been more deadly than COVID and costs society about £17bn a year.

“In the wake of the current cost of living crisis, smoking is a financially draining addiction. Making smoking obsolete in England would lift around 2.6 million adults and one million children out of poverty.

He warned that without further action, the nation would exceed its smokefree targets by ‘at least seven years’, with society’s poorest areas failing to get there until 2044.

Khan highlighted four critical ‘must do’ areas and called on the government to:

· urgently invest £125M per year in interventions to reach smokefree 2030,

·

raise age of sale of tobacco by one year, every year,

· offer vaping as a substitute for smoking, alongside accurate information on the benefits of switching, including to healthcare professionals and

ensure that the NHS prioritises prevention, takes further action to stop people smoking and provides support and treatment across all its services, including primary care.

He stressed without action now, another half a million smokers would die by 2030, saying the country needed a ‘cultural shift’ so that nobody wanted to buy cigarettes anymore.

Khan urged the government to commit to a new ambition of making smoking obsolete by 2040.

He said it was important to make the UK ‘the least attractive and least profitable place’ for the tobacco industry to do business so that it could no longer ‘prey on children and young people.’

Khan said: “Smoking kills and ruins lives and we should not settle for anything less than a truly smokefree generation for our young people.”

Referring to vaping he said: “Healthcare professionals I spoke to, at the very top of their fields from across the world, say vaping is much safer than cigarettes and should be recommended.

“Research also shows that vaping is an extremely effective quit tool, so in our efforts to help smokers quit and dramatically reduce the risks of cancer, heart disease and strokes, it has to be an option.”

He called for a ban on cartoon characters and images that appealed to children on e-liquid packaging so that vaping remained ‘a quit tool and not a cool tool.’

REACTION TO THE REPORT

Health Secretary Sajid Javid

“There is a call to offer vaping as a substitute to smoking.

“Vaping is far less harmful than smoking and is an effective quitting device.

“It is recognised that there is much more government can do to tackle the myths and misconceptions that surround vaping.

“We have worked with the MHRA to provide guidance to support bringing e-cigarettes to market as licenced therapies and this government will take forward a range of work on vaping as a substitute for smoking in due course.”

UKVIA

The UKVIA welcomed the importance the report gave to vaping as a smoking cessation tool.

Its Director General John Dunne said: “Mr Khan’s review recommends that vaping promotion should be one of the critical policies to eradicate smoking.

“We couldn’t agree more with this report’s stark message that, without immediate action, the government will miss its smokefree targets by seven years.

“Any plans for mass media campaigning to dismantle myths about smoking and vaping are hugely welcome and something we have long called for.

“This is a truly great day for vaping advocates and marks another huge step forward for the tobacco harm reduction movement.”

World Vapers’ Alliance

Harm reduction advocate Michael Landl, praised the UK for supporting vaping despite ‘unfounded attacks’ in other parts of the world.

The World Vapers’ Alliance Director said: “Even though the plan is not perfect, it’s great to see that the UK puts practical solutions centre stage, instead of following idealised goals.

“The European Union should take the UK’s approach as an example when designing its strategy for tobacco regulation.”

He added that vaping must be the ‘leading component’ in an upcoming review of the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive.

Chief Medical Officer

England’s chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty said ‘the staggering scale’ of the harm caused by cigarettes required bold action.

He said: “Cigarette industry lobbyists will try to make this a debate between health and freedom, but this is the most dishonest debate you could possibly imagine.

“The majority of smokers wish to quit but cannot because the cigarette industry has addicted them at a very young age and that is not freedom of choice.

“If you are in favour of freedom, you absolutely are not in favour of this addictive industry which kills so many people.”

Shadow Health Minister

Shadow minister for health and social care Andrew Gwynne added that smoking ‘blights communities right across the country’, calling it a ‘key driver’ of health inequalities.

He said: “Smoking is associated with almost every single indicator of deprivation and marginalisation.

“If we want to build a fairer, happier and more prosperous future, a smokefree 2030 is a key component of that blueprint.”

Mary Foy MP

And without ‘radical action’, she warned two million more UK smokers were estimated to die in the next 20 years.

She said: “Smoking is a drain on our society, especially our poorest communities; making smoking obsolete would lift millions of children and adults out of poverty.”

Daniel Poulter MP

Also speaking at the launch event was Tory MP Daniel Poulter, who said tobacco dependency stripped smokers of their free will and said we had ‘a duty as a country’ to eliminate one of the biggest killers.

He said: “Today’s report contains a number of important measures and recommendations which could make a transformative change to people’s lives…and they will save lives.

“I very much hope the government will implement this report to create a smokefree world for our children and grand-children.”

PART 3: QUIT FOR GOOD

REC 8: Offer vaping as a substitute for smoking, alongside accurate information on the benefits of switching, including to healthcare professionals.

REC 9: Invest an additional £70 million per year into ‘stop smoking services’, ringfenced for this purpose.

REC 10: Invest £15 million per year in a welldesigned national mass media campaign, supported by targeted regional media.

PART 4: SYSTEM CHANGE

REC 11: The NHS needs to prioritise prevention, with further action to stop people smoking, providing support and treatment across all its services, including primary care.

REC 12: Invest £15m per year to support pregnant women to quit smoking in all parts of the country.

REC 13: Tackle the issue of smoking and mental health.

REC 14: Invest £8m to ensure regional and local prioritisation of stop smoking interventions through ICS leadership.

REC 15: Invest £2 million per year in new research and data, including investing £2 million in an innovation fund.

Our MYLÉ® product portfolio has been created to satisfy the customers need for ease of use, modern design, flavor and quality.

Khan report branded ‘insane’

Despite winning favour with vapers across the nation, the Khan review has come under heavy fire.

Critics spoke out against the report, saying it was less a valid public health proposal and more an exercise in ‘nanny state extremism’.

They warned the plan, which aims to make smoking obsolete in the UK, would fuel an already ‘roaring’ black market and compromise personal freedoms.

Even prolific harm reduction advocate Christopher Snowdon, a regular feature at international pro-vaping conferences and events, hit back at the review.

He said: “Mr Khan has managed to gather the most crackpot ideas from the fringes of nanny state extremism and compiled them in a single document.

“It’s easy to laugh at some of these proposals and he should be thanked for providing some entertainment in these difficult times.”

The Head of Lifestyle Economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs condemned a host of ‘bizarre proposals’ featured in the review, including painting cigarettes green and banning people in social housing from smoking ‘in their own homes’.

However, Snowdon took particular issue with plans to raise the legal smoking age every year, suggesting a future where ‘40-year-olds hang around shops looking for 41-yearolds to buy them cigarettes’.

He said: “It’s insane… before filing this report in the bin, they should make it clear that adults have the right to smoke and that efforts to reduce the smoking rate will not come at the expense of civil liberties.”

Javed Khan denied the ‘nanny state’ accusations saying: “Tobacco is a uniquely dangerous product and we have a duty to protect the public’s health… that’s got to be our primary concern.

“The public are often led to believe that smoking is a personal choice, when really this is an addiction promoted by an industry that has no concern for their life or health.

“I want the government to focus on doing what is right, brushing aside the merchants of doom and leading the way, this is certainly not about personal choice or freedom.”

Wiping out deadly tobacco shouldn’t come at the cost of our freedom, say critics of a polorising new anti-smoking report.

Words: Jordan Millar

PROS

Thousands rushed to their keyboards to share their thoughts in the wake of the controversial Khan review.

And between tweets, quotes and social media threads, a virtual war of opinion raged on.

Here’s what a divided nation had to say on the new smokefree plan and its tobacco-killing proposals.

CONS

of nanny state extremism and compiled them in a single document.

An end to tobacco harms or nanny state nonsense?

Forget his iconic batarangs and ever-trusty shark repellent, the caped crusader has added a new gadget to his crime-fighting collection…a vape.

Words: Jordan Millar

iral new footage has revealed Hollywood superstar Robert Pattinson hid a vape in his costume on the set of The Batman.

The behind-the-scenes clip – which has exploded on social media – shows Pattinson dressed in full cowl and cape as a crew member places the device in a pouch on his utility belt.

And while it’s not clear if it was regularly stored amongst the Dark Knight’s catalogue of high-tech gadgets, fans were thrilled that the device may have made a secret appearance in DC’s latest comic book flick.

One twitter user commented that they would ‘love to see Batman disappear behind a giant vape cloud’ while another called the latest portrayal of the iconic vigilante ‘the hero we deserve’.

Fans even joked about how vaping would reshape the character’s crimefighting crusade, with one highlighting the ‘terror’ that Gotham’s villains must feel when they smell Batman’s ‘sweet mint vapour’.

Although this is the first time the ‘world’s greatest detective’ –previously played by stars like Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck –has been caught with an e-cigarette, it’s not the first time Pattinson’s vaping habit has made an impression on set. He also used a device while shooting Netflix’s historical epic ‘The King’, with co-star Timothée Chalamet saying his funniest memory from filming was watching Pattinson vape in full armour.

The star has even taken his e-cigarette to red carpet Hollywood events, reportedly using a vape at a number of awards shows and film premieres.

Pattinson’s behind-the-scenes Batman vaping antics – which were unveiled alongside a bevy of bonus footage for the film’s HBO Max release – has seen thousands of reactions online.

HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITES.

Robert Pattinson hid a vape

Designed for adult smokers. Not for sale to minors. JUUL is an e-cigarette. This is an age restricted product and age verification is required at sale.

*Compared to original JUUL.

TM and © 2022 JUUL Labs, Inc. All rights reserved.

Company spotlight:

We caught up with FlavourArt UK director John Chamley to discover the story behind the company and what sets it apart from the competition.

WHAT IS FLAVOURART UK?

FlavourArt UK is the trading name of That’s Nice Limited and has been the official UK distributor for FlavourArt Italy’s products since 2012.

