Issue 41

A new report reconfirmed that vaping is ‘at least 95 percent less harmful than smoking’.

ONE SMALL STEP…

Could comments from a top FDA boss mark a shift in the body’s anti-vaping stance?

HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO SAY IT?

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 Marketing Admin - Lauren Pilliner

SALES

Client Partnerships Manager Steve Culf

+44 7795 200 167

Sales Executive - Kirk Martin +44 7917 582 001

Sales Executive - Giovanni De Pietro +44 7522 167 344

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

ACCOUNTS

Finance Director - Kris Worton

Finance Executive - Rochelle Warsop

EVENTS

Events Director - Abida Razaque

Bus Manager - Farooq ‘H’ Hussain

Assistant Bus Manager - Sid De Silva

MANAGING DIRECTOR

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Hello and welcome to another edition of Vapouround Magazine.

It gives me great pleasure to report that the first evidence review from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities confirms that vaping is at least 95 per cent less harmful than smoking.

Two of the main findings from the report – which runs to almost 1,500 pages – are that:

- in the short and medium term, vaping poses a small fraction of the risks of smoking and

- there is significantly lower exposure to harmful substances from vaping compared with smoking, as shown by biomarkers associated with the risk of cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.

While this must go a long way to reassure smokers that vaping is a significantly reduced risk alternative, it was not all good news.

The report also highlighted that in 2021, only 34 percent of adult smokers believed that vaping was less harmful than smoking.

Perhaps this is because most vapingrelated stories in the mainstream media are based on junk science and scare smokers from actually quitting.

It is now widely regarded that misperceptions about the relative risks of smoking compared to reduced risk

alternatives such as vaping, prevent smokers from giving up.

So, it was also heartening to see that the US Food and Drug Administration may be softening its anti-vaping stance.

The head of its Center for Tobacco Products recently told reporters that: “E-cigarettes — as a general class — have markedly less risk than a combustible cigarette product."

I really do hope that this serves as a catalyst for a more positive approach from the US vape regulator.

Finally, I am stepping down as Vapouround editor and my colleague Jordan Millar is taking over from the next edition.

I could not leave the magazine in more capable hands and I know that Jordan and the editorial team will continue to celebrate the many achievements of this great industry while also shining a spotlight on those who seek to do us harm.

Thank you and happy reading.

Patrick Griffin | Editor

Pom Kaila

CEO

Paul Caplin

SHORTFILLS

Vapouround editor Patrick Griffin selects his top picks of short vape-related stories and research making news from around the world.

JUUL sues US REGULATOR

Juul is suing the US vape regulator over its failure to disclose key documents used to support banning the company’s products across the country.

It says the Food and Drug Administration breached the federal Freedom of Information Act by withholding most of the 'scientific disciplinary reviews' it relied on.

Juul said: “The public deserves a complete picture of the scientific facts behind one of the agency's most controversial and closely scrutinized decisions in recent years.”

See news story ‘Juul to pay $440M after teen marketing probe’.

‘Encourage SMOKERS TO VAPE’

A major new evidence review into nicotine vaping in England concludes that smokers should be encouraged to switch to reduce the health harms of cigarettes.

The Office for Health Improvements and Disparities said: “Vaping carries a small fraction of the health risks of smoking.

“Smokers should be encouraged to use vaping products (or medicinally licensed products) for stopping smoking or as alternative nicotine delivery devices.”

The review also confirmed previous Public Health England findings that vaping was at least 95 percent less harmful than smoking.

See story ‘Dispelling myths and debunking falsehoods’ in the features section.

THE

NICOTINE paradox

The field of quantum mechanics is complex and paradoxical.

Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger explored its strange nature in a thought experiment where a cat could theoretically be both simultaneously alive and dead.

modern-day parallel with the 1935 theory…some see nicotine as good when used in NRT but bad when vaped. He said: “When nicotine isn’t a problem in gums and patches, it can’t be considered a bigger problem in vaping.

“Anti-vaping activists can’t have it both ways: there is no Schrödinger’s nicotine paradox.”

Australia 1: OFF THE RAILS Australia 2: OFF THE CHARTS

Australia’s second city has declared war on vaping and wants to ban it outside train stations and council buildings, including libraries and sports centres.

Melbourne City Council plans to drastically expand its no smoking zones and, for the first time, will also outlaw vaping where cigarettes are banned.

‘No smoking’ signs will also be replaced with ‘No smoking or vaping signs’ with Lord Mayor Sally Capp claiming it was what residents wanted.

She said: “We are confident this new signage will help minimise opportunities to use e-cigarettes in our municipality.”

Australia’s adult consumer demand for e-cigarettes is increasing, despite the country’s controversial ban on nicotine vape sales.

New research reveals that 1.1 million Australians vape – a rise of 260 percent in five years.

Theo Foukkare, chief executive of the Australian Association of Convenience Stores, said: “Australia’s vaping policy has clearly failed.

“Smokers demand less harmful alternatives to tobacco products and are willing to risk substantial fines and possible prison time to illegally buy these products from the black market.”

Now World Vapers’ Alliance Director Michael Landl has uncovered a

‘PROHIBITION IS manslaughter’

Vape advocate Charles A. Gardner has criticised the US Food and Drug Administration’s apparently contradictory position on smoking alternatives.

The regulator has authorised the sale of only 30 nicotine vape, snus and two heated tobacco products, but has banned the sale of thousands of vape products which could help smokers quit.

Gardner tweeted: “Are #snus, nicotine vapes & HTPs safer than cigarettes? US_FDA confirms SAFER and/or FEWER TOXINS.

“So, policies and propaganda to discourage adult use are, at best, negligent homicide, and prohibition is manslaughter…because cigarettes kill 480,000 Americans every year.”

Nothing TO SEE HERE

Stealth VAPING

US cops in North Carolina want to take stealth vaping to a new level… by buying a covert mini video camera disguised as a working vape device.

The Sheriff’s Office has requested $2,000 in its latest budget for the Alpha VAPE DVR with full Wi-Fi.

While it is fully-functional as a vape device, it comes with some unusual modifications including 1080px recording at 60fps, high gain audio, low-light capability and 128GB micro SD storage.

It also offers up to four-hour record time, live view and can be controlled via an app.

Vaping and other smoke-free alternatives to smoking have no adverse impact on indoor quality, according to new research.

Lithuanian scientists studied emissions from vapes and heated tobacco products and found that air pollution markers were too low to distinguish from background levels.

An earlier study from Ukraine found that levels of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and formaldehyde did not exceed the ‘threshold limit value for atmospheric air.’

WHAT YOU SELL

A new online platform to help retailers, distributors and wholesalers stay within the law when selling disposable vapes, has been launched in the UK.

VapeWatch will help prevent underage sales and the sale of noncompliant and counterfeit products by allowing retailers to easily see what is and isn’t legal.

UKVIA Director General John Dunne said: “The UKVIA and its members are committed to making our industry better. We applaud Geek Bar for the idea of VapeWatch to call out the rogue traders.”

See UKVIA column ‘No ID, No Sale’ in our features section.

THROW THE book AT THEM

New Zealand must get tough on rogue convenience store owners who sell vapes to children, says Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy co-founder Nancy Loucas.

She says those who flout the law should ‘have the book thrown at them’ and said they must clean up their act.

However, Loucas said that the current law which limit such stores

to selling only three flavours was not helping New Zealand achieve its smokefree ambitions.

Kiwi business leaders said the vape restrictions were ‘destroying’ thousands of small retailers.

See news story ‘Stop the vape store imposters’ later in this section.

THE art OF PROTEST

The World Vapers’ Alliance kicked off its 2022 #BackVapingBeatSmoking campaign with a ‘Don’t Let 19 Million Lives Fall’ protest art installation in Strasbourg, France.

WVA members also met with MEPs to explain why vaping should be embraced not demonised.

The tour will visit ten cities in six countries and will also collect signatures for a petition against flavour bans and high taxation on vaping products.

The signatures will be delivered to Members of the European Parliament when the tour ends in November.

See our feature ‘Back on the Road’ for more details.

VAPING (Tas)mania

The Tasmanian government has rejected calls from one of the world’s leading tobacco harm reduction advocates to legalise vaping.

Dr Colin Mendelsohn, founding chairman of the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association, said e-cigarettes could save smokers’ lives.

However Premier Jeremy Rickliff replied: “The Tasmanian government continues to assert that the use of e-cigarettes should not be encouraged, particularly in relation to young people.”

Bizarrely, he added that the government ‘promoted proven, safe and effective methods of smoking cessation’ while dismissing vaping as an option.

Mendsohn later tweeted: “Sorry Tasmanian vapers. We tried.”

New date

FOR UKVIA FORUM

The UKVIA Vaping Industry Forum 2022 has been rescheduled to November 18 after the original event was postponed following the death of the Queen.

It will take place at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster and be followed by a Vaping Celebration Dinner and Industry Recognition Awards Ceremony.

The forum and exhibition will be held from 9am-5pm while the dinner and awards ceremony will run from 6.30pm-11pm.

Tickets for the original event will be automatically transferrable to the new date.

Thailand’s Public Health Minister has been told that the government must reverse the country’s ongoing vape ban to protect young people.

Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says the ban will help stop children from vaping but harm reduction advocates says the opposite is true.

Asa Saligupta, Director of ENDS Cigarette Smoke Thailand, said: “Driving vaping underground only makes it more attractive to young people.

“Further, a total absence of regulatory control enables the black market to thrive with no product safety standards whatsoever. Vaping bans are not a solution nor are they sustainable.”

WE’RE NOT criminals

A Malaysian think tank is urging the government to ensure that proposed new laws do not criminalise vapers or smokers.

The Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy says plans to criminalise smoking, vaping and the possession of tobacco

products should be withdrawn.

CEO Azrul Mohd Khalib said the move would ‘create stigma, discrimination and marginalise those who need support and assistance’.

He said people addicted to nicotine should be ‘treated equally under the law, with compassion and dignity’.

See our news story ‘Making the right MOVE’ in this issue.

‘YOU’VE GOT IT WRONG minister!’

EMBRACE ENDS: save smokers

An international group of harm reduction experts is urging the Bangladesh government to reconsider its proposed vape ban.

Seventeen vape advocates, including former WHO special advisor Dr Delon Human and European Red Cross

Macau: IS TOTAL VAPE BAN NEXT?

The Macau parliament has unanimously passed a new law to ban the manufacture, distribution, import and export of electronic cigarettes.