We specialise in delivering quality flavourings and an efficient ser vice with a personal touch to trade customers throughout the UK.

WHAT INSPIRED THE START OF FLAVOURART UK?

I entered the world of vaping quite early in its development, in October 2008, and was extremely fortunate to find myself working for a company called Intellicig.

Working on the development of the first UK manufactured e-liquid was an exciting part of my pioneering journey and seeing it launched in April 2009 was the first of many red-letter days.

WHAT DOES FLAVOURART EXCEL IN THAT SETS IT APART FROM THE REST OF YOUR COMPETITORS?

FlavourArt Italy has built a global reputation for quality, service, and safety, having invested in extensive research on the cytotoxic ity of their liquids.

Customers have access to Safety Data Sheets and CAS Data required to be legally compliant. NSAs ensure total confidentiality.

We offer assistance and support for flavour development with exclusivity and recipe disclosure so the customer has ownership and control. Cheaper flavourings are available, but many manufac turers use 20-40 percent flavourings in their liquids; FA flavourings are used around 5-10 percent, which makes them competitive and cost effective.

Using FA flavours at higher percentages results in over-saturation, ‘less is more’ and because FlavourArt do not use sweeteners, the true flavours are able to reach the palate, every note.

WHEN CREATING A NEW E-LIQUID, DESCRIBE THE PLANNING THAT GOES INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLAVOUR BEFORE IT IS READY FOR SALE?

Planning involves much discussion into the type of flavour, or more often a range of flavours, which are to be developed.

Once a list has been decided upon, the serious work begins, searching the technical and scientific manuals to determine the raw ingredients required for each flavour.

The advantages the flavourist has are in being able to substitute any chemicals that are flagged in the manuals and the ability to create flavours when the natural option is ecologically and finan cially prohibitive, such as coconut, which requires stripping bark from Massoia trees, which kills them.

Once a flavour has been developed and approved, it undergoes stability trials and testing; only then will it be blended as an e-liquid and evaluated again, thoroughly.

The complete process takes months of planning, creation, testing

and finally marketing with only the very best products making it.

IS THERE A PRODUCT AND/OR SERVICE OF WHICH YOU ARE MOST PROUD?

I think our level of service and relationships with customers have been the principal factors in our success and the one we are most proud of.

Every business needs customers, but a successful business needs repeat and recommended customers to be sustainable; we have a very strong and loyal customer base and each one receives personal attention.

The product I am most proud of is our Blended Flavour range, over sixty flavours which I have created since 2012 using FlavourArt flavourings.

OVER THE PAST YEAR HAS THE COMPANY FACED ANY CHALLENGES AND HOW DID THE BUSINESS OVERCOME THIS?

The importing and exporting of products were impacted by Brexit and now involves far more paperwork and customs bureaucracy, as well as increased costs.

COVID lockdowns did nothing to help vape shop owners, having to rely on online sales, a fierce market.

We were fortunate as ecommerce businesses were encouraged by the government to continue trading throughout COVID.

We remain in a strong position and have managed to overcome, or learned how to manage, the challenges.

ARE THERE ANY CUSTOMER FAVOURITES YOU WOULD LIKE TO MENTION?

We stock over two hundred flavours, many of which are blended by manufacturers to create their own e-liquid.

Champagne is highly effective in bringing a clean, subtle sweet ness to e-liquids without being overpowering; it does not rely on any sweeteners, such as Sucralose, Aspartame, or the latest highly concentrated sweetener Neotame.

Champagne flavour is a delight to work with as it is so versatile and contains no alcohol.

AS WELL AS SELLING TO END USERS CAN YOU PROVIDE A FULL SERVICE TO TRADE CUSTOMERS?

Yes, we cater for all sizes of businesses, from single operator to multi-nationals.

Our trade pricing and tiered discounting package has proved extremely popular.

Being able to tailor stock levels to suit individual customers has been key in the success of the business and enables a quick turnaround of orders.

WHAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE STANDOUT MOMENTS AT FLAVOURART UK?

In 2012, Max asked me to be the UK distributor for FlavourArt, which was a major undertaking, but one that I relished as it meant collaborating with the man for whom I have the greatest respect.

Here at Phoenix Vapers we are venturing into a new world, a world where we reward our staff & community for all the years of loyal service while we have grown as a company through all the ups & downs. We decided it was about time we made everything about you!

We are launching 2 YouTube channels PHOENIX LOGIC & OUT OF HOURS. The PHOENIX LOGIC channel is solely designed to reward our customers & staff with exciting but challenging experiences along with massive giveaways to help show what we are about as a company. A community hub for all vapers and beyond!

PHOENIX LOUNGE: PETERBOROUGH

This channel is the community hub where we will be rewarding all staff & customers through giveaways & challenges as a thank you for supporting us for all these years! Whether it’s skydiving, trips to Thorpe Park, A Spa weekend, Xbox series X’s, PS5’s the list of prizes & experiences go on and on! Make sure you subscribe with notifications on so you don’t miss out on any uploads!

The OUT OF HOURS podcast is exactly what it sounds like, a podcast designed for out of hours conversations.

This podcast is solely focused on sharing all the stories from our business journey & experiences within the industry over the years along with colleagues, customers & guests sharing their experiences and their hot takes on the world. All you have to do to redeem your FREE £5 is SCAN the

Better Health

As the UK plunges into an unprecedented economic crisis and people are forced to stretch their cash even further, could vaping help soften the blow?

Words: Jordan Millar

Millions of households across the UK are suffering through one of worst cost-of-living crisis the country has seen in decades.

A whirlwind of tax hikes and skyrocketing energy bills means that people are seeing hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds added to their annual bills.

And with inflation hitting an eye-watering 40-yearhigh at nine percent, many are now questioning how they can afford to keep their homes running and put food on the table.

While it won’t completely solve the problem, there’s one thing that the nation’s millions of smokers can do to help ease their money woes… switch to e-cigarettes.

The vape industry has long fought to protect peo ple from the dangers of tobacco, to uplift public health and aid smokers across the world as they ditch their deadly habit.

But many forget that, alongside reducing harms to our health, vaping can also reduce harms to

our wallets.

It has been estimated that a pack-a-day habit could cost smokers anywhere between £3,500 and £5,000 a year, while Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) say smokers in England alone fork out £12 billion on tobacco annually.

Alternatively, vaping can cost as little as a few hundred pounds annually, meaning it can signif icantly reduce your spending.

Even if you factor in buying your first device –which could come in at around £35 depending on the brand - trading your cigarettes for a reduced risk product could seriously boost your savings.

Michael Landl of the WVA stressed that prices should be ‘proportional’ to a product’s risk, high lighting that e-cigarettes are not simply a luxury product but a 95 percent less harmful alternative to one of the world’s biggest killers.

The World Vapers’ Alliance director said: “This is especially important for low-income households, who have the highest smoking rates and are cur rently hit the most by inflation.

“Vaping is less harmful than smoking…but it also saves people money in their pockets and reduces their living costs.”

Vaping is less harmful than smoking…but it also saves people money in their pockets and reduces their living costs.

PULL UP EXHIBIT V-A-PE

Words:

The Amber Heard and Johnny Depp defamation trail has gripped the world, with millions of people tuning in for a taste of the courtroom celebrity gossip.

From the cast of unique witnesses to the highly scrutinised approach of Heard’s legal team, there have been plenty of moments that have left viewers stunned and speechless.

But nothing quite compares to the bizarre testimony of Alejandro Romero, who was seen driving around and vaping as he gave his account of the feuding couple’s past relationship.

In the pre-recorded deposition, Romero – who works at the building where Heard and Depp once lived together –

appeared irritated and bored, eventually saying ‘I just don’t want to deal with this anymore.’

At one point, he released a cloud of vapour right in front of the camera – which was fixed to the dash of his car – and even drove around whilst answering questions.

During his testimony, Romero detailed an incident where Amber Heard and a friend asked him to look for a potential intruder after seeing marks on the bottom of their door…only for him to conclude that the mystery criminal was a dog.

He said: “They were so scared and asked me to go inside and check room by room.

“I did it but, in my head I was thinking, ‘you think someone is trying to get in

with scratches four inches above the floor?’…that was the dog trying to get in.”

The footage sparked laughter across the courtroom, with Romero’s comical testimony and casual vaping sending even Depp into a quiet fit of giggles.

After the video cut out, Judge Penney Azcarate removed her glasses, seemingly sighed in disbelief and said, ‘that was a first’, with Heard’s lawyer Elaine Bredehoft adding that it was ‘the most bizarre deposition’.

Depp was awarded $15m damages against ex-wife Heard over a domestic abuse article published in the Washington Post. Meanwhile, Heard won $2m damages over comments made about her by a lawyer for Depp in the Daily Mail.

A witness for the Depp vs Heard defamation trial has become a social media star after footage of him vaping and driving during his testimony went viral.

Jordan Millar

This face, voice and natural mannerisms... if I was a casting agent, I'd be calling this guy.

Following his viral testimony, Romero launched his own TikTok account where he has already earned 41,000 followers and has received more than 250,000 likes.

His devil may care attitude and virtual vaping antics have even landed him some social media stardom, with thousands of people praising Romero for his ‘honest’ and entertaining witness statement.

Here’s what just a few of his newfound fans had to say:

hen it comes to the UK vape scene, BHVape owner Johnnie Lovell is one of the most instantly recognised faces in the industry.

He has been a regular at the Vapouround Awards over the years and has fronted the show both in the UK and onboard a luxury super yacht in Dubai.

Johnnie has also wowed UK Vaper Expo audiences with his largerthan-life personality as he directs proceedings from the stage and ensures everyone is fired up and having a great time.

However, when he is away from the spotlight, he spends his time running his own vape store with the same high energy levels that have become his trademark.

The former publican, who ran bars, pubs and clubs, is a natural-born entertainer and drew heavily on this when he opened BHVape ten years ago.

Everyone is greeted with a warm ‘Good Morning Sir’ or ‘Good Morning Madam’ when they enter the store and good, old-fashioned customer service is at the heart of everything he does.

Johnnie said: “It is important to me and to my staff to treat everyone

In typical BHVape style, each time a customer successfully switches to vaping, Johnnie will ring out a loud bell in the store to mark the occasion.

He said: “I can’t think of any better use of my time than to help smokers switch to vaping and get their lives back.

“We cater for everyone from the blue rinsers to the unconvincers and make sure they have all the help and support they need to evolve from smoking to vaping.”

The BHVape staff normally spend a lot of time with new customers to understand their smoking habits so they can get the right system to meet their needs.

However, for one particular customer, things turned out a little differently.

Johnnie said: “I remember one guy who was a life-long smoker but was adamant that he didn’t want to switch to vaping.

“Disposable devices, which looked just like cigarettes, had recently come out so I gave him one to try. It was zero nicotine and I just wanted him to experience what vaping was like.

“He came back four days later and said it was so good that he had not touched a cigarette since. Even when I told him there was no nicotine in it, he decided vaping was for him and was so happy to

““

W

Another BHVape customer ditched cigarettes after Johnnie’s wife Lorna selected a blackcurrent flavour for her. She also managed to end her cravings for sugary boiled sweets as the blackcurrant e-liquid vapour tasted so good.

One happy customer was so pleased with the service he received that he promised to leave a glowing review on the website.

When Johnnie checked a few days later he discovered the guy had written that it was the ‘best bike shop’ he had ever visited.

However, the customer who had the biggest impact on the store was a lady who accidentally drove her motorised wheelchair into a glass display cabinet sending stock crashing all around her.

Johnnie said he will never tire of helping smokers quit…even if they do occasionally unintentionally smash up the store.

He said: “BHVape has become my life and I can’t wait to get to work every morning because there are new people to meet and new opportunities to allow smokers to finally give up cigarettes.”

If you are in Bournemouth you can check out BHVape in Charminster and, if not, you can check them out online at www.bhvape.com

Why left me in seventh heaven

Vapouround editor and vocal harm reduction advocate Patrick Griffin takes a look back at our seventh annual awards show and shares his highlights of the evening.

“Vapouround Awards winners represent the brands and personalities that drive our continued success on the world’s stage and push us ever closer to a smokefree future.”

Well, we did it; after months of hard work and preparation, it was time to go live with our seventh annual Vapouround Awards extravaganza.

I thought it would be difficult to top last year’s phenomenal event – let’s be honest, cruising across the waters of Dubai in a luxury superyacht is hard to beat – but I’m happy to admit I was wrong.

As always, the dedicated Vapouround team pulled

together to organise a truly brilliant show at the birth city of our prestigious awards, once again showing why people travel across the globe to attend our event.

Being back in Birmingham for the glamour and glitz of this event and seeing so many big names from the global industry brought back a real sense of nostalgia for me.

I was reminded of just how far we’ve come since 2016 – both as a magazine and an industry –and I felt an overwhelming sense of pride as I wandered amongst the buzzing crowds and hopeful nominees.

I was glad to see so many familiar faces lining the room, from the ever-excitable Johnnie Lovell to advocacy hero John Dunne, as well as leading brands like Dr. Vapes, Dinner Lady and Vaporesso.

It was also great to have some newer names in the crowd and on the podium, giving me confidence that the latest generation of brands and industry personalities are more than equipped to carry forward the harm reduction message.

Drumming up a crowd

From the very beginning the Vapouround Awards promised two things; a place to honour the leading names in our industry and an evening of unrivalled entertainment.

And let me say, between the celebrity lookalikes on arrival, the charming band of musicians and internationally renowned comedian Paul Tonkinson, I was thoroughly entertained.

But the highlight of the evening for most people - including myself – was one-of-a-kind visual DJ Afishal.

I could hardly turn my attention away as the YouTube star and crowd-pleasing artist delivered a mind-blowing performance which was a perfect way to open the main part of the proceedings.

A win for all

We had 28 categories up for grabs, and while I congratulate everyone who won an award on the evening, I think it’s fair to say that we all walked away from this year’s Vapouround Awards as winners.

Between the mouthwatering menu, unbeatable entertainment and the unique atmosphere that makes this event so special, this evening was truly one to remember.

Vapouround Awards winners represent the best and brightest of our industry; the brands and personalities that drive our continued success on the world’s stage and push us ever closer to a smokefree future.

Without their passion and drive, the harm reduction movement may well have drowned under mainstream media hit stories and baseless attacks from anti-vaping advocates.

Instead, we have collectively helped millions of people shift away from deadly cigarettes and take back control of their health…thank you all and please, please keep innovating.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank all of our sponsors, advertisers, judges, awards entrants, attendees and the entire Vapouround team which pulled together to make this our best event yet.

A mental health hit

The Vapouround Awards don’t just allow us to celebrate the industry, but also represent a chance for us to do a little good.

This year we partnered with charity boxing match Redemption, which is taking place in association with Mind to raise money for mental health.

To help with this worthy cause, we raffled off a selection of must-have prizes – including a signed Anthony Joshua glove – and gave a platform to some of the fighters taking part in the event.

We heard from white-collar boxer Darren Barber, who told us a heart-wrenching story about his mother and late father’s struggle with dementia, as well as his own mental health battle.

The fact that we can help support amazing causes like this through our awards show warms my heart and only adds to the incredible value and benefit of our annual event.

What’s next?

Unusually this year, as we brought the curtain down on one high-profile ceremony, we were putting the finishing touches on the next.

The inaugural Middle East and North Africa Vape Awards took place on June 19 in Dubai and was jointly

presented by Vapouround and our UAE partner Vape Paper.

The MENA Vape Awards celebrate the very best of the Middle East and North African vape industry, recognising all the incredible brands and innovators in this rapidly-growing region.

You can read all about this event in the next edition of Vapouround Magazine.

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WORLD VAPE DAY

May 30, 2022.

CELEBRATING HARM REDUCTION

Vapers from all over the world came together to share their stories and stand up for the most powerful tool ever created to help smokers quit.

Words: Patrick Griffin

vapers love to speak about how discovering e-cigarettes finally enabled them to quit smoking.

This was especially so on Monday May 30 when people from around the globe marked World Vape Day.

Activists from organisations big and small used the day to celebrate successes and highlight just how effective vaping is in helping smokers quit.

The World Vapers’ Alliance held a special event from Tibilisi, Georgia, with the motto ‘Celebrating Harm Reduction’ to recognize the role of vaping has in helping people live better lives.

The celebrations were streamed live on YouTube and featured testimonies from dozens of former smokers who told how vaping had transformed their lives for the better.

These are the types of first-hand accounts which politicians often take more notice of than the dry scientific reports published in medical journals.

It was amazing to see so many ordinary people from all walks of life and from all around the world, essentially telling the same story about the power of vaping.

Can there be any more powerful way to advocate for vaping than the combined voices of so many people who have finally found a way to quit smoking?

Here are some of our highlights from the WVA World Vape Day coverage.

We need to help people quit smoking rather than engage on a war against nicotine and that is why we need events like World Vape Day.

VAPE ADVOCATE DR COLIN MENDELSOHN

Dr Mendelsohn is the founding chairman of the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association and author of ‘Stop Smoking, Start Vaping.’

He said Australia had an ‘irrational’ attitude to vaping and told how he experienced ‘resistance and hostility’ when he began advocating for tobacco harm reduction.

Mendelsohn said: “This just made me more determined to continue because I knew I was on the right side of history.

“I wrote my book because I was so frustrated with the disinformation and negative messaging about vaping.

“I wanted to provide accurate information to smokers so that they could make an informed decision to switch. People need to understand that vaping is far safer than smoking.”

He added: “Nicotine does not cause cancer or lung disease and nor does it harm the adolescent human brain.

“If people switch from smoking to vaping they can expect substantial improvements in their health.”

He said it was easier for Australians to get deadly cigarettes than vape products but predicted that the government would begin to take e-cigarettes more seriously as they gained popularity.

“To protect vaping, people need to make as much noise as they can and approaches to politicians are key,” he added.

“Personal stories cut through where research doesn’t. Once enough pressure is brought to bear, politicians will get the message and vaping will prevail.”

THE WAR ON VAPING MUST STOP

Antonella Marty, a Fellow at the Consumer Choice Center, said there were 40 countries in the world – mainly in South America, Asia and the Middle East, that banned vaping to a greater or lesser degree.

She said prohibition was never the answer and said vaping bans only served to deny smokers access to the most efficient quitting aid ever invented.

Antonella told the WVA livestream event: “As well as the negative effects on smokers, vaping bans lead to job losses and harm the economy.

“The World Health Organization encourages ever more restrictions on vaping and in Europe some policy makers also favour banning flavours.

“This ignores the large numbers of cigarette users who turn to vaping when they want to quit smoking.”

VAPING SAVED MY LIFE

South African consumer advocacy group Vaping Saved My Life recently launched a social media campaign on Twitter to address misinformation on vaping.

Co-founder Kurt Yeo said the campaign also recruited eight smokers who wanted to quit and gave them vaping products to meet their needs.

Kurt said: “We asked them to participate in a 90 day vaping challenge and seven of the eight smokers successfully quit cigarettes.

“Providing accurate information for smokers who want to quit has been a crusade of mine for the last five years and we have asked the government to see vaping as the solution, not the problem.

“We have spent too much time focusing on the tobacco industry and not on smoking.

“We need to help people quit smoking rather than engage on a war against nicotine and that is why we need events like World Vape Day.

“Increasingly people are seeing the huge potential to use vaping to help smokers quit and live healthier and better lives.”

PHILAPPINES PRESIDENT ‘UNSYMPATHIC’

Anton Israel from the Nicotine Consumer Council of the Philippines said new legislation to legalise and regulate vaping has not yet been

signed into law by the president.