There are fears that the new legislation will lead to more demand for traditional cigarettes and an increase on black market vape sales. However, there are already calls for the Legislative Assembly to go even further and impose a total ban on vaping products throughout the Special Administrative Region.

Macau’s secretary for social affairs and culture confirmed that a vape ban was being ‘considered’ but that no date had been set to do so.

president Dr Andres Milton, warn that a ban would ‘perpetuate’ smoking.

The experts said the government could ‘drive down smoking’ by embracing reduced risk alternatives to cigarettes.

They wrote: “The Bangladesh government should support smokers by

encouraging a mass switch from highrisk cigarettes to low-risk ENDS and accelerating the end of the epidemic of smoking-related disease."

MEET THE buyer

The World Vape Show’s UK event has evolved into an exclusive stand-alone Meet the Buyer experience.

The inaugural event will take place at the internationally renowned Belfry Hotel and Golf Resort on May 8-9 next year.

Organisers say their all-inclusive VIP invite-only package will include professional networking opportunities, a Gala Dinner and entertainment from the world of comedy and music.

They say the event will ‘bring together the good and the great from the vape industry in a fun but professional environment.’

‘STOP lying TO US’

A petition urging the World Health Organization to ‘end its lies against vaping’ has reached 10,000 signatures.

The organisers want at least 20,000 before the international COP 10 tobacco control conference in Panama next year.

SOUTH AFRICA PLANS VAPE clampdown

Online vape sales and flavours could be banned under a reform of South Africa’s 30-year-old tobacco laws, which is currently before parliament.

The Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill would also ban vaping where cigarettes are outlawed.

In addition, vaping or smoking would also be

banned in private where a non-smoker or child was present and the health minister will be able to determine which e-liquid flavours are allowed.

Asanda Gcoyi, CEO of the Vapour Products Association of South Africa, said: “Vaping should be used for tobacco harm reduction, but this bill does not go that far."

The Right2Switch petition calls on the WHO to ‘stop lying to us and only provide guidance based on sound scientific facts, methodologies and principles’.

Leading Asia Pacific vape advocate Nancy Loucas, said the WHO’s ‘continual insistence’ that safer nicotine products are as harmful as combustible tobacco was costing ‘millions of smokers’ lives’ globally.

TOPDRAWER

HYPOCRISY

The US vape regulator is told to get its own house in order as it launches new campaign to tackle spread of distortions and disinformation

Words: Patrick Griffin

Without even a hint of irony, the US Food and Drug Administration has launched an initiative to tackle the scourge of ‘rumours, misinformation and disinformation’.

FDA commissioner Dr Robert Califf warned that ‘distortions and half-truths’ posed ‘enormous dangers’ to public health and pledged to make ‘combatting misinformation’ a priority.

The new campaign focuses on false reports about COVID-19 vaccines – and while this is clearly an important issue – the FDA has been accused of being less than accurate about vaping and nicotine.

Harm reduction advocate Martin Cullip, an International Fellow at The Taxpayers Protection Alliance’s Consumer Center, said Califf should look closer to home first.

Writing on US news platform The Centre Square, Cullip highlighted a number of false claims and bad science found on the FDA’s own website.

These included:

• A graphic explaining the results of the most recent National Youth Tobacco Survey claiming that ‘about 1 in 4 [U.S. youth] use e-cigs daily.’ Cullip said the figure was ‘simply untrue’ and pointed out that the survey found that only 3.1 percent of youths vaped on more than 20 days per month.

• Youth vaping prevention posters which falsely claimed that nicotine could ‘rewire a teen’s brain to crave more nicotine’. Cullip said there was ‘no scientific basis’ for the claim.

• Claims that teen nicotine use ‘may have enduring impacts on attention, learning, and memory’ failed to mention that the research behind this was only done on rats. Cullip said: “FDA scientists are fully aware that studies on rodents are weak and inconclusive, but are happy to sow confusion and doubt about alternatives to combustible tobacco.”

The internationally-respected tobacco harm reduction advocate was particularly critical of how the FDA reported the series of US lung injuries and deaths from three years ago.

Cullip said: “By far the most egregious misinformation peddled by the FDA was its handling of the lung injury outbreak in 2019.

“From the outset, both the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) were all too keen to make propaganda capital out of an issue that resulted in dozens of deaths.

“The event was categorized as E-cigarette or Vaping Acute Lung Injury (EVALI), as both agencies instantly pointed the finger at all vaping despite there being no outbreak of lung injuries related to nicotine vaping anywhere else in the world.”

In fact, even when the illnesses were traced back to illegal THC pods containing vitamin E acetate, the FDA continued to describe it as a nicotine vaping issue.

Cullip added: “This was the very definition of misinformation that Dr Califf has commented on.

“The panic this misinformation created not only scared many smokers away from vaping, thereby perpetuating harm, but also resulted in a failure to give a clear warning about the deadly nature of illicit THC vapes on sale in 2019.”

He said the FDA’s ‘disingenuous risk communication’ was partly responsible for only 2.6 percent of Americans knowing that vaping is considerably less harmful than smoking.

Accusing the FDA of ‘top drawer hypocrisy’ he concluded: “If the FDA Commissioner wants to wage a war on misinformation and misrepresentation of science, he should start by tackling the distortions and half-truths peddled by his own organisation.”

If the FDA Commissioner wants to wage a war on misinformation…he should start by tackling the distortions and halftruths peddled by his own organisation.

““

imposters

Under legislation introduced in 2020 only licenced specialist vape retailers are allowed to sell a full range of flavours.

Other establishments are limited to selling products in just three flavours – mint, menthol and tobacco.

However, many convenience stores have created a separate vape section within their premises to overcome the restrictions.

The country’s vape advocacy group AVCA said so many owners had taken advantage of the loophole that it now must urgently be addressed.

AVCA co-founder Nancy Loucas said: “There is no reason why anyone should have a plywood box in their convenience store and be licenced as a Specialist Vape Retailer.

“These supposed SVRs are not manned by trained vape retailers.

“Not only has this practice seen the number of SVRs in New Zealand soar over the past two years, but it has contributed to the illegal selling of vaping products to minors which AVCA has called on the authorities to get tough on.”

She said despite New Zealand’s approach to vape regulation winning praise from around the world, the industry still gets plenty of negative media coverage.

Now she hopes the government will close the loophole in an amendment to the legislation which is currently being considered by parliament.

Proposed changes include tightening up the requirements needed to be classed as a specialist vape retailer.

These include requiring the store to be a fixed permanent structure where 70 percent of total sales are from vape products.

Loucas added: “Tidying up the 2020 vaping legislation will help reduce access to minors and ensure smokers keen to switch receive better advice.”

Legislators are poised to close a loophole which allows Kiwi convenience stores to trade as specialist vape retailers.

Words: Patrick Griffin

Tidying up the 2020 vaping legislation will help reduce access to minors and ensure smokers keen to switch receive better advice.

Allowing convenience stores to operate as ‘specialist vape retailers’ makes a mockery of New Zealand’s vaping laws, it has been claimed.

bullies TOStanding up

As Filipino lawmakers win praise for adopting the ‘most progressive’ vape laws in the Asia Pacific region, could Malaysia and Thailand be next?

IT’S WELL ESTABLISHED THAT THE PHILIPPINES HAS BEEN A TARGET OF AMERICAN BILLIONAIRES AND THEIR SO-CALLED PHILANTHROPIC FOUNDATIONS FUELLING ANTI-VAPING SENTIMENT.

Words: Patrick Griffin

It now has some of the ‘most progressive’ laws in the region and advocates say other Asia Pacific countries should follow suit.

Since July, the importation, manufacture, sale, packaging, distribution, use and communication of vaping and heated tobacco products have all been regulated.

Supporters of the move say it will go a long way to save the lives of many of the country’s 16 million smokers.

Peter Dator, President of consumer group Vapers PH, said the measures provided ‘viable alternatives for smokers desperate to quit’ while protecting minors, helping eradicate black markets and ensuring safety standards.

Dator said: “Our nation has endured a terrible smoking epidemic for decades with nearly 90,000 Filipinos dying annually from smoking-related diseases.

“By adopting a successful THR strategy we now join about 70 countries worldwide which are all seeing smoking rates fall.

“This is truly a landmark piece of legislation which I hope other countries now follow. Embracing vaping is the only way to eradicate smoking.”

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm

Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) said if the Philippines could legalise vaping then any country could.

Previously the country had considered outright vaping bans, flavour bans or increasing the minimum purchase age to 25.

CAPHRA’s Executive Coordinator Nancy Loucas said: “Enacting some of the most progressive vaping legislation in Asia Pacific now makes the Philippines an international leader in effective Tobacco Harm Reduction.

“This is a massive wake-up call for other countries to also enable smokers to switch to safer nicotine products.

“Science has won over scaremongering, and we’re hoping to see a similar result in Malaysia and Thailand soon.”

A recent Vapers PH survey revealed that 94 percent of respondents wanted government support to help adult smokers quit.

Dator added: “The Government has finally hit our smoking epidemic where it hurts.

“Vaping is an incredibly effective smoking cessation tool, giving Filipinos their best chance to quit deadly combustible cigarettes for good.

“It’s well established that the Philippines has been a target of American billionaires and their so-called philanthropic foundations fuelling anti-vaping sentiment.

“Our leaders have now stood up to the bullies with a legacy that will endure for generations.”

The Filipino government is being lauded as an ‘international leader in tobacco harm reduction’ after enacting comprehensive new vape legislation.

‘ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS’

Words: Patrick Griffin

The US vape regulator has been branded ‘arbitrary and capricious’ over the marketing denial orders it issued to a number of vape manufacturers.

The Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit found that, in the case of six vape companies, the Food and Drug Administration ‘failed to consider’ all the relevant evidence presented to it.

In a 2-1 majority decision, the court said that the FDA should look again at the denial orders and take into consideration how the companies in question planned to stop minors accessing their products.

The FDA had argued that it had not considered the specific plans because it had previously found similar measures to be ineffective.

Chief Judge William Pryor and Circuit Judge Andrew Brasher, said the FDA's rationale was similar to a judge refusing to hear mitigation from a convicted criminal before sentencing ‘because, in the judge's experience, he found that those things do not matter’.

Circuit Judge Robin Rosenbaum, dissenting, said the FDA was right to deny the marketing applications, adding

that flavoured vape products played a ‘starring role in introducing a whole new generation to the dangers of vaping and smoking’.