Israel said: “We are being opposed by powerful figures and it was an uphill battle to get the vape bill drafted.

“At the moment the president is unsympathetic to the situation so this is worrying us but we remain hopeful that the president will sign this legislation.”

He said as the country became more aware of vaping, more smokers knew that it had the potential to help them quit.

SUPPORTING VAPING IS TREASONOUS

The most shocking World Vape Day revelation came from Joel Sawa from advocacy group Tobacco Harm Reduction Uganda.

Under the country’s Tobacco Control Act it is illegal to import, sell, manufacture or distribute vape products.

Sawa said that any actions which ran against current laws were considered to be rebellious or treasonous.

He said: “In our case, advocacy runs against an existing law so we are fighting the government and that is perceived to be treasonous.

“What makes me positive about the future of vaping is the fact that a new breed of legislators are questioning the existing law.

“I am positive for the future because once we get more likeminded people, vaping will quickly become popular in this country.”

WHY

IS VAPING ATTACKED INSTEAD OF CELEBRATED?

World Vapers’ Alliance director Michael Landl wanted to know why e-cigarettes – which are orders of magnitude safer than smoking – were being attacked and not celebrated.

He was speaking to Dr Bernhard Mayer, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology from the University of Graz in Austria.

Dr Mayer told him: “I have been asking myself the very same question for 15 years.

“I never expected there would be such an opposition against this very safe alternative to smoking.

“One reason for the opposition to vaping is money.

“E-cigarettes endanger the pharmaceutical industry which makes a lot of money with nicotine replacement products and anti-cancer drugs.

“Governments also make a lot of money from tobacco tax and smokers tend to live shorter lives so there are financial reasons to keep smoking rates up.”

The professor said many vaping opponents had no real argument to support an outright ban so attacked the easier target of flavours instead.

He added: “They claim that teenagers are attracted to flavours like strawberry and mango while adult smokers like to vape tobacco flavours.

“This is wrong because so many studies show that adult vapers like fruit or candy and that tobacco is used by a minority of vapers.”

He said many failed to understand that ‘tobacco’ e-liquids were also flavoured products.

Dr Mayer said: “Tobaccos are the most complex flavours and contain 60 to 70 single compounds while a strawberry flavour may contain only ten.

GOOD ADVICE HELPS SMOKERS QUIT

Specialist vape stores provide the best guidance to help smokers successfully switch…but more needs to be done to improve overall quality levels.

Words: Patrick Griffin

Getting the right guidance about switching to vaping is crucial to help smokers successfully quit, according to new research from the UK Vaping Industry Association.

The study showed that six-out-of-ten (57 percent) former smokers said the guidance they received at specialist vape shops was instrumental in helping them give up.

Doug Mutter, a director at leading vape manufacturer and retailer VPZ, said the research underlined the vital role that dedicated vape stores provided in tobacco harm reduction.

He said: “There is a saying in the industry ‘get the right advice and get the right device’.

“Everyone is different and there is not a one size fits all solution.

“Professional support up front is key – it’s why we set up Vape Clinics in our stores across the UK to provide such high level advice from those who have been there and

done it before.”

The UKVIA survey also showed that while three quarters (73 percent) of respondents were either ‘very pleased’ or ‘to some degree happy’ with the advice they received, one quarter said they received no help at all.

John Dunne, Director General of the UKVIA, said: “The research clearly shows the value vapers place on the advice they received at the outset in helping them switch over from conventional cigarettes.

“It also highlights that the vast majority of established vapers believe that good advice around the transition to vaping will heighten the chances of smokers quitting their habits in the future.

“Yet despite this evidence, good advice was seen to be sorely lacking in some areas when smokers were looking to make a decision about vaping as their preferred quit method.”

OTHER KEY FINDINGS

INCLUDED:

An overwhelming 90 percent of current vapers believe that smokers are more likely to quit if they access good advice up front

Specialist vape stores were the main source of information for smokers wanting to quit (49 percent)

Only 2.8 percent and 1.1 percent of respondents got guidance from a supermarket and convenience store respectively

More than half (54 percent) of those who bought their first vape from a specialist vape store said that the support they received was ‘extremely informative and supportive’

The numbers reporting that they received ‘extremely informative and supportive’ advice dropped for other retail sources: online retail (25 percent), convenience stores (15 percent) and supermarkets (14 percent).

Just over a third (38 percent) said they received advice on the challenges that they might face when trying vaping for the first time; with a larger proportion (49 percent) saying that they had not been given any guidance in this area.

Key triggers to starting vaping included poor health (27 percent), cheaper than cigarettes (52 percent) and pressure from family (13 percent).

The research was undertaken during the UKVIA’s annual VApril event, the largest education campaign for smokers interested in using vaping as a quit method.

The research clearly shows the value vapers place on the advice they received at the outset in helping them switch over from conventional cigarettes.

ENDS Europe, May 24-25.

ONLINE

Words: Jordan Millar and Patrick Griffin

The fight to end the smoking epidemic is fuelled by industry, science and boundless innovation.

And to honour that fact, experts from across the globe gather year after year to share their knowledge in what has become a leading event for the electronic nicotine delivery sector.

The ENDS conference is a must see for anyone in the

harm reduction arena, with its roster of speakers and engaging talks giving attendees an insight into the science, commerce and regulatory aspects of the industry.

And this year’s show boasted an unrivalled schedule of content covering many of the hottest topics surrounding ENDS development and policy.

Here we highlight just a few of our favourite talks from the two-day virtual event.

I think it is just a matter of time before disposables in the way we know them are history.

The virtual conference kicked off with a deep dive into the long-awaited COP10 summit - set to take place next year – and explored what the event may focus on.

The session’s host, Jeannie Cameron of JCIC International, highlighted that, while ‘nicotine is in the spotlight’, there was a lot of confusion around the topic that needed to be addressed at the upcoming conference of the parties.

She suggested there was a wrongful belief that nicotine was ‘worse than crack cocaine’ when it came to dependence and that better education was required.

Cameron also highlighted that if ideology and politics continued to create barriers for reduced risk products, they would stifle innovation and prevent the introduction of new less harmful alternatives for smokers.

She discussed efforts to cripple the vape industry by making flavours ‘unpalatable’ under the guise of a non-existent youth issue…when, in reality, flavours helped smokers quit.

She also touched on the role of the World Health Organization in harm reduction policies, as well as focusing on environmental impact, taxation and communication as we approached COP10.

In this session, James May of DCA Design International highlighted some ‘headline design considerations’ for developing medically licensed ENDS products.

He said that one ‘absolutely fundamental’ aspect is personalisation, adding that the more a user holds and carries a device, the more it becomes a ‘reflection of their character’.

May went on to outline four ‘incredibly interrelated’ factors that should be taken into account when creating products and services.

He said that identifying the unmet needs of consumers and stakeholders, as well as considering macro trends like the growing societal focus on sustainability and the environment, could better inform the ENDS development process.

And when combined with category trends and innovation in technology – such as connectivity and tracking user behaviour – these four elements could enhance the ENDS experience and help guide design.

Latest tax legislation and impact on ENDS

This session highlighted the ‘growing problem’ of taxes on vaping products, with host Christopher Snowdon stressing that minimising the cost of reduced risk products would be key for any government that wanted to boost public health.

The Head of Lifestyle Economics for the Institute of Economic Affairs suggested that the wave of taxes spreading across the vape industry is likely the result of governments wanting to generate revenue.

However, armed with a library of studies and research, Snowdon explained that deterring people from vape use – whether through

taxes, bans or warnings – would only drive-up traditional cigarette sales.

Snowdon added that there was no ethical, economic or health grounds for seeking to minimise or eliminate nicotine.

He suggested that if governments wanted to maximise ‘societal welfare’, ‘consumer welfare’ or ‘public health’ then it didn’t make sense to tax e-cigarettes and would be wiser to subsidise the cost instead.

What should we consider to design and develop successful medically licensed ENDS products?

WHO FCTC framework for ENDS and what to expect at FCTC COP10 in 2023?

EU vaping regulations and responsible business strategies

EU vape regulations have the potential to be the ‘death knell’ for the disposable market, said Dustin Dahlmann from the Independent European Vape Alliance.

He said as the EU turned its attention to green issues, there could be major implications for the vaping industry.

The single use plastic directive is currently under review and tougher new regulations regarding battery disposal are also expected.

Dahlmann said: “Eco-friendly and reusable devices will become very important in the future as sustainable politics will increasingly affect our industry.

“I can’t imagine any future scenario where in three to five years time disposables will exist in the way we know them today.

“I think it is just a matter of time before disposables in the way we know them are history.”

He said it was a ‘major success’ for the industry that vaping was recognised as less harmful than smoking in the European Cancer Plan.

However he said less positive signals from Europe were the prospect of EU-wide vape specific taxation (currently 15 of the 27 member states have introduced their own vape taxes.)

The prospect of more EU flavour bans and plain packaging requirements were also potentially ‘worrying’ developments for the region.

Dahlmann warned that vaping would be subject to more regulations as it continued to grow and said it was vital that the industry ‘found solutions to critical issues’ before regulators imposed them instead.

He added: “Responsible business decisions can have a positive impact on forthcoming regulations.

“Youth protection brings strong focus on our industry and if we don’t get this right it can spill over to lots of other sectors of the industry.”

JOHN DUNNE (UKVIA) – SITUATION IN THE UK

John said this year was going to be ‘pivotal’ with so much going on and the industry attracting both positive and negative attention.

He said: “In the last six to eight months we have seen anti-vaping narratives cropping up with the aim of influencing policymakers into taking a negative stance and that is definitely a threat.

“On a more positive note, vaping is at its highest ever level in the UK and continues to grow and there is increasingly more interest from the NHS in vaping which is clearly a good thing.”

ROB DE LANGE (ACVODA) –SITUATION IN THE NETHERLANDS

The vape advocate spoke about the worrying development where moves to ban flavours were gathering momentum once more.

He told the conference: “At first it was proposed that flavours should be banned

Getting the harm reduction message across - what’s right and what works?

TOM GLEESON (NNA IRELAND) –SITUATION IN IRELAND

Tom said he was less worried about national regulations and more concerned at the increasing level of attacks on vaping at a local level.

He said: “Bans on public use are slowly being chipped in and it is the local councils, the school boards and the sports clubs who are doing this.

“These bodies are being visited by tobacco control people who are encouraging them to do this and we need to fight back.

“We need to ensure that there are vapers on these committees, boards and councils to speak up for us and to oppose these bans.”

He added: “On a national level, Ireland is about to bring in over 18 restrictions on vaping sales and this is something we wholeheartedly support.

“We have been calling for this for years and have no idea why it has taken until 2022 for it to happen.”

Growth of Counterfeit trade in vape products

CHRIS AIKENS, RELX INTERNATIONAL

Counterfeit and illegal vape products are rapidly becoming the biggest issue for the industry, the ENDS conference was told.

Chris Aikens warned that as the sector continued to grow, the problem would only increase and it was vital that the entire sector worked together to tackle the issue.

He praised the role played by the UKVIA in recent highprofile raids carried out around the country and said they highlighted just how many illegal and counterfeit products were at large.

Chris said: "If we want to uphold quality standards then this is something we all have to invest in across the board.”

UKVIA Director General John Dunne added: “I have been on some of these raids myself and it is amazing to see the amount of illicit and copycat vape products in the market.

“It is great to see that companies are taking this seriously, because if we do not act then this could have a very detrimental impact on the entire industry.”

because they attract young people but now the narrative has changed.

“Now we are told that flavour bans are not only to protect young people but to protect people generally from the harm of using flavours.

“We are still trying to grasp what ‘harm’ they are referring to and in reality it seems that the aim must to be to keep up the sales of regular tobacco products.”

Rob added: “During the pandemic smoking rates in the Netherlands increased while vape sales decreased.

“We need to activate the silent community of vapers to directly engage with the government and let politicians know how important vaping has been to help smokers quit.”

STOP RUBBISHING REDUCED RISK ALTERNATIVES

Activists were outraged after the WHO urged people to choose between lifesaving e-cigarettes and the environment in its latest anti-vaping campaign.

Words: Jordan Millar

The World Health Organization is under fire after claims it piggybacked on growing environmental concerns to stir yet another vaping moral panic.

In a series of controversial tweets, the international body urged people to steer clear of e-cigarettes, accusing the reduced risk alternative of wreaking havoc on the planet.

The health body launched its anti-vaping message against the backdrop of World No Tobacco Day, including it alongside very real warnings about the dangers of cigarettes.

In a social media thread, the WHO said e-cigarettes were made with single-use plastics that contain ‘hazardous chemicals’ like nicotine and ‘cannot be recycled’.

It said: “They do not biodegrade; they just break down into microplastics that pollute our waterways.”

Shockingly, the WHO then called on people to decide between vaping and the planet, demanding that they ‘choose the environment, choose health, never e-cigarettes’.

Critics questioned whether the health body was really guided by green motives or was just looking for another way to attack vaping.

Richard Pruen of the Safer Nicotine Wiki said: “What complete rubbish; my e-cig is made from mostly metal and glass, it is engineered to last!

“The parts that do need changing are recyclable coils and batteries or biodegradable cotton…sometimes I really

wonder what you people have been smoking when writing these?”

Advocates stressed that if the WHO really wanted to tackle environmental concerns, it would support reusable vape products that have a reduced impact on the planet.

Harm reduction group CAPHRA highlighted the health body’s inconsistency when it came to e-cigarettes, saying that it proposed closed tank systems – which are made of plastic - be allowed, while recyclable open systems be banned.

It added: “The devices you ‘prefer’ are actually the ones that will cause more harm to waterways.”

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates also asked what the WHO is doing to combat the rubbish and recycling crisis beyond the tobacco and vape industries.

It warned that medical waste, including face masks and tests, had become a ‘big problem’ in the wake of the COVID pandemic…but claimed it didn’t see the public health body stepping in with the same urgency.

CAPHRA said: “What is the WHO doing about the existing environmental issues of masks and rapid antigen tests? Where is the recycling program? Where is the guidance?… there isn’t any.”

WHAT COMPLETE RUBBISH; MY E-CIG IS MADE FROM MOSTLY METAL AND GLASS, IT IS ENGINEERED TO LAST!

Company spotlight:

ADACT Medical is one of the largest testing agencies in Europe, assisting vaping, CBD and hemp businesses with industry regulations.

With 10 years in the vaping compliance sector, it has completed over 1.5 million TPD notifications, helping over 300 businesses achieve compliance for 30,000 products.

It has tested in excess of 23,000 vaping products and completed more than 750 toxicology reports.

Here we speak to ADACT Medical’s founder and Chief Regulatory Officer Damien Bové about their journey to date.

WHAT IS ADACT MEDICAL’S MAIN MISSION?

We offer a broad and often bespoke range of regulatory and analytical services that fulfil the demands of innovative, scientific compliance for vaping and health businesses worldwide.

We ensure that our clients can give their consumers the best product quality and safety standards, enabling them to concentrate on growing sales and profits.

WHY DO YOU PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE VAPE INDUSTRY?

Our remit has always been medical product compli-

ance and we view vapes as a medical technology that has huge potential for public health.

I have worked on vape products since 2007 and found it to be an interesting industry which is lively and fast moving.

Once vapes became a regulated product, it has become more and more demanding from global regulators and all the expertise required is too much for a single person to manage on a day-to-day basis.

You need a broad range of skills, from regulatory admin, toxicology, analytical, chemistry, packaging etc. and businesses need a cost-effective way of accessing these skills, ADACT’s team can provide these at a single point of contact.

WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM OTHER COMPLIANCE REGULATORS?

We are scientists and understand the science that underpins the TPD.

Other agencies are good at putting the components together for a TPD submission but struggle to understand the science that underlays it.

When there is something new or unusual to deal with, that’s when ADACTs expertise comes into its own.

We also have our own laboratory, here in the UK. We test in house, which gives us the benefits of speed,

cost, and flexibility.

The fact that we genuinely care about people, be it our clients, our team and consumers, ensures a human touch, always happy to discuss challenges and opportunities over the phone.

We understand fully that businesses are trusting us with their products, and we aim to do our very best to deliver as efficiently and as cost-effectively as possible.

HOW CAN VAPE BRANDS BEST PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR COMPLIANCE SUCCESS?

The most important thing a company can do is to have visibility of their supply chain and products.

All too often companies don’t know all they should about the liquids and devices they are asking us to work on.

We sometimes have to deal with the suppliers in order to get the data we need, which can cause delays.

Fortunately, we have strict confidentiality agreements in place, which enables us to obtain the required information for formulations.

Having a supplier that knows you need data from them in the future can be a powerful tool to speed things up.

HAVE THERE BEEN ANY STANDOUT MOMENTS FOR YOU DURING YOUR TIME AT ADACT MEDICAL?

Yes, it was back in early 2017 when my team and I looked back at our first round of TPD submissions.

In 2016, we completed compliance for over 200 businesses. We took a huge challenge off the shoulders of entrepreneurs, SME’s and large companies at a fraction of the cost that they were expecting. We delivered for every single customer – and that was a great feeling for the whole company. We have built on that success, with an ambitious new team and significant financial investment in our TPD systems and processes to further strengthen our capabilities, adding more and more companies to our roster of clients.

WHICH SERVICE FROM ADACT MEDICAL ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

It’s our new lab in Doncaster. We are ISO17025 accredited for our testing, which was initially at our laboratory in Portugal and now in our newly established laboratory in Doncaster.

It gives us a powerful toolbox with which to help our customers. Having invested in our laboratory capabilities with more analytical instruments, a full-time team of four laboratory professionals and 10 office staff, we have the potential to keep on delivering for our clients in this ever-changing world.

V-AI-PING

ARTWORK

Modern tech can add ‘professional artist’ to its list of limitless skills as new AI-powered programs allow people to generate unique images at the push of a button.

Words: Jordan Millar

While almost everybody fancies themselves an artist, very few have the time – or the skill – to pick up a brush and produce a masterpiece.

For decades the less creative among us were limited to stick figures and lopsided portraits…but amazing new advances in the world of AI means anybody can try their hand at being a digital artist.

A wave of online tools is sweeping across the internet and replacing traditional paint brushes with complex programs…bringing computer-generated art to the masses.

The groundbreaking new apps allow anyone to enter a written prompt and watch as the AI produces an abstract take on the

phrase, incorporating swirling colours and shapes into a unique image.

As the latest feat in artificial intelligence and machine learning, these digital art pieces are appearing on dedicated social media pages and are even making their way into real world auctions.

To see exactly what these tools are capable of, Vapouround used the online AI program Wombo to create these stunning pieces of computer-generated art.

By using sayings and slogans from the world of vaping, we tested how the system interpreted some iconic vape lines and got a glimpse of the role machines could play in the future of art.

Make the switch Harm reduction

Ninety Five Percent Live Long Vaper

Vaping Saves Lives

Vaping is not your enemy

Public Health Prize Less harmful alternative

COIL Art OF INSTAGRAM

Here we highlight some of the stars of Instagram who are using the social media platform to create original art with a vaping theme.

Location: Somerset, UK. Instagram page: @mr_pebble

Interview by: Oliver Smith

Name: Ben Pebble

How long have you been vaping and how did you start?

I have vaped since about 2016. Prior to that I had been a smoker for over 20 years and I never thought I’d quit the habit.

My girlfriend gave me an e-cigarette as a present and I used it for some time, while reducing how much I smoked.