Law firm Keller & Heckman, which represented Bidi Vapor, described the ruling as ‘ground-breaking’ and said its client had continued to ‘supplement its comprehensive applications with additional science’ as the case progressed.

Lawyer Jerad Najvar, representing Diamond Vapor, Union Street Brands, Vapor Unlimited LLC and Johnny Copper

The FDA is under fire for failing to consider how manufacturers would tackle youth vaping when it denied their marketing applications.

LLC, said the FDA had ‘wrongly assumed’ that his clients’ products had ‘the same youth appeal’ as pre-filled liquid cartridges.

He added: “The FDA would be wrong to assume that it can simply paper up its review of the marketing plans and issue new denials."

Previously two different appeals courtsthe D.C. Circuit and 5th Circuit – held that the vape regulator did have authority to deny similar applications despite failing to consider how manufacturers planned to avoid underage use.

The FDA would be wrong to assume that it can simply paper up its review of the marketing plans and issue new denials.

““

FATAL POLICE SHOOTING: DID COPS MISTAKE vape ?

an arrest warrant on him.

Police bodycam footage shows Canine Unit officer Ricky Anderson – a 30-year veteran with the division – entering the suspect’s apartment and opening fire as Lewis sits up and raises his hands.

Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant told a news conference the shot was fired when the police officer saw that the suspect had something in his hand.

Lewis was taken to hospital by ambulance where he later died of his injuries. Bryant said that a device resembling a ‘vape pen’ was ‘found on the bed right next to him’.

Police also confirmed that no weapon had been found and an investigation is now being conducted by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

When a suspect was shot dead in Ohio, the police officer initially thought he was holding a gun, but it may have been nothing more than a harmless vape.

Words: Patrick Griffin

An investigation is underway after an American police officer, who shot an unarmed suspect dead, may have mistaken his vape pen for a gun.

The incident happened when police entered the apartment of 20-year-old Donovan Lewis at around 2.30am to serve

Bryant added: “Donovan Lewis lost his life. As a parent I sympathise and I grieve with his mother and with our community.”

Columbus Police said in a statement: “On Tuesday August 30, Columbus Police officers attempted to serve a felony warrant at an apartment.

“Once inside, officers confronted a male, at which time one Columbus Police officer discharged their weapon, striking the male.

“Officers rendered aid to the male until medics arrived on scene and transported him to hospital in critical condition. The male was pronounced deceased at 3.19 AM.”

Columbus police said that Lewis had been wanted on multiple warrants for offences including domestic violence, assault and improper handling of a firearm.

“Donovan Lewis lost his life. As a parent I sympathise and I grieve with his mother and with our community”

JUUL TO PAY $440M AFTER TEEN MARKETING PROBE

A two-year investigation by dozens of states into how Juul marketed its products has led to a huge settlement…but many other lawsuits still remain.

Words: Patrick Griffin

The money will be paid out over the next six to ten years and Connecticut says its $16M share will go towards promoting vape prevention and education.

The huge settlement follows a two-year investigation led by Connecticut, Texas and Oregon, which found that Juul used launch parties, product giveaways and social media posts to target underage teens.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said: “We have secured hundreds of millions of dollars to help reduce nicotine use and forced Juul to accept a series of strict injunctive terms to end youth marketing and crack down on underage sales.

“We have essentially taken a big chunk out of what was once a market leader, and by their conduct, a major offender.”

Juul still faces nine separate lawsuits from other states - including New York, California, Massachusetts and Illinois – as well as more legal claims from hundreds of consumers.

US vape regulator, the Food and Drug Administration, rejected its application to sell flavoured products earlier this year – a move which has been challenged by the manufacturer.

Juul still faces nine more lawsuits brought by other states as well as claims from hundreds of individuals who allege they became addicted to the company’s products.

Under the current settlement, Juul faces restrictions on where its products can be sold in stores and age verification must be used on all sales.

The manufacturer also cannot use cartoons, depict people under 35, pay social media influencers or advertise on public transportation or billboards.

Juul, which has not admitted any wrongdoing, described the settlement as ‘a significant part of our ongoing commitment to resolve issues from the past’ and said the marketing restrictions were consistent with its practices since implementing a ‘companywide reset’ in 2019.

It added: “We remain focused on our future as we fulfil our mission to transition adult smokers away from cigarettes - the number one cause of preventable death - while combating underage use.”

Juul previously settled lawsuits in Arizona, Louisiana, North Carolina and Washington.

Juul Labs has agreed to pay $438.5M to settle a long-running investigation by 33 states into the way it marketed its products.

“We have secured hundreds of millions of dollars to help reduce nicotine use and forced Juul to accept a series of strict injunctive terms.”

‘THIS WILL COST LIVES’

Proposals to create the first EU-wide generational tobacco and nicotine ban ‘will not work and could be illegal’

Words: Patrick Griffin

Spanish public health NGO NoFumadores says it wants to achieve the first European tobacco-free generation during this decade.

Its wishlist has been formally registered by the European Commission, which could examine the proposals with a view to creating new legislation, if there is enough support for the plans.

The NoFumadores proposals include:

· Promoting the first tobacco-free European generation by 2028 and ending the sale of tobacco and nicotine products to citizens born after 2010

· Extending outdoor smoke and vapour free spaces - especially those used by minors - including parks, swimming pools, sports events and restaurant terraces plus

· Eliminating tobacco advertising and presence in audio-visual productions and social media, especially addressing covert advertising through influencers and product placement.

The NGO now has six months to obtain at least one million signatures from people across seven or more member states who support the initiative.

However, the World Vapers’ Alliance has called on the EU Commission to withstand anti-vaping pressure from groups who oppose tobacco harm reduction.

WVA Director Michael Landl said: “We can't have a one-size fits all approach on

very different nicotine products.

“Almost all the harm from smoking comes from the thousands of other chemicals in tobacco smoke, not from nicotine.

“Alternatives such as vaping are substantially less harmful and are proven effective methods to quit smoking. Prohibition will do nothing but cost lives."

The WVA also hit out at the proposals for an EU sales ban based on the year people were born.

Landl said: “This will not work. In a few years, shops would have to check the IDs of 50-year-olds.

“The rules will either be ignored or they will generate a massive black market and either outcome is detrimental to public health.”

He also warned that such a ban may be illegal under laws guaranteeing ‘equal and fair treatment’ of EU citizens and added that it was also ‘morally wrong’ to deny younger generations access to harm reduction products.

Landl added: “The registration of this initiative shows that the pressure from anti-harm reduction groups on EU institutions is increasing.

“This is not a good sign regarding the upcoming Tobacco Products Directive update.

“Prohibition never worked and will never work. It just creates massive unintended consequences and harms public health. This is the exact opposite of what we all want."

Controversial proposals to ban the sale of tobacco and nicotine products to all EU citizens born after 2010 have been dismissed as ‘morally wrong’.

The rules will either be ignored or they will generate a massive black market and either outcome is detrimental to public health.

Words: Patrick Griffin

Malaysian

MOVE

Politicians are currently considering new laws which would ban the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products to anyone born after 2006.

Members of a special parliamentary committee, which will make recommendations about the proposed new laws, visited New Zealand as part of their research.

The fact-finding visit was held because the Kiwi government also has similar generational smokefree laws progressing through its parliament.

The Malaysian Organization of Vape Entities welcomed the trip, saying that New Zealand was looking to introduce ‘fundamentally different and superior’ regulations than those proposed for Malaysia.

However, MOVE said it was crucial that vaping should be recognised as a tobacco harm reduction tool and removed from laws designed to regulate tobacco products.

MOVE President Samsul Ariffin said: “Lumping vaping into Malaysia’s anti-smoking bill will only criminalise consumers and retailers.

“We urge MPs on the select committee to take vape and non-combustible products out of the legislation and treat them as harm reduction tools.

“Making that distinction will save thousands of Malaysian lives every year.”

He said that regulating adult access to approved vape

vape advocacy group

says the government must follow New Zealand’s lead in order to ‘crush’ the country’s smoking epidemic.

As Malaysia considers introducing a generational tobacco ban to bring down smoking rates, MPs are urged to exclude vape products from the bill.

products was ‘the only way’ to tackle Malaysia’s ‘crippling smoking epidemic’.

Ariffin added: “As 70 countries worldwide have already proven, adopting a THR approach works.

“Banning vaping for today or tomorrow’s adults will only fail and fail badly.”

Around 21 percent of Malaysians currently smoke and the government wants that number to be under five percent by 2040.

Ariffin said: “If Malaysia is to reduce its overall smoking rate fourfold to below five percent by 2040, banning vaping will not get them to that national goal.

“You can’t ban cigarettes for future Malaysian adults without providing a safer, viable alternative.

“It’s like banning sugary drinks and sugar-free drinks all at

once and hoping it will get people off sugar.

“Malaysia’s generational endgame bill must only ban the purchase of combustible tobacco, not safer nicotine products.”

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates – said it was ‘hopeful’ that the country would follow New Zealand’s lead where public health authorities actively encouraging smoking cessation through vaping.

CAPHRA Executive Coordinator Nancy Loucas said: “New Zealand’s smoking has halved in recent years not because they banned vaping but because they embraced it.

“New Zealand has heavily regulated vaping sales and product standards, with significant penalties for any retailers prosecuted for selling to minors.

“Vaping bans don’t work and that’s why they’re being lifted all around the world.”

Words: Patrick Griffin

The US Food and Drug Administration has finally admitted that vaping is safer than smoking.

Dr Brian King, one of the FDA’s leading scientists, set the record straight when asked by a reporter about the relative harms of vaping and smoking.

King, who heads up the regulator’s Center for Tobacco Products, said: “I’m fully aware of the misperceptions that are out there and aren’t consistent with the known science.

“We do know that e-cigarettes — as a general class — have markedly less risk than a combustible cigarette product.”

On another occasion, speaking at the recent Global Tobacco & Nicotine Forum in Washington DC, King said he believed there was a ‘continuum of risk’ regarding nicotine products, with cigarettes being the most dangerous and vaping being amongst the least harmful.

But when asked whether the FDA would actively commit resources to correct harmful misperceptions about vaping products, he

replied: “I can’t commit to any specific actions.”

When the FDA was asked the same question, it said: “We continue to explore how best to communicate with the public about the continuum of risk related to tobacco products.