However, something was missing so I bought my first rebuildable dripping atomizer (RDA), an OG Twisted Messes and started wrapping my first coils…soon after, I never smoked again.

How long have you been building coils?

I have been coil-building for five years. At first, I just wrapped round wire to make simple coils for vaping, but I then learned advanced coil building in the Coil Class by Nick Devine on YouTube.

After two years learning from some of the early pioneers and collaborating with other new builders, I developed a taste for an abstract, yet simple, style of coil building.

What piqued your interest

in building

coils?

In 2019, I met three of the leading art coil builders of this period: K.panzer_creations, Axmanzombie and Gravelthroated.

I would have these mad build sessions with them almost every day and although we had totally different styles, we all wanted to do something fresh.

We kept inspiring each other to explore the art form. This was the point when my passion for the hobby exploded, it was a lot of crazy fun experimenting and that still continues to this day.

Why do you build coils?

I don’t make coils for vaping very often anymore and so I build primarily for artistic reasons.

Most of my building is to explore an idea, often it doesn’t function as a coil instead it might be abstract like a pattern, or figurative like a recognisable form.

But at the end of the day, all of it is a celebration of the joy of vaping, using an RDA as a plinth for some wire art.

VAPOUROUND ON TOUR

VapExpo Lille, Lille Grand Palais, April 9-11, 2022

Words: Baz Bassra

Attending my first international vape trade show since the pandemic gave me a great sense of excitement and joy.

It was great to be able to cross international borders once again and I was looking forward to seeing what this three-day event had to offer.

When I arrived at the beautiful city of Lille the weather was great and the sun was shining.

My first job was to set up the Vapouround stand for the show ahead and it was a real pleasure to get to attend an expo without hiding behind a mask.

Events like this are great opportunities to speak to likeminded enthusiastic exhibitors and it was clear, that just like me, so many people had missed this face-to-face contact.

On the first morning of the show, I noticed that there was a great atmosphere across the expo hall as everybody seemed eager to make the best of the three days ahead.

It was a nice feeling seeing familiar faces and brands in the vaping industry and we had a lot to catch up with after such a long absence.

The B2B morning was a great way to start the show and while I was glad to see so many companies represented, I thought there might be more new brands exhibiting here.

Day two saw a steady flow of attendees but it seemed that many people may have been cautious about attending large indoor events which impacted on overall visitor numbers.

Regardless of footfall, the majority of exhibitors appeared to do well and this was a great indication that business was once again on the rise and things were getting back to normal.

This was a very calm and relaxed show, in comparison to previous shows back in 2019, where everybody appeared to be smiling, happy and looking forward to the future.

I would like to thank the organisers for hosting such a great event which was very well organised and just what the industry needed.

I look forward to coming back for the next event.

VAPOUROUND ON TOUR

NATIONAL

When vaping first came to the UK, customers could only get their supplies through local specialised stores which were just starting to spring up.

And while specialist vape shops undoubtedly remain the backbone of the industry, e-cigarettes have increasingly expanded into the wider retail sector.

This is reflected by the willingness of e-cigarette companies to exhibit, not only at specialist vape expos, but to take their products to a more general audience.

It is evidence that vaping is no longer a specialist niche of its own, but has become an increasingly mainstream alternative to smoking.

One such example of this was the National Convenience Show

which took place at the NEC in Birmingham in April and featured some of the biggest names from this important retail sector.

From the vape industry, names such as Pukka Juice and multiVAPE were represented, as buyers within the convenience sector increasingly offer reduced risk products for former smokers.

It was the first time this event has been held in two years due to COVID restrictions and the overwhelming message from exhibitors and visitors alike was ‘It’s great to be back.’

The National Convenience Show was actually four expos in one as it also included three other co-located shows; The Forecourt Show, Food & Drink Expo and the Farm Shop & Deli Show.

A flood of overwhelmingly positive feedback from exhibitors and visitors has shown that the events have delivered on their shared remit, providing 2022’s most comprehensive snapshot of multiple markets in just three days.

CONVENIENCE SHOW, NEC BIRMINGHAM. APRIL 25-27, 2022

Join our global community of vaping professionals in London, December 2022, for a B2B Exhibition, Conference and the all NEW & exclusive, Meet the Buyer.

EXHIBITION

Your opportunity to showcase your brand and products to 0000s of serious global buyers

EXCLUSIVE

Leave the hustle and bustle of the show floor, and join a network of super exclusive VIP buyers in our luxury private suites

TOP BUYERS

Through our extensive market research we have been informed that the business heads/owners of the UK’s top wholesalers, retailers and distributors want something di erent, a new format with a more controlled setting with a real business focus

NETWORKING EVENING

The evening will be a black tie event with Gala Dinner. We will also being handing out a few Awards to recognise and celebrate those key figures who have been instrumental in endorsing the vape industry, including members of Parliament and Journalists

SOLE B2B FOCUS

WVS continue to roll out dedicated B2B events around the globe and look forward to welcoming you to London in December

Vapitaly Verona, Veronafiere. May 14-16, 2022

Words: Baz Bassra

I last attended Vapitaly in Rome in 2019 and it was a great show and very well organised, so this event had a lot to live up to.

Arriving in the vibrant city of Verona in the 30-degree heat was blissful and gave me a good feeling for the next three days ahead.

Set up day did not quite go to plan as we learned that our stand and magazines were still stuck in customs, a sure sign that things were getting back to some sort of normality.

I don’t think there has ever been a vape expo I have attended where at least one exhibitor wasn’t impacted by the disruption of a customs delay.

Days one and two of the show were open to the public where there was a sea of attendees queueing from the gates to the main entrance for the event to begin.

Once again, seeing familiar faces and brands made me feel at home straight away and the many new brands reassured me that the industry continues to thrive.

Day three was the business-to-business day with a more relaxed vibe which was in stark contrast to the high energy atmosphere of the previous two days.

A lot of business was done at the show, making it very successful for exhibitors and attendees alike.

Vapitaly president Mosè Giacomello said: “We are extremely satisfied to have brought companies and operators back face-toface again.

“After two years without live events, the sector needed to start back up again and we are proud to have driven this new start and of the fact that Vapitaly has retained its role as the annual benchmark event for the entire sector.”

When the doors opened, the hall quickly flooded with enthusiastic vapers and it was just like the Vapitaly events of old.

An excited crowd of passionate vapers arriving early to be the first into the hall was a sure sign that it was business as usual.

Over 100 companies attended the event, representing 200 brands from both Italy and abroad.

Thousands of visitors entered the 8,000-square-metre exhibition space with a total of 7,143 visits recorded over the three days.

Once again Vapitaly lived up to my expectations.

After such a successful show I was happy to enjoy a refreshing glass of the Italian drink Aperol Spritz whilst admiring the beautiful views from the Verona arena as the sun was set on this majestic city.

Alternative Products Expo, Colombia.

May 21-22, 2022.

Words: Paul Caplin

After two-and-a-half years, we were finally allowed to return to Colombia.

We were back in Medellin, the home of the newly renamed ‘Alternative Products Expo’ – a show we have been attending since its launch.

This was our opportunity to reconnect with old friends and clients from this side of the world where we had been cut off for so long because of the global scamdemic.

The first noticeable difference in this newly reformatted expo, was that the organisers needed two larger halls because of the increased numbers of exhibitors. To see how the expo has expanded was definitely a good thing.

The check in process was as slick as ever, something we would expect from seasoned pros like these organisers.

We were greeted by the first friendly face on the door, which happened to be the main man and organiser Jason Monti. It was nice to see him again after so long.

We went into the expo with great anticipation and excitement and it looked fantastic.

It was busy with visitors out in force and each booth seemed to be getting their share of footfall and yet there was enough space between the booths to make it comfortable for everyone.

There was the usual array of big booths. People really going for it, with double-tiered booths and massive builds.

This remained essentially a vape expo, so I am not sure why they renamed it ‘alternative products’ and my worry was that people seeing the name would not immediately know it was a vape event.

Most of the booths were vape-related and a lot of the big names were in attendance. We have always thought that these Colombian vape events were fantastic and this one was no exception.

Another massive well done to Jason and his team. This was very professionally executed as always and the feedback was fantastic.

If you haven’t checked out this expo yet, it’s definitely one for the diary. We look forward to seeing what comes next.

Vaper Expo UK, NEC Birmingham May 27-29, 2022.

Words: Carrie Strouther

Birmingham reclaimed its place in the world of live vape shows with the return to the NEC of The Vaper Expo UK.

Even after a two-year absence, it was great to see that it retained that familiar look and feel of this classic vape event.

Some things never change and I was glad to see that the Vaper Expo team stuck with their dynamic vaping duo Johnnie Lovell and Ashley Hansen as joint show comperes.

They ruled the main stage, hosting a selection of giveaways from all our favourite brands and introducing a packed program of talks from leading voices within the industry.

Johnnie and Ashley have gained a huge army of fans for their energetic Vaper Expo antics and I am no exception.

One of the weekend’s highlights for me was Vaporesso proudly showing off their powerful new logo which features the letter ‘V’ at the forefront, encircled behind by the letter ‘O’.

The rebrand was a year in the making, with input from many surveys, focus groups and data analysts before the new logo was ready to be made public. And judging from the reaction at Vaper Expo I think they have got it spot on.

As I walked around the stands it was clear that this event reflected the current industry trend…the ever-growing march of the disposables. They were absolutely everywhere.

There were so many dynamic stands, where companies went the extra mile to stand out from the crowd and it was great to see this Vaper Expo tradition continue.

Elf Bar, who sported a branded halo high above their stand, found their products in such demand that they ran out of stock by Saturday afternoon.

I also loved all the mascots walking around the expo to add to the atmosphere, with King Kong Vape Juice’s gorilla being a particular favourite of mine.

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.

DISPOSABLE VAPES

SPECIFICATIONS:

Up to 600 puffs

Capacity - 550mAh

Nicotine strength: 20mg (salt)

Words: Peach Atkinson

Another stunning line of disposable vapes, Mood Bars offer crisp and intense flavour whilst boasting ultimate simplicity.