“We do note that it is critical that the development and implementation of public health education campaigns are evidence based to best achieve intended effects on the target population while minimizing adverse consequences for the population as a whole.”

Commentators have said that King’s words were welcome but questioned why the FDA’s own website was not as clear.

For example, the website says: “Many studies suggest e-cigarettes and non-combustible tobacco products may be less harmful than combustible cigarettes.

“However, there is not yet enough evidence to support claims that e-cigarettes and other ENDS [Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems] are effective tools for quitting smoking.”

Could recent comments from one of the FDA’s top executives signal the beginning of a more positive approach towards vaping products?

WE DO KNOW THAT E-CIGARETTES — AS A GENERAL CLASS — HAVE MARKEDLY LESS RISK THAN A COMBUSTIBLE CIGARETTE PRODUCT

US lobbyists reveal the multi-million-dollar effort to decimate vaping can be largely linked to just three organisations…but warn this only scratches the surface.

money Follow THE

The war on vaping is being bank rolled by ‘pompous, unaccountable tycoons’ who’ve poured millions into a global misinformation campaign, warns damning new research.

The report – from the American Vapor Manufacturers –said the tentacles of these mega-donors spread far and wide, influencing academia, lobbyists, front groups and journalists on a massive scale.

It examined publicly-available financial records dating back to 2017 and uncovered that most of the ‘ulterior funding’ driving the anti-vaping movement could be traced to just three wealthy foundations:

BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES: $170M+

Described as the ‘heaviest hitter’ of the deep-pocketed trio, this colossal charity is headed by long-time enemy of vaping Michael Bloomberg.

Over the past five years, it has not only pumped extortionate

funds into tobacco control groups and research, but it has given tens of millions to leading health organisations like the CDC and the WHO.

The AVM report paid particular attention to the financial links between Bloomberg Philanthropies and researchers at major universities who have produced negative vaping studies.

It also highlighted that the charity has donated more than $60 million to lobbyist group Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids…which the report suggests could be ‘at the heart’ of the ‘anti-vaping’ effort.

BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

$79M+

Committed to fighting ‘poverty, disease and inequity’ on a global scale, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has seemingly taken it upon itself to also stand against vaping.

As with Bloomberg Philanthropies, this organisation directly pours considerable funding into the CTFK…giving the lobbyist group around $12 million over the past five years.

It has also signed over more than $26 million dollars to the non-profit New Venture Fund, which in turn has given hundreds of thousands to the American Cancer Society

Words: Jordan Millar

and – there’s that name again – the CTFK.

But what was perhaps most alarming was the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s ‘direct partnership’ with Bloomberg Philanthropies…to whom it gives an eyewatering $7+ million per year.

ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION: $33M+

Beyond its multi-million-dollar donations, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation also established the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids in 1995…which later became the CTFK.

The report confirmed the RWJF remains a ‘major funder’ for the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, even giving it a ‘$12 million boost’ for the purposes of ‘rebuilding and sustaining its work’.

However, it’s the foundation’s ‘close affiliation’ with pharmaceutical company Johnson and Johnson – which produces smoking cessation products like Nicorette –that the AVM says is most ‘nefarious’.

The RWJF has also given more than $6 million to the Public Health Law Centre, which subsequently provides ‘legal assistance to the tobacco-control community’.

Alarmingly, the AVM warned its new report was just a ‘snapshot’ of the multi-million-dollar network that has fuelled the vaping misinformation machine.

It said: “We have three major foundations – two of which are led by multi-billionaires and one with a major conflict of interest – funding an entire movement promoting fear about vaping.

“And this just scratches the surface of the extent of the money flowing around…it’s a complex web, but it’s worth untangling.”

The US lobbyist group said the exorbitant amount of cash being pumped into anti-vaping efforts would be a ‘dream story for any savvy investigative reporter’.

However, it claimed that journalists ‘barely bat an eye’ when it’s brought to their attention…so the AVM decided to ‘expose hidden agendas and conflicts of interest’ itself.

AVM president Amanda Wheeler said: “This crucial public health issue, which ought to be guided strictly by scientific analysis, has been gripped in a stranglehold by pompous tycoons utterly unaccountable to anyone.

“The effect is that countless Americans are being deprived of the single most effective smoking cessation method ever…that ought to be a national scandal.”

“This crucial public health issue… has been gripped in a stranglehold by pompous tycoons utterly unaccountable to anyone.”

Our latest edition to the Vuse family is our modern disposable device; Vuse GO. Vuse GO is available in both 20 & 10mg/ml and has 6 flavours which are in line with the most popular flavours with adult nicotine consumers today, Creamy Tobacco, Mint Ice, Watermelon Ice, Mango Ice, Strawberry Ice & Blueberry Ice. Currently, in the UK, Vuse GO is in multiple wholesale, independent & grocery stores with plans to expand this further.

We are always striving to bring new innovative flavours to the market across Vuse GO and ePod so keep an eye out for new flavours across different nicotine strengths. We have also developed the same 6 flavours as Vuse Go in the ePod flavours, now available in both 18 & 12mg/ml nicotine strengths.

Both products, Vuse Go and ePod Vivid ranges are available online at vapermarket.co.uk and by speaking to your local BAT Sales Representative.

Dispose of responsibly. 18+ only. This product contains nicotine and is addictive. For adult nicotine consumers only. For trade use only.

KILLING A INDUSTRY BY STEALTH?

The Dutch government has launched yet another consultation on flavour bans…but this time it wants to go further than ever…

Words: Patrick Griffin

A public consultation on the move ended in September and all eyes are on what the politicians will do next.

So many people are worried because the Dutch Ministry of Health wants to impose a limit of just 16 ‘approved’ substances which can be used to create flavours.

The European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA) says the move effectively represents a total vape ban for the country.

ETHRA said: “In real world terms this is essentially a stealth ban on all e-liquids.

“All current e-liquids on the market, including tobacco flavours, would be prohibited and new flavours would have to be developed using only the 16 approved substances.

“This wouldn’t be viable for any e-liquid manufacturer and would signal the end of the legal vaping market in the Netherlands and also set a very dangerous precedent for the rest of the EU.”

Policymakers in the Netherlands justify their plans on the grounds that protecting young people from vaping must take priority.

The government says the measure is designed to ‘protect public health by reducing the attractiveness of the electronic cigarette to the general population, but particularly to young people’. It says it wants children

to grow up in a ‘smoke- and tobacco-free environment’ but critics say the logic is flawed.

ETHRA said: “It is a mystery how this will be achieved by restricting and prohibiting the flavours adults use to quit smoking and remain smoke free.

“If anything, such severe restrictions will lead to an increase in smoking, as has been seen in other jurisdictions that have imposed a flavour ban.”

Advocates also fear that this could be copied by other EU member states who may want to use flavour bans as an excuse to ban vaping. ETHRA said it was vital that consumers made their voices heard to oppose such ‘damaging’ legislation – a stance echoed by other pro-vape organisations.

The World Vapers’ Alliance described the move as ‘a bad idea which must be scrapped’ and argued that Dutch consumers had already voiced their opposition to flavour bans.

Last year 98 percent of respondents urged the government to keep flavours in what was the largest ever response in the history of public health consultation in the Netherlands.

The original flavour ban was due to start in July last year but was pushed back to the end of this year.

The World Vapers’ Alliance has constantly highlighted that flavours are vital to help adult smokers quit and many surveys have reinforced this message.

The WVA said: “Flavours play a vital role for smokers who want to quit.

“Adult consumers who have used vaping to quit smoking say that flavours, other than tobacco, were a decisive factor in preventing them from returning to smoking.

“By using flavoured e-liquids, they are 230 percent more likely to quit smoking than tobacco-flavoured ones.”

This would signal the end of the legal vaping market in the Netherlands and also set a very dangerous precedent for the rest of the EU.

THERE ARE GROWING FEARS THAT NEW MOVES BY THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT TO BRING IN A FLAVOUR BAN COULD LEAD TO THE END OF THE ENTIRE VAPE INDUSTRY IN THE NETHERLANDS.

WORD? The nal

Words: Patrick Griffin

With nicotine vaping still being wrongly blamed for the US EVALI deaths and lung injuries of 2019, will tobacco harm reduction opponents ever listen?

Three years after the EVALI outbreak began in the US, a major new study has concluded that the condition was NOT caused by vaping nicotine.

The illness claimed 68 lives and saw almost 3,000 hospital admissions with patients suffering from unexplained chest pain and breathing difficulties.

US public health agency the CDC was quick to blame vaping and named the illness EVALI - E-cigarette, or Vaping, product useAssociated Lung Injury.

Even when it was determined that EVALI was caused by vaping black market THC oils contaminated with vitamin E acetate (VEA), vaping nicotine was still blamed.

Now a new study published in the Drug and Alcohol Review has concluded that vaping nicotine was not the cause of the deaths and illnesses.

Lead author, Dr Colin Mendelsohn, said despite VEA being the source of the illness, vaping nicotine was also held responsible.

He said: “Vaping opponents, including the Australian government and state health departments, have continued to maintain fear and doubt that vaping nicotine also causes EVALI.

“VEA is not soluble in nicotine e-liquids and has never been detected in nicotine e-liquids.

Dr Mendelsohn, the founding Chairman of the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association, added: “No chemicals in nicotine vapes have been identified which could cause EVALI.

“Unfounded claims that nicotine vaping caused EVALI have been used to justify restrictive policies to reduce the uptake of vaping and this has been harmful to public health.”

The study highlighted that 14 percent of vapers with EVALI denied vaping THC, which led to the assumption that nicotine vapes were also to blame.

However, Dr Mendelsohn said people often denied using THC (especially where it is illegal) and said that investigations had found that this was also true of the EVALI outbreak.

He went on: “Some THC vapers initially claimed to have used nicotine-only but were later found to have used THC.

“Furthermore, there have been no verified cases of EVALI from vaping nicotine before, during or after the outbreak and the composition of nicotine vaping liquids has remained unchanged during this time.”

In Australia the federal Health Department website continues to incorrectly link nicotine vaping with EVALI.

The government has not updated the site despite 31 Australian health professionals writing to the Chief Medical Officer to point out that their advice was inaccurate.

In light of the new research, Dr Mendelsohn has called on the Australian government and the media to ‘correct the continued miscommunication’ about the causes of the EVALI outbreak.

There have been no verified cases of EVALI from vaping nicotine before, during or after the outbreak…

The UK now boasts 4.3 million vapers…an eyewatering increase of 500 percent in a decade which has triggered cheers and celebration within the industry.

Words: Jordan Millar

E-cigarette use has reached a record high in the UK amidst the nation’s decade-long ‘vape revolution’, according to a new survey.

A comprehensive report from Action on Smoking and Health revealed there’s now 4.3 million vapers across the country…an increase of more than 500 percent in the past 10 years.

Using data from the annual ‘Smokefree GB’ survey – conducted by YouGov – ASH also confirmed the majority of current vapers

(57 percent) are ex-smokers, while just 1.3 percent have never used a cigarette.

Hazel Cheeseman, deputy chief executive for ASH, called the growing number of smokers making the switch ‘great news’, saying vaping can be a ‘lifesaving tool’ for those struggling to ditch tobacco.

She said: “Over the last decade we’ve seen a vaping revolution take hold…with millions having used them as part of a quit attempt.”

However, despite the public health successes of e-cigarettes, Cheeseman said we shouldn’t solely rely on them to end the tobacco scourge.

She highlighted that the reduced risk

alternative doesn’t work for everyone, stressing that almost 30 percent of smokers have never even tried it.

Sadly, the report also found that a third of smokers still wrongly believe that vaping is more or equally as harmful as cigarettes…despite tireless efforts from the harm reduction community.

Cheeseman said: “The government has said that a ‘vaping revolution’ will help them meet their ambition for a smokefree country by 2030, but it won’t be enough.

“We need a comprehensive plan to help all smokers…the time for government action is now.”

Despite the ASH boss’s comments, the

new report was still embraced by the UK vaping industry, with many pointing to it as a mark of success for e-cigarettes in the fight to end smoking addiction.

Irish advocacy group Respect Vapers said the fact that the current vaping population had grown to record numbers was ‘fantastic’.

It said: “Of those 4.3 million, 2.4 million are ex-smokers and 1.5 million are current smokers.

“Of the current smokers group, those who vape daily smoke fewer cigarettes, proving what so many have before…vaping helps people quit!”

It added: “This report shows that when

governments acknowledge how vaping helps smokers, there are extremely positive results.”

The Respect Vapers’ cries of celebration were echoed by the likes of the UKVIA and the Independent British Vape Trade Association.

IBVTA CEO Gillian Golden said: “It is a moment of pride for the industry…we now have more people than ever switching to a far safer alternative.

“Vaping is still a huge potential public health win and with the right policies and supports can help even more smokers become smokefree.”

It is a moment of pride for the industry…we now have more people than ever switching to a far safer alternative.

‘No ID, No Sale’

UKVIA

in battle to prevent youth access to vapes

Words: John Dunne, Director General, UKVIA

The issue of youth access to vaping is hotter

than ever.

Practically every day now the media runs stories on this and, sadly, it dominates the headlines, often overshadowing the amazing results we are seeing from record numbers of adult smokers switching to vaping.

Here at the UKVIA we are in no doubt about our position on youth access: vapes are for adult smokers trying to quit and there is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for them falling into underaged hands.

Not only have we called for a national licencing scheme for retailers selling vapes, we also want minimum fines of £10,000

per instance for any unscrupulous traders caught selling to young people. The current fines are not fit for purpose.

Our members follow a strict code of conduct on underaged selling and I can tell you from my daily conversations with them that they are right behind any measures possible to prevent youth access.

The UKVIA is also the only trade body that conducts regular age verification test purchasing of our members through a third-party company.

The latest weapon in our armoury in this battle is an important new strategic partnership with the organisation CitizenCard, a non-profit, UK-wide issuer of Home Office-approved proof of age and ID cards.

The team at CitizenCard understand the

challenges retailers face and how best to educate and support on best-practice guidelines.

As well as issuing physical ID cards, CitizenCard also runs a retail programme called “No ID, No Sale!” which provides free information packs to retailers containing materials such as posters reminding people that ‘it is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18’.

Now, in an industry first, CitizenCard in partnership with the UKVIA, will produce its retail packs but customised so that the word ‘vaping’ replaces ‘tobacco’, making it clear that customers looking to buy vape goods will also be ID checked.

The UKVIA-branded posters and signs have already started going out to UKVIA retail members and will soon be available to nonmembers for free via www.ukvia.co.uk

teams up with CitizenCard

This comes following the UKVIA’s recent open letter to the Department for Health calling for more to be done to stamp out rogue traders who repeatedly flaunt the rules about selling to minors.

This letter pre-empted the publication of concerning figures from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), which recently recorded a rise in youth vaping from four per cent to seven per cent across the UK.

The report also states that the main source is shops, with 46.5 percent of under-18s obtaining their e-cigarettes from retailers.

CitizenCard’s ‘No ID, No Sale’ campaign is designed to provide tools for retailers to help prevent the illegal sale of age restricted items to children, which up until now has not referenced vape products.

Feedback from our retail members who

have already received the new ‘No ID, No Sale’ vaping packs has been 100 percent positive.

I believe CitizenCard will be a valuable partner in the mission to prevent underage sales with our pooled expertise helping ensure retailers are fully equipped to play their part in combatting one of the largest challenges facing our industry.

We need to ensure retailers have the best guidelines in place to mitigate this rise in underage vaping, alongside more stringent penalties for those flouting the law.

Retailers who don’t follow the rules are an enormous threat to our cause and to public harm reduction, and it is only right that we, as the largest trade body for our sector, take proactive steps as an industry to fix the problem.

We need to ensure retailers have the best guidelines in place to mitigate this rise in underage vaping, alongside more stringent penalties for those flouting the law.

Insurance especially for the vape industry

Supporting the vape industry

We understand the challenges and demands of working in the e-cigarette industry, that’s why our experienced and specialist team has in-depth knowledge and expertise in sourcing tailored and competitive insurance packages to suit your individual needs.

Our clients include:

Types of e-cigarette insurance cover

Public liability covers you for the cost of a claim arising from a suffered injury or property damage caused by you or your employees.

Product liability protects your business against damage caused to third party property and bodily injury (conditions apply).

Stock cover covers the costs of replacing your stock if any of it is lost, stolen or damaged.

Cyber liability protects your business from cyber-criminal activity such as hacking and cyber extortion, along with the legal and reputational fall-out caused from a data breach.

Employers liability compulsory by law for most businesses. Employers liability provides cover if a worker suffers an injury or an illness they believe is your fault.

Premises insurance protects your business premises from escape of water, accidental damage, fire and more (see policy wording for full details).

Directors and officers also known as management liability portfolio insurance (MLP), provides any director, partner or employee acting in a managerial capacity on behalf of the company; for defence costs incurred during a claim and awards made against you personally.

Goods in transit insurance and commercial vehicle covers products from theft, loss or damage while they are being transported.

STOP Demonising NICOTINE

As confusion about the health risks of nicotine stop smokers switching to less harmful alternatives, Vapouround Editor Patrick Griffin gives his thoughts on the subject.

Words: Patrick Griffin

In the world of vaping, seven years can see monumental change and this is especially true the field of technological advancement.

However, there are some things which are as true and relevant now as they were back in 2015.

One such issue is the health effects of nicotine and the common misconception that it is dangerous.

I was reminded of this when a 2015 report from the Royal Society of Public Health was recently referenced on social media.

The RSPH had been ‘alarmed’ at research it had commissioned which found that 90 percent of people wrongly thought nicotine was harmful.

The independent charity said nicotine was ‘no more harmful to health than caffeine’ and called for better public education to get the message across.

Today, this misconception is still one of the key factors preventing smokers from switching to reduced risk alternatives such as vaping.

Given that the Khan Review into the UK’s 2030 smokefree ambitions said vaping must play an important role in hitting this target, educating smokers is of vital importance.

The RSPH said: “Nicotine is harmful in cigarettes largely because it is combined with other damaging chemicals such as tar and arsenic.

“As a highly addictive substance, getting hooked on nicotine is one of the prime reasons why people become dependent on cigarettes.

“Electronic cigarettes and Nicotine Replacement Therapy contain nicotine but don’t contain the harmful substances found in cigarettes.”

According to the RSPH, harmful substances found in cigarettes include:

- Benezene and formaldehyde – carcinogenic chemicals

- Lead and arsenic – toxic metals

- Hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide – toxic gases

It said: “Evidence suggests that, when consumed

in low concentrations, nicotine is not deleterious to health; it does not appear to be a direct carcinogen and…is not associated with an increase in acute cardiovascular events amongst users.

“The harm instead occurs when the presence of nicotine in cigarettes encourages dependency on a product containing 69 carcinogens, as well as the many other dangerous chemicals found in cigarettes.”

It is saddening to think that in the seven years since the RSPH highlighted this problem, there is still a huge perception that nicotine is the harmful compound in cigarettes.

And, even worse, those with an anti-tobacco harm reduction agenda, want to refocus the ‘quit smoking’ message to ‘quit nicotine’ instead.

Would it not make more sense to educate smokers on the real relative risks between smoking, vaping and other cigarette alternatives so that they can make informed decisions?

Would it not be better to take the emotion of youth vaping out of the equation and have a more honest debate about harm reduction?

Underage vaping must, instead, be tackled with robust enforcement of the law, backed up with heavy fines and other sanctions which would make retailers think twice before selling to children.

And finally, should we not concentrate on getting smokers off deadly cigarettes before trying to get people off consuming relatively harmless nicotine? ““

Should we not concentrate on getting smokers off deadly cigarettes before trying to get people off consuming relatively harmless nicotine?

Advocates use a variety of methods to convey the message that vaping saves lives as they strive to counter the scare stories from anti- nictotine lobbyists and pressure groups.

They speak live at conferences around the world, write newspaper columns, articles and blogs and attend virtual debates to explain the tobacco harm reduction rationale.

Social media also plays a huge part in helping educate smokers that vaping has been scientifically shown to be the best quitting aid ever devised.

In this feature we focus on the use of imagery in social media.

In these often-humorous posts, the advocates let the pictures do the talking and these are some recent examples which have caught my eye.

Words: Patrick Griffin

Model T Ford

This iconic vehicle – the Model T Ford – revolutionised the way we travel and changed the lives of middle-class Americans forever.

In a similar way, vaping has the power to change the lives of adult smokers by allowing them a modern, and far less harmful, alternative to cigarettes.