They are rated up to 600 puffs and will certainly quell your nicotine cravings - especially due to the fact that these bars contain 20mg salt nicotine.

These are the flavours I reviewed:

Gummy Bear Ice

Up until now, I had yet to try a gummy bear flavour, particularly one with an added element of ice.

With this flavour I loved how the taste continued to evolve throughout vaping.

It started with a rather subtle fruity blend which blossomed into an intensely sweet and candy-like cornucopia of flavours.

I found that the iciness in this vape was quite mild and therefore did not take away from the overall flavour, making this even more appealing to me.

If you enjoy candy flavours and modest amounts of cooling agent, then you might just want to pick up one of these awesome little disposables.

Pink Lemonade

A classic, personal favourite of mine, Pink Lemonade delivers all of the fresh, fruity effervescence that I have come to expect.

Initially, there were sharp notes of sour grapefruit and tart lemon. After vaping for a few minutes however, I also picked up on a sweet and soft strawberry that mellowed out the more noticeable citrus elements.

The unique thing about this flavour was the fizzy effect it emanates whilst puffing away. Despite lacking the word ‘ice’ in its name, there was still a tiny amount of coldness detected right on the end of the exhale.

Pink Lemonade flavours can be a bit hit-or-miss and it takes great skill to create a moreish and tasteful vaping experience.

Overall, I found this to be both refreshing and accurately replicated and most of all, enjoyable.

Menthol

This was possibly the most straightforward flavour in this line of disposables and should be a definite hit for fans of minty, cold and fresh vapes.

By also managing to incorporate the classic and unmistakable taste of menthol, this flavour goes above and beyond.

Added edges of peppermint can be found whilst vaping and I felt that it offered an incredibly subtle sweetness.

That minute touch of sweetness gave the flavour a well-rounded and well executed taste.

As with many menthol flavours on the market, this one also includes an icy sensation when inhaling, boosting the refreshing nature of this disposable.

Mango Ice

Flavours such as an icy mango are everywhere right now, so when I tried this flavour, I wanted to see what was different this time around.

Most mango flavours I have tried so far have been categorised as either a sour mango or a juicy mango but this one combines the two to create a unique and surprisingly effective taste.

Due to both main flavour elements being mango, you can obviously expect a fruity base but the interesting part is how the two interact with one another.

The sour notes bounce off the sweet and juicy notes - and vice versa. The way these flavours amalgamate gives this disposable a clear edge on other mango-based vapes.

The icy notes come in right at the end, exaggerating the ripe and fresh feel to the flavour in its entirety.

Strawberry Ice

Covering a vast array of flavour profiles, strawberry is clearly a favourite of many.

Strawberry can be conveyed in countless preparations when it comes to vaping and therefore nearly every strawberry flavour you try will be different.

This one presented a set of candied strawberry notes which were both soft and juicy and gave off a bubblegum-like vibe. It is delightful and super easy to vape and had a long lasting, sustained flavour.

The cooling agent offered bright, sharp and freezing notes of ice which contrasted well with the soft, wholesome strawberry candy.

This would be the perfect choice for a hot day.

Blue Razz Ice

Blue Razz Ice gives off a strong candy vibe whilst oozing an intense blast of ear-tingling iciness.

The blue raspberry side of things reminded me somewhat of blue bonbons and retained the iconic sourness enjoyed by so many.

For me personally, the flavour tasted almost as strong as the sweets although I doubt you’d get the sugary aftertaste.

As with most of the flavours I have reviewed today, there is a brain freezing element of ice when exhaling, and to me, this slightly overpowered the raspberry notes.

This was a good thing, because while most blue raspberry and ice flavours focus mainly on the fruity side of things, this one nailed the complexities of a good fruit/mint combination.

A blissfully simple flavour, this disposable offers a well-rounded blend of peppermint, menthol and a tad of cooling agent.

This flavour is an ideal choice for menthol smokers looking to kick their habit, with the peppermint giving off a punchy, sharp taste…in short, it was incredibly tasty and refreshing.

The more prominent notes belong to the menthol - which is bitingly cold - and the touch of cooling agent just boosts the fresh, yet straightforward, overall flavour.

Tobacco Classic

I’ve never really been a die-hard fan of tobacco flavours –though I’ve never really found one that works for me – but this disposable may have changed that fact completely.

It boasts the complex taste of deep and earthy tobacco leaves with a subtle creaminess that, for me, gave an unmatched smoothness that made it super easy to vape.

Unlike many other tobacco flavours I’ve tried, I didn’t get any smoky tastes from it, which made me enjoy it even more.

Despite being a tobacco-based flavour, I feel that fans of dessert vapes could also get behind this disposable – especially because of its subtle sweetness.

Green Apple Ice

In the past I’ve been lucky enough to try many variants of this flavour profile…but this one is probably my favourite so far.

Offering a simple set of base flavours, the apple carries both sweet and sour notes, topped off with a tongue-tingling sour sensation.

The apple element gave off a candy-like vibe, evoking a taste similar to that of a green apple slushy.

Adding to the refreshing nature of this e-liquid, there was also a strong blast of cooling agent that gave this flavour an even more revitalising and powerful taste.

All in all, this is a perfect go to for vapers who love a flavourful and cold vape in the fuss free form of a disposable.

Mixed Berries

With a complex and well executed collection of summer berries this flavour shined with a fruity sweetness that is second to none, reminding me strongly of Vimto.

Alongside its jubilantly sweet notes, I found that there was an ever so slight hint of sourness, combining to create an incredibly

balanced and easy to vape flavour.

The taste was consistently intense throughout my vaping experience, making it a clear contender as an all-day vape.

With the obvious lack of cooling agent and menthol, this flavour really focused on presenting the delightfully juicy notes of ripe berries.

Melon Ice

An incredible mix of ripe and exotic melons, as well as a subdued and strangely noticeable hit of iciness, I thoroughly enjoyed the summertime feel to this flavour.

Despite having the word ‘ice’ in its name, I found that the coldness in this flavour seemed to take more of a back seat when compared to the fruity side of things.

I did not see this as a negative though, as I could really appreciate the complexities of the different melon constituents.

As I mentioned previously, this flavour is best enjoyed during warm weather or on holiday as it exudes a chilled and fruity vibe.

Lemon Cake

When it comes to MTL setups, I often opt for fruity flavours over more dessert-based blends of flavours, so when I say that I enjoyed this disposable - that is a massive achievement.

The most dominant flavour is the smooth and velvety lemon custard…so smooth in fact that it almost seemed I was chowing down on the food itself.

The creamy lemon tones were quickly followed by a rich and buttery cake that brought together all the sweet elements in a cacophony of deliciousness.

Despite being a dessert-based flavour, I did not feel like it became too sweet at any point, making it a great choice as an all-day vape.

The lemon and cake elements were perfectly-balanced and I cannot praise this flavour enough.

JUICE N POWER

SPECIFICATIONS:

Pre-filled disposables 600 puffs

Nicotine: 20mg salt nic Capacity: 2ml Words: Peach Atkinson

Today I’m trying out a selection of disposable vapes from Juice N Power. Featuring 20mg salt nicotine and a wide variety of flavours, these 600 puff beauties have me very excited.

These are the flavours I received for this review:

COLA

First up we have Cola.

This is a classic flavour that I always enjoy vaping and this one certainly doesn’t disappoint.

From the first puff to the last you get the sugary sweet flavour you’d expect with a massive hit of fizziness that takes a good amount of edge off the sweetness.

It definitely has more of a cola bottles candy flavour than an authentic cola flavour but that’s my personal preference when it comes to vaping.

It’s an extremely easy flavour to get lost in and I really couldn’t stop puffing away, very quickly using up all 600 puffs in record time.

This comes highly recommended for anyone looking for an allday flavour in a disposable.

PINA COLADA

With summer just around the corner, Pina Colada is the perfect flavour to complement those sunny days at the beach or sat in

your garden relaxing.

The classic cocktail combines pineapple and coconut cream with a subtle hint of rum.

It’s perfectly blended with the tropical pineapple mingling beautifully with the smooth and slightly nutty coconut cream.

You can even taste that slight hint of the rum that complements the creamy, fruity flavours amazingly.

Whether it’s a drink you already like or if you’re looking for sunshine in a disposable I highly recommend giving this Juice N Power Pina Colada a try.

BANANA SENSATION

If you’re after a simple, yet extremely tasty, disposable vape then Banana Sensation is probably going to be the one for you.

With the spotlight on banana and no other flavours, Juice N Power had to get this one right and they absolutely nailed it.

It’s amazingly accurate, the sweet yet mellow, almost creamy flavour of a ripe banana has been expertly recreated.

There is a very subtle menthol in the background that brings the fruit flavour out even more and helps keep the vape refreshing for all 600 puffs.

I’m a big fan of banana flavours and I’ve tried a lot of bad ones so it’s amazing that Juice N Power have so faithfully recreated

the fruit here.

RAINBOW SWEETS

If you like candy vapes, this is the one for you.

Rainbow Sweets is an expertly-mixed fruit medley, with a sugary sweet candy base, taking you right back to the school tuck shop with an awesome flavour that’s extremely moreish.

On the initial inhale you get a heady mix of fruits, each one easy to identify. There’s strawberry, orange, grape and lime to name just a few and they all combine to create something more than the sum of their parts.

These are soon joined by the toothachingly sweet candy flavours that wrap around the fruity notes and combine to create this classic flavour that I really could not stop going back to.

I absolutely adore this flavour and I need more of it in my life.

GRAPE ICE

Grape Ice is, simply put, an amazing flavour.

If you’re like me and you enjoy a good grape vape, I implore you to give this disposable vape a try.

The flavour, to me, tastes like a mix of different grapes with the predominant one being purple. However, there are also slightly sour hints of white grape and

even dark, sweet red grapes in there.