US Harm reduction advocate Charles A. Gardner used the iconic car image to good effect when he posted this on Twitter:

In a message showing his frustration at the slow rate of progress from US vape regulator the Food and Drug Administration, he wrote: “If @FDATobacco regulated automobiles, we would all still be driving these.”

@VapingHotGranny replied that the same message currently being used by anti-vaping groups about e-cigarettes - that we must protect kids from this new harm - was also used about Henry Ford’s 1908 invention.

She said that opponents at the time pointed out that the new form of transport would ‘harm children playing in the streets.’

You’ve been warned

The state of Califorina is well known for having a warning for just about everything and nicotine is no exception.

Nicotine comes under the state’s ‘Proposition 65’ which requires businesses to warn consumers about certain chemicals which may cause ‘cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.’

While nobody is saying that health warnings are necessarily bad, many think that having too many could actually be counterproductive as it increases the likelihood of all the warnings being ignored.

Here, harm reduction advocate @VapingIT highlights this problem with a warning message of their own.

Too late now

Sadly, and due in part to the overwhelmingly negative press that vaping gets in the mainstream media, many smokers are too scared to switch.

Horror stories about the potential harms of vaping – all totally untrue – cause many smokers to think twice about switching.

And given that smoking accounts for around eight million deaths a year, people are dying needlessly because they are unaware that vaping is a reduced risk product.

If you are reading this, then you will almost certainly know that vaping is 95 percent less harmful than smoking…now we need to get that message across to smokers too.

The absurdity of this was brilliantly summed up in another Twitter post from @ VapingIT who really knows how to use powerful images on social media.

They use a simple image of a headstone which contains the inscription: “I listened to the experts. They said e-cigarettes were bad. I was scared to try them. Now I wish I had.”

How is this possible?

If you search online for ‘nicotine’ it will not be too long before you come across the (now debunked) claim that ‘nicotine harms developing brains’.

Many tobacco harm reduction advocates around the world find this claim to be absolutely absurd.

One, often cited, example is that the very same nicotine that has been used in NRT products including patches, gums, tablets and nasal sprays, is also used in vaping products. So, if it is true that nicotine harms the developing brains of vapers, then surely it must do the same for the users of NRT products?

In America, the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates vape products and is responsible for protecting public heath, repeats the claim about nicotine harming developing brains to support its anti-vaping stance.

However, it has also authorised the over-the-couner sale of nicotine gum in mint and fruit flavours for use by ‘adults and children aged 12 years and over’.

Here Charles A. Gardner, the Executive Director of INNCO – the International Network of Nicotine Consumer Associations – highlights the FDA’s contradictory approach to nicotine. He wrote: “Based on no human evidence, @CDCTobaccoFree claims ‘nicotine harms developing brains’.

“Yet @DrCaliff_FDA's @US_FDA has authorized nicotine gum (literally candy) to be sold over-thecounter in mint & fruit flavors ‘for adults and children 12 years and over’. Got it?”

As any smoker who has successfully quit tobacco by using an e-cigarette will know…vaping really does save lives.

Banning e-cigarettes is manslaughter

Yet another tweet from Charles A. Gardner shows that this esteemed vape advocate is not scared to speak bluntly when it comes to getting the tobacco harm reduction message across.

He was replying to a tweet from pharmacy owner and pastor Christopher Sylvain who said that e-cigarettes had ‘zero value to the public’ and that promoting them was ‘immoral.’

The INNCO Executive Director replied: “IMHO, since e-cigarettes are clearly safer than smoking...not promoting them to adult smokers is not just immoral, it is negligent homicide. Banning them is manslaughter.

“FYI, they have easily saved >1 million lives so far.”

Then he hammered home his message with this infographic which put adult and teenage vaping in context:

Gardner wrote: “For every US teen who uses e-cigarettes (which they obviously should not do) …eight US adults have quit smoking completely with nicotine vapes.

“Reminder: unlike vaping, smoking actually kills people.”

The creative teams at the World Vapers’ Alliance use a vast number of tactics to get the message across that ‘vaping saves lives’.

They can be seen at vape expos, talking at live or virtual events and very often take their colourful and fun campaigns directly to politicians with high-profile events staged at the seats of power throughout Europe.

The WVA is also very active on social media, especially Twitter. In this tweet, they took an instantly-recognisable profile picture of the legendary fictional detective Sherlock Holmes and added a vape to his lips to promote their #BackVapingBeatSmoking campaign.

And what did they call him? Sherlock Ohms of course!

You can read about the WVA’s latest ‘Back Vaping Beat Smoking’ tour of Europe in our article ‘Back on the road’ in this magazine.

DISPELLING MYTHS AND DEBUNKING FALSEHOODS

Amid new confirmation that vaping is still ‘at least 95 percent less harmful than smoking’ the UKVIA calls upon ‘doubters and misinformers’ to think again.

Words: Patrick Griffin

When, in 2015, Public Health England concluded that vaping was ‘at least 95 percent less harmful’ than smoking, it was huge news within the industry.

The PHE endorsement showed the huge potential that this emerging technology had to transform smokers’ lives.

There was a huge amount of optimism that vaping would be accepted and promoted as a viable alternative to cigarettes, but this was short-lived.

Instead of acceptance, there was a huge amount of mistrust and many medical and health care experts urged caution because the long-term health effects of vaping were not known.

Since the first PHE report was published, more than half-a-

million smokers will have died (based on an average of 78,000 smoking-related UK deaths per year) but vaping has not claimed a single life.

The NHS has now embraced it as a tool to help smokers quit, vaping outlets have opened in hospitals and it is even promoted in the annual Stoptober quit-smoking campaign.

Now, the first vaping evidence review from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has confirmed the 95 percent less harmful statistic still stands and added that vaping ‘poses only a small fraction of the risks of smoking’.

Despite this, anti-tobacco harm reduction lobbyists have redoubled their efforts to demonise vaping but, as the evidence continues to mount, their arguments ring more and more hollow.

The UK Vaping Industry Association says it is now time for the ‘doubters and misinformers’ to think again.

Its Director General John Dunne said: “It’s good to see that the experts involved in this latest review stand by the estimates that vaping is ‘at least 95 percent less harmful’ than combustible tobacco.

He said he particularly welcomed evidence that vaping, compared to smoking, had significantly lower ‘biomarkers associated with the risk of cancer, respiratory conditions, cardiovascular conditions and other health conditions’.

Dunne added: “The latest evidence review has further dispelled myths and debunked falsehoods about vaping, as well as highlighting the importance of taking an evidence-based approach to harm reduction policies.

“Those who questioned and doubted that vaping is considerably less harmful than smoking and spread misinformation need to take this latest evidence seriously.”

Other key findings from the report - Nicotine vaping in England: 2022 evidence update –

include:

· Vaping prevalence among adults in England has increased by around one percentage point from 2020 to 2021, to between 6.9-7.1 percent,

· The proportion of vapers who also smoke had been declining since 2012, from 91.9 percent to 49.8 percent in 2020,

· The most popular vape flavours are fruit (35.3 percent), menthol/mint (22.5 percent) and tobacco (20.9 percent),

· Just over a third of adult smokers (34.1 percent) accurately perceived that vaping was less harmful than smoking.

· Around a third of adult smokers (32.1 percent) inaccurately thought that the harms from vaping and smoking were about the same and 11.9 percent inaccurately thought vaping was more harmful.

· Youth vaping prevalence (including occasional and regular vaping amongst 11-18 year olds) was 8.6 percent in 2022, compared with four percent in 2021 and 4.8 percent in 2020,

· The main reason for vaping amongst young never smokers was to ‘give it a try’ (48.8 percent) and

· The main reasons for vaping amongst young smokers were harm reduction and quitting-related reasons.

Those who questioned and doubted that vaping is considerably less harmful than smoking and spread misinformation need to take this latest evidence seriously.

The most prestigious awards in the global vape industry are back for 2023. The Vapouround Global Awards is bringing together the very best of the vape industry for its eighth year.

TO BE CONFIRMED HEADLINE SPONSOR DIAMOND SPONSOR

The National Conference Centre (at the National Motorcycle Museum) Coventry Road, Solihull, West Midlands, B92 0EJ

T he awa r d s a r e b r o k e n in t o t he follo w in g t h r ee c a t eg ori e s :

The flavour, hardware and alternative nicotine product awards are decided by independent judges

Companies must enter their products (visit awards.vapouround.co.uk for full entry details)

All entries will be judged by our panel of independent judges

The winners and runners-up will be announced during the awards ceremony

These are decided by the public via an online vote

The public will submit their nominations via an online vote

All nominations will be shortlisted and open for the public to vote on the overall winners

The winners and runners-up will be announced during the awards ceremony

These are decided by the Vapouround team

Companies can send in a brief presentation/video explaining why they should be considered for any of the awards in this category

The Vapouround team will judge these awards

The winners and runners-up will be announced during the awards ceremony

PRODUCT AWARDS

F VOUR HARDWARE

All entries will be judged on the overall flavour, so you can su bmit both freebase and salt nicotine e-liquids in any of the flavour categories (this also includes fl avoured disposables and closed pod systems)

THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND PUFFING BUT THE TRUTH

Harm reduction champion Dr. Colin Mendelsohn hits back at ‘alarmist’ misinformation about vaping with his new eight-part video campaign.

WORDS: Jordan Millar

We get it…between saving millions of lives and reducing the devastating health implications of cigarettes, vaping can be a complicated thing to grasp.

So it’s TOTALLY understandable that the world-shifting benefits of e-cigarettes can occasionally get lost in translation and, rather than promoting the public health power of vaping, you instead find yourselves peddling moralistic warnings.

But there’s no need to fear…you’re in luck.

In a virtual mission to clear up ‘common misconceptions’ about vaping, harm reduction powerhouse and smoking cessation expert Colin Mendelsohn has released a collection of informative clips.

Inspired by eight ‘misleading’ videos from Queensland Health, the ‘Dr Col’s Vape Truths’ campaign was intended to combat ‘rampant misinformation’ touted by Australian health departments.

However, with tensions over vaping rising on a global scale, the clips might just be worth a watch by governments and independent organisations across the world.

The ‘Vape Truths’ campaign features eight short videos, which give the low-down on everything from the reduced risk reality of e-cigarettes to the fact that not one person has died from nicotine vaping…EVER.

OTHER KEY POINTS COVERED INCLUDE:

· Vapour is far less toxic than cigarette smoke

· Vaping significantly reduces the risk of cancer relative to smoking

· Vaping nicotine does not cause serious harm to the lungs

· Most of the chemicals in vapour are present at very low doses and most cause little or no harm

In an announcement ahead of the series, Mendelsohn condemned the ‘alarmist’ mistruths that are so often used to deter adult smokers from making the switch.

He said: “It is unacceptable for health authorities to provide untruthful information to the public and it will lead to more smoking-related deaths and illness.

“Dr Col’s Vape Truths are designed to help adult smokers get the facts on vaping so they can make informed decisions about switching.”

Naturally, we at Vapouround couldn’t wait to check out the videos and see what wisdom Dr. Mendelsohn would dish out…here’s what we took away from each installment.

Dr Col’s Vape Truths are designed to help adult smokers get the facts on vaping so they can make informed decisions about switching.

““

Listen up all you vape denialists; all you harm reduction haters, ‘quit or die’ devotees and banhappy regulators!

“SECRET INGREDIENTS”

In the first of the eight vape truths, Dr. Mendelsohn addressed wrongful beliefs that vapour is more toxic than smoke.

He confirmed that smoke contains more than 7,000 toxic chemicals – dozens of which have been shown to cause cancer – while vapour contains just 100 chemicals in ‘very low doses’.

Recent evidence from Action on Smoking and Health UK showed that, even in countries that have a largely positive attitude towards e-cigarettes, perceptions on the relative risk of the two products are skewed.

Shockingly, it revealed that a third of British smokers believe vaping is more or equally as harmful as smoking.moking…a fact that Mendelsohn says is wrong.

“CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF CANCER”

It seems like there’s a shock horror headline or news story spewing terrifying links between e-cigarettes and cancer almost every day.

But is there any truth to the suggestion that vaping can cause the deadly illness? Dr. Mendelsohn says no.

In this clip, the founding chairman for the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association (ATHRA) said that there ARE cancer causing chemicals present in vapour.

However, he confirmed that these are in very low doses and the risk of cancer from smoking is 200 times higher than from vaping.

“TOXIC TRAITS”

Keeping on theme with the previous two videos, in this clip Mendelsohn dispelled concerns that vapes are deadly just because they contain toxic chemicals.

He highlighted that the danger doesn’t just come from the chemical itself, but from the dose as well, with many of the chemicals in vapour being present at low levels that cause ‘little or no harm’.

Another way to look at this is with apples; amazingly the seeds of this popular fruit actually contain amygdalin, which can turn into the killer hydrogen cyanide during digestion.

But there’s no need to panic, you’re not going to be poisoned if you accidently chow down on an apple core…you would have to eat hundreds or even thousands of these crushed seeds before you risk meeting your maker.demise.

“A RESPIRATORY STORY”

Another go-to claim from anti-vape advocates is that vaping nicotine can actually cause serious lung disease.

However, Mendelsohn assured viewers that, ‘despite what you might read in the media’, quite the opposite is true.

He said that smokers who switch to the reduced risk alternative will actually experience improved lung health –even for those with asthma or COPD.

Dr. Mendelsohn’s videos appear to be the latest stage in a campaign to correct the vaping narrative, with the ATHRA boss also recently releasing his book ‘Stop Smoking, Start Vaping’.

Set to clear up controversy and outline the scientific evidence around vaping, the potentially ‘lifesaving’ handbook is a must read for any could-be exsmokers, advocates and policymakers.

The ‘Stop Smoking, Start Vaping’ book is available to buy on Amazon and the eight ‘vape truth’ clips can be viewed on Dr. Colin Mendelsohn’s YouTube channel.

“HUFFING AND PUFFING”

Australian policymakers recently clamped down on the vaping industry, meaning that black market sellers had to find unsavoury ways to get around regulation.

Dr. Mendelsohn stressed that there ARE vaping products out there that are labelled as nicotine-free, even though they do, in fact, contain nicotine.

But he said that these come from ‘dodgy and illegal’ sellers trying to get around customs and NOT from reputable businesses.

The issue of illicit hardware is one felt across the globe and so, as Mendelsohn says in this clip, you should always buy your nicotine vaping products from trusted sources.

“PUFFERY” “VAPING BLOWS”

Despite all the warnings of long-term health impacts and deadly consequences, there’s one fact that anti-vape lobbyists just can’t overcome…

…that after 15 years, there hasn’t been a single death ever caused by nicotine vaping.

Dr. Mendelsohn highlighted this – and the fact that serious side effects from vaping are ‘very rare’ – as a stark contrast to the claims that e-cigarettes pose a severe risk to health.

He also highlighted evidence from the Royal College of Physicians, which shows vaping is 95 percent less harmful than smoking.

There’s a huge list of potential benefits for adult smokers who make the switch to vaping…one of the most noticeable being the ability to breathe more freely.

In this clip, Mendelsohn highlighted that smokers report a ‘substantial’ improvement to their breathing after they trade in cigarettes for vaping.

As a result, he said they are able to ‘exercise more easily’ and won’t need to cough as much.

“UP IN SMOKE”

Capping off the eight-part video campaign, Dr. Mendelsohn suggested that many are asking the wrong question about vaping.

He said that, while people want to know if vaping is safe, they should really be asking ‘whether vaping is safer than smoking’.

And the answer? Of course it is.

Mendelsohn said that people who make the switch to e-cigarettes not only experience ‘substantial health improvements’ but can even save money by moving away from costly smoking.

GrimmGreen, vaping’s biggest YouTube star, warned his channel – and it’s thousand plus library of videos – could disappear if the platform continues to target his content.

In a recent Twitter thread, the longtime vlogger, reviewer and streamer said he’d been slapped with his second strike from the site…on a video he’d uploaded nine years ago.

A distraught GrimmGreen told his followers that if he was hit with just one more warning, his channel ‘is gone’.

He said: “I’ve spent 13 years on this platform and followed every rule…but YouTube REFUSES to understand.

“The logic is that a youth will get around the agegate on the video, type in the address I briefly flash on the screen, get past the website’s own age-verification and get a credit card to order

vape gear…then forge an adult signature when it arrives.”

He confirmed that he would be happy to blur his past content to ensure it remains in-line with the site’s evolving standards, but said YouTube doesn’t allow that as an option for creators.

GrimmGreen said: “This could be easily accomplished; rather than deleting all my videos, I could make them compliant with the new rules that didn’t exist when I uploaded them.”

The internationally-recognised vaping personality – whose channel has amassed almost 400,000 subscribers – also questioned why YouTube was specifically targeting vaping content.

Alongside a chorus of outraged fans, he highlighted that the video sharing site is packed with questionable and harmful subject matter, but seems dead-set on tackling videos that relate to e-cigarettes.

He said: “YouTube allows me to view hateful racist content, actual tobacco and cigar content

credit:grimmgreen/instagram

and alcohol content on its platform.

“But a nicotine vape for a smoker wanting to quit cigarettes…that s**t is unacceptable.”

In a recent statement, the World Vapers’ Alliance addressed YouTube’s seeming crusade against vaping content, saying there are increasing reports of ‘strikes, removals and other restrictions’ against harm reduction creators.

The blog – written by Allison Boughner – suggested that a whirlwind of scare stories from the US could be ‘spilling over’ to sites like YouTube and encouraging them to take action against this content.

It read: “These videos are invaluable; misinformation on vaping is spreading across the globe and we need a platform where we can share our experiences and our truth.

“In reality, there is a lot more questionable content that I would not want kids to have access to…so why is YouTube letting it slide while adding to the misinformation surrounding vaping and nicotine?

“Let’s all take a moment of silence for the deleted and banned videos of the past and hope that YouTube moving forward can find a way to make these videos accessible to adults while protecting youth.”

Allison confirmed that she had reached out to the platform for a comment on its flagging of vape related content…but didn’t receive a reply.

GrimmGreen has received a mass of support from fans and followers since announcing the latest action against his channel, here’s what a few people had to say:

I’ve spent 13 years on this platform and followed every rule…but YouTube REFUSES to understand.

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

Queen

Elizabeth II

As people from all over the world pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II , we look at how the vaping industry has reacted to her death

Words: Patrick Griffin | Additional reporting: Oliver Smith and Jordan Millar

We had intended to devote considerable coverage to the UKVIA Forum and Awards Dinner which was scheduled to take place throughout the day and evening of Friday September 9.

The Forum had attracted a distinguished array of speakers from around the world and was due to address some of the most pressing issues that currently face the vape industry.

Discussion topics included:

- How the healthcare profession can play a key role in speeding up the realisation of the massive public health prize presented by vaping.

- The US vaping regulatory landscape: should the international vaping community be worried .

- Preventing youth access to vaping

- Responsibility and sustainability in the vape industry.

- The economic impact of vaping and its positive impact on the economy and

- How innovation in the industry can support the UK’s Smokefree 2030 ambitions.

The Queen passed away on Thursday September 8 and during that evening the UKVIA was initially informed that the Forum could not go ahead because the venue – the Queen Elizabeth II Centre –was closing as a mark of respect.

A short time later the decision was reversed and the Forum was back on but then on Friday morning, as delegates were making their way to the venue, the event was cancelled once again.

In place of this feature, and to mark the passing of the late Queen, we look at some of the tributes from the vape

industry after the announcement was made.

TV and radio stations had already cancelled their normal schedules following an unprecedented statement from Buckingham Palace at 12.34pm on September 8 about the Queen’s health.

The statement read: “The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision.”

Then at 6.30pm Buckingham Palace announced: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.

“The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

This sparked a flood of tributes from world leaders and public figures all paying respect to the longest reigning monarch in British history and many British business took to their social media accounts to do the same.

The UKVIA’s Vaping Industry Forum 2022 & Awards Dinner will now take place on Friday November 18 at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre, Westminster. See our next feature for more information.

Here is a selection of tributes from the vape industry:

This section of Vapouround was due to look very different to how it appears now.

“She

“The Dr. Vapes team is deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, aged 96.

“Her reign for over seven decades will be admired as the longest in British history as well as her service to our public, an inspiration for the entire UK and World. May she rest in peace.

“We are saddened to hear the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, our thoughts and condolences are with the Royal Family at this time.

was a source of stability to us all.”

“Goodbye to our Queen, we are deeply saddened by this loss.

“As an iconic monarch, you have achieved so much and will remain in our hearts forever.”

“Remembering Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II “Our deepest condolences to the Royal Family and we pay our respects to her 70 year reign, the longest reigning monarch in history.”