All of these grapes complement each other well and have been blended together perfectly.

The ice just elevates the flavour to new levels, adding a refreshing element to the overall vape and helping to lift the sweeter notes to a place free of any sickliness. Just awesome!

RASPBERRY RIPPLE ICE CREAM

I haven’t had the chance to try many disposable vapes featuring sweet, pudding flavours so I was super happy when I saw this one.

The initial inhale gave me an intense hit of sweetened, syrupcovered raspberries, immediately lighting up my taste buds with a fresh, slightly zingy feeling.

Just as I was getting my head around the raspberries, a smooth vanilla ice cream joined the fray and did a fantastic job of rounding everything out and underlining the raspberries.

It’s a great flavour that took me right back to childhood and I’m sure if you’ve ever had Raspberry Ripple before you’ll know exactly what I mean.

That’s exactly why you have to try this disposable by Juice N Power!

UWELL CALIBURN GK2 POD KIT.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Size: 72.2×46.6×16.3mm | Output: 18W

Battery: 690mAh | Display: LED & vibrate Capacity: 2ml | Charging: USB Type C Coils: Caliburn G/G2

Words: Alex Shenker

Today we are taking a look at the newest member of the Caliburn family from Uwell, the Caliburn GK2.

I’ve had a lot of time and use with some of the other Caliburn kits so I’m very excited to be trying out the new model.

Let’s start off with the appearance. It’s a similar size and shape to previous models like the Koko Prime, but with slightly smoother edges and some awesome new colours.

Portability is the key word with the GK2 kit, weighing in at just over 45 grams, you barely know it’s in your pocket when you’re carrying it around.

It’s made out of a very durable zinc alloy material, very useful if you’re clumsy like me and drop your vapes a lot.

The included lanyard is also a very welcome addition, as I tend to lose my vapes as well so keeping it attached to me is preferable.

The side of the device features some bright light bars, in the classic Caliburn KOKO shape.

The lights flash and change colour as you vape as well as turning red when the device needs charging and green when it’s fully charged.

This will not be the best for stealth vapers out there as there doesn’t seem to be a way to turn them off.

The GK2 is powered by a 690mAh internal battery, which is charged via an included USB Type C cable.

In terms of battery life, I found it lasted a good few hours of vaping and also charged up very quickly, in around an hour or so. I never felt let down by the battery.

The GK2 couldn’t be simpler to use, there are NO buttons on the

device which is purely activated by a puff sensor.

No buttons also means no screen and so no adjustable wattage. The max wattage on the device is 18w and it will change depending which of the Caliburn G series coils you have installed.

Speaking of the coils, the kit includes a 0.8 and a 1.2 ohm coil, both of which provided me with good flavour and decent vapour production for such a small device.

That being said, this is definitely more of a MTL vape, and as such works best with 50/50 salt or freebase nicotine liquids and I’d avoid using anything thicker with these coils.

Changing the coils is very easy, you just pull the pod out of the device, find the coil on the bottom of the pod, pull the old one out and push the new one in.

Filling the 2ml pod is also simple and easy. It is done by pushing back on the mouthpiece until it is removed, and then pushing the bottle nib through a small red seal on the top of the pod.

I really like this system as it allows you to fill up without removing the pod from the device. Perfect for when you’re on the go, and a lot less messy than some other pod systems.

In terms of flavour, this device is a winner. I tried loads of different juices in there, salt and freebase and they all shone, for the whole length of the coil lifespan.

This is, in part, due to Uwell’s Pro-FOCS technology, which has a self-cleaning feature to help to keep the coil fresher for longer and improving the flavour you get.

The Caliburn GK2 is a fantastic device which is easy to recommend to experienced and new vapers alike.

The ease of use and simplicity are what makes it especially suitable for those new to vaping.

It’s ultra-lightweight and easy to carry around and I commend Uwell for making it so portable without sacrificing anything to get there.

WANTED SERIES BY NINETEEN VAPE

(FLAVOUR CONCENTRATE)

Words: Peach Atkinson

These e-liquid flavour concentrates from Italy come in 60ml capacity bottles and come with 20ml of concentrated flavour.

This can be a cheaper method of purchasing e-liquid, and takes out most of the confusion of creating your own e-liquid from scratch.

All you will need to do is add PG/VG and nicotine (if required) and you are good to go.

For all freshly mixed DIY e-liquids, letting it steep in a cool, dark and dry place for several weeks, will allow the flavour to improve and develop.

BLACK CRUNCHY

Black Crunchy exemplifies the rich, creamy and velvety tones found in a well-executed vanilla bean flavour.

It has soft but decadent edges and emanates a deep and full taste.

For me, the vanilla is presented in a such a way that reminded me of a hefty dollop of artisan ice cream.

The sumptuous notes of vanilla are complemented by an exemplary twist of deep and sweet cherry.

I felt that the cherry gave off a coulis vibe and intermingled incredibly well with the softer, more subdued vanilla base.

The unique combination of flavours offers up a myriad of appealing dessert elements, ultimately creating an unmissable e-liquid for any self-confessed sweet tooth.

FLUFFY HAT

It’s been a fair while since I’ve tried a doughnut flavour quite like this.

It manages to easily incorporate all of the hallmarks found in a decent, fluffy doughnut e-liquid.

Realism is at the very core of this flavour and is exaggerated by a complex and layered set of constituents.

Firstly, there are savoury notes of deep-fried doughnut, bursting with the unmistakably warm crispiness found in the delectable pastry itself.

The potent note of doughnut is offset by an equally complicated but also equally delicious vanilla custard cream.

The buttery, sweet and creamy undertone works well at complementing the bolder doughnut and therefore creates an extremely pleasant vaping experience.

GREEN HUNTER

Leaving the most unique and complex flavour for last, I had great fun with this e-liquid and trying to discern exactly what flavours come in to play when vaping this particular juice.

Initially, the most prominent flavour has to be a sharp and layered spiced rum - highly reminiscent of the warming sensation found in an alcoholic beverage.

Following on from the fiery rum notes, a smooth and nutty pistachio seems to mellow out the more obvious rum element making for a distinct and well-calculated taste.

Rounding up the other flavours, an earthy and softly smoky tobacco leaf gives an all-encompassing gesture of unity.

The collection of diverse flavour constituents all combine to give vapers a strong sensation of a well-rounded flavour that is rather easy to vape.

Words: Peach Atkinson

Mango Ice

VG/PG: 50/50

20mg salt nicotine

Ripe and juicy yellow mango is combined with the sour edge of green mango to conjure a well-balanced and fresh vibe.

The yellow mango includes a pulpy and mellow feel and oozes the powerful and tropical taste found in the fruit itself.

Being more tart in flavour, the green mango gives off a perfect opposition to the sweetness found in the other mango notes.

The decision to combine two elements of the same flavour profile was obviously a good one, as it was extremely easy to vape and the added cooling element only boosts the e-liquid’s revitalising nature.

Blue Razz Lemonade Ice

VG/PG: 50/50

20mg salt nicotine

Another icy e-liquid, blue raspberry lemonade flavours are one of my favourites.

The blue raspberry gives off strong, candy-like vibes that emanates a sour sensation on the tip of the tongue.

Lemonades can come across as sweet or sour but this manages to offer both a smooth sweetness and a sharp sourness simulta neously and I really enjoyed this unique take on a classic flavour profile.

Last, but not least, when the powerful and biting hit of ice came into play, it gave the raspberry and lemon notes a platform on which to display their refreshing and fruity personas.

Peach Ice

50/50

20mg salt nicotine

Immediately a bright blast of sweet peach was evident and had a strong springy fruitiness to it.

The peach flavouring mirrored the effervescent sweetness found in stone fruits and I loved the intense and frosty hit of ice on the exhale.

The overall flavour seemed to be extremely crisp and clear and was relatively simple in terms of individual flavour components and, because of this, my coils managed to last just that little bit longer when using this e-liquid.

Sour Apple Ice

VG/PG: 50/50

20mg salt nicotine

The most noticeable sourness in a vape that I have tried to date, this flavour absolutely knocks all other sour flavours out of the park…easily.

Sourness is a notoriously difficult attribute to execute but this fla vour managed to not only nail an unmatched sour sensation on my tongue but also brought a bright candy green apple into play.

This made it a recipe for deliciousness and as indicated by the name, there is also a sharp, but refreshing, hit of cooling agent, often found alongside fruity flavoured e-liquids.

I thoroughly enjoyed vaping this flavour and all of the sweet, sour and fruity tones that it entailed.

Sweet Blueberry Ice

VG/PG: 50/50 20mg salt nicotine

Blueberry e-liquids are one of the most distinct sets of flavours out there and are instantly recognisable by many vapers.

The blueberry notes in this flavour carry a subtle sweetness, making for a delightful and bouncy overall taste.

The flavour is opposite to the many dessert-based blueberry flavours which come across as deep, mellow and often with a coulis-esque taste.

In this e-liquid, however, the taste is similar to a blueberry candy or soft drink.

It has a really clear flavour that is complemented perfectly by the powerful and revitalising wave of iciness given by the added cooling agent.

I was surprisingly impressed when trying out this flavour and fans of fruity e-liquids will no doubt be the same.

Watermelon Ice

VG/PG: 50/50

20mg salt nicotine

Another simple, yet effective, flavour where a blend of ripe water melon is combined with a sweet, candy-like watermelon to provide a well-balanced mix of the two.

With its many sweet notes, Watermelon Ice (like Sour Apple Ice) also contains a fair amount of sourness that further accentuates the whole sweet/sour combination.

In addition to the potent and tropical feel of the watermelon, there is also an obvious introduction of ice right on the inhale that lasts through the whole vaping process.

I could really appreciate the incredibly tasty and incredibly clear flavour presented by this e-liquid which will be a hit with icy vapers for sure.

B a r