Timeline of key events

Words: Oliver Smith

She never stopped working during her 70 years as monarch and kept on going, despite her failing health.

Her last official duties took place just 48 hours before her passing when she formally accepted the resignation of Boris Johnson and then met new Prime Minister Liz Truss at Balmoral.

Operation London Bridge – the detailed funeral plan for the death of the late Queen –immediately swung into place and the carefully choreographed events for the days and weeks ahead began.

The Prime Minster was contacted before the news of her death was made public.

The Buckingham Palace’s website was put into a special ‘mourning mode’ where it showed a black and white page which featured a picture of the late Queen, with all other pages hidden.

Two footmen in mourning clothes placed a framed death notice on the Buckingham Palace gates while TV and radio stations cleared the decks to give round-the-clock coverage of events as they happened.

Tributes to the Queen were aired and newspapers – which produced special editions to mark the occasion – sold out as people kept them as souvenirs of the historic event.

Pilots who were flying when the announcement was made, relayed the news to their passengers and news crews from around the world were reassigned to cover the only story that mattered.

By Thursday evening broadcast vans from the world’s major networks could be seen at a ‘media village’ which formed close to Buckingham Palace and crowds of wellwishers braved the rain to stand outside the famous gates.

King Charles – who had previously been the longest serving royal apprentice in history –had to put his personal grief aside and lead the nation in mourning.

When he made his first public speech as King the following day, people fell silent in pubs and bars up and down the country and listened intently to his every word, before spontaneously bursting into applause when he finished speaking.

And as the clock ticked down towards the Queen’s state funeral – the biggest event the country has ever seen – so many people were expected in the capital that there were warnings that London would be full to capacity.

Never before had anyone even contemplated that London would be ‘full’ and it is hard to imagine an occasion where this would happen again.

But such was the affection that people around the world held for the late Queen, if any single event could cause London to reach its maximum capacity, then this would be it.

One of the key themes that people keep returning to is the amazing work ethic of the late Queen who passed away peacefully at her beloved Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

THE UKVIA VAPING INDUSTRY FORUM NOVEMBER

18, 2022

Some of the most pressing issues facing the vape industry will be discussed at the rescheduled UKVIA Vaping Industry Forum which takes place on November 18.

Key topics will include tackling youth vaping, the sale of noncompliant and counterfeit products and environmental concerns which must be addressed.

Another big topic will be how more can be done to ensure consistency of attitudes and policies towards e-cigarettes within the NHS.

The Forum will also be the launchpad for the UKVIA’s Economic Impact Report, which has been conducted by the Centre for Economics and Business Research.

The study will, for the first time, provide hard evidence of vaping’s contribution to the UK economy.

UKVIA Director General John Dunne said the industry had to get its house in order to show the ‘doubters and misinformers’ how vaping could ‘make a major impact on the health of the nation without damaging the environment and without putting children at risk from vaping’.

Dunne added: “The government-commissioned independent review

by Javed Khan in the summer highlighted that vaping has a pivotal role to play in making smoking obsolete.

“In the last few months, credible reports have shown that youth vaping amongst 11-17-year-olds has increased from four to seven percent between 2020 and 2022.

“In addition, whilst tobacco waste is one of the most abundant forms of plastic pollution in the world with trillions of individual cigarette butts polluting the global environment, a recent study by Material Focus, who will be represented on our environmental sustainability panel, has revealed that over 50 percent of disposable vapes are thrown away compared to 33 percent on average for all types of vapes.

“We have to take these reports seriously and we need to act upon them.

“We are already doing huge amounts supporting our members and collaborating with the regulators and other authorities to address these critical issues that the industry faces.”

Doug Mutter, a director of VPZ, the largest independent vape retail chain in the UK and headline sponsor of the event, says: “It’s key that the industry tackles the challenges head on.

“We have been given a golden opportunity to play a major role in creating what would have been unthinkable at the beginning of this century - making smoking history.

“Let’s seize that opportunity with both hands, starting with a number

The Forum will put industry responsibility at the top of the agenda and unveil the UK’s first vaping Economic Impact Report.

of action plans that arise from the Forum. As the headline sponsor we look forward to seeing everyone at the Forum.”

The forthcoming event will also highlight the need for the healthcare community to universally embrace vaping’s potential to help smokers quit.

John Dunne said: “There is still too much inconsistency in the healthcare service regarding vaping, despite the fact that it is seen by Government as playing a key role in a smokefree future.

“For example, a report conducted just three years ago revealed that the majority of NHS trusts in England were still banning vaping on hospital grounds.

“This is despite calls by Public Health England in February 2018 to make e-cigarettes available for sale in hospital shops and to remove restrictions on their use.

“Similarly vape shops are very much the exception rather than the norm on hospital premises and are seen as controversial developments.”

Dunne added: “Whilst vaping is acknowledged by public health bodies as carrying considerably less risk than smoking, and recent trials of vape products amongst patients with smoking conditions in A&E departments have proven successful, much still needs to be done to gain universal support for vaping in healthcare settings; and to increase the knowledge of frontline staff in order to tackle misinformation around the category.”

The Forum will also include a B2B exhibition and will be followed by a Vaping Celebration Dinner and the Recognition Awards. These awards will recognise those individuals and organisations who have done so much to promote and progress the sector.

Sponsors for the UKVIA Forum include VPZ, FEELM, Geek Bar, 1account, Arcus Compliance, SP2S, Zanoprima Lifesciences and MEDAD Technologies.

The dinner and awards headline sponsor is also VPZ and other sponsors include ANDS (Alternative Nicotine Delivery Solutions), Geek Bar, Arcus Compliance, Waste Experts, UKVIA, JBP and World Vape Show. Vapouround is also a media partner for both the Forum and dinner.

Due to increased demand, more tickets have been made available for the Forum and dinner and bookings can be made at https://www. ukvia.co.uk/ukvia-forum-2022/.

The original event in September was cancelled following the passing of the Queen and tickets for the original event remain valid.

For a full list of speakers and panellists plus the panel debate topics, see our blog post: “The UKVIA Vaping Industry Forum 2022 – putting industry responsibility top of the agenda” on our website www. vapouround.co.uk .

BACK ON THE

BACK ON THEroad

With the aim of getting the

#BackVapingBeatSmoking message across to European politicians, the World Vapers’ Alliance is launching a community tour across the EU is on the road again

The World Vapers’ Alliance is hitting the streets again to protest, meet politicians and party as part of its mission to save smokers’ lives.

The Community Tour takes place during October and November with the message #BackVapingBeatSmoking.

It will visit five countries and include protest art installations, community parties and discussions with politicians…all with the aim of raising the voices of vapers.

There are an estimated 82 million vapers worldwide and a huge percentage of them will be former smokers who have successfully quit cigarettes.

The WVA say that in Europe alone, 19 million lives could be saved if governments would firmly back vaping and promote it to smokers as a way to quit.

A similar tour took place last year and was such a success that supporters demanded it be held again which is why it will be coming to France, Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal and Belgium.

Supporters are encouraged to make their voice heard by coming out to see the Community Tour in cities including Strasbourg, Warsaw, Krakow, Prague, Brno, Rome, Milan, Lisbon, Porto, and Brussels.

They will have the opportunity to have their pictures taken in front of pro-vaping art installations and get tips on how they can get their personal stories told by writing to their MEPs.

At each stop along the way, a special meet-up party will take place so that vapers can get together, swap stories and have some fun.

The campaign will also act as a focal point to gather signatures for a petition which will be delivered to MEPs in Brussels at the end of the tour, urging them to save vaping in Europe.

A major update on the TPD is currently underway and this could either serve to protect vaping in the EU or severely limit the option for smokers to use this powerful reduced risk alternative to cigarettes.

The #BackVapingBeatSmoking campaign is calling for governments across Europe to offer:

· A clear commitment to harm reduction

· Support of current smokers to switch to vaping and

· Affordability and variety of vaping products for adults

NOW I’M believer!

As Stoptober once again launches in the UK, health officials highlight the importance of confidence when quitting smoking.

Words: Jordan Millar

For many, October is dedicated to all things spooky; when houses are draped in fake cobwebs and shop shelves are lined with bumper packs of sugary treats.

But for smokers across the UK, it can also be a time to face up to one of the most daunting challenges of their lives, finally ditching cigarettes.

Sadly, the problem for so many people up and down the country is actually finding the confidence to quit…an issue that the Stoptober 2022 campaign wants to address.

Led by government brand Better Health, the nationwide effort set out to arm people with the right facts and the right attitude to help free them from the shackles of smoking addiction.

It gave people access to extensive resources on reduced risk alternatives like vaping and outlined a timeline of how your health would shift for the better once you become smoke-free.

Ahead of Stoptober, health authorities confirmed smoking is still a tremendous public health scourge in England, saying the campaign would encourage people to ‘build their confidence’ so they can ‘stop smoking for good’.

To hammer home the true power of self-belief, Better Health also unveiled a short film featuring former Strictly Come Dancing professional and ex-smoker of 27-years James Jordan.

The near three-minute clip saw the dancer and tv personality sit down with NHS psychiatrist Dr Max Pemberton and stop smoking expert Louise Ross in an effort to find the ‘best advice possible’ for those kicking the habit.

Pemberton – who was a heavy smoker himself

– pointed to evidence that ‘self-efficacy’ and selfbelief play an important role in determining the success of a quitting attempt.

He also told viewers that they should aim to stay smoke-free for at least 28 days, stressing that you are five times more likely to quit for good if you can hit that target.

Louise Ross outlined a number of ‘practical tips’ to keep you on track during Stoptober, saying you could write down your reasons for stopping smoking, tell your family about your goal or consider using quitting aids.

The longtime harm reduction supporter even got a quick vape shoutout in the film, urging people to visit the Better Health website where they could find NHS-backed facts on the reduced risk alternative.

Wrapping up her advice, Louise said: “Don’t do it alone, thousands of people are going to be quitting during Stoptober…this keeps people feeling supported and helps them be successful.”

In a statement ahead of Stoptober, James Jordan opened up about his own experience with smoking, admitting that - while he feels confident in most areas of his life – he didn’t think he would be able to ditch cigarettes.

However, he revealed his quitting journey showed him that he’s ‘more capable’ than he once thought, saying the support of his friends, family and professionals helped him become smoke-free.

He said: “I am so glad I took this step and had the chance to speak to the brilliant experts to give myself and others the confidence that quitting, even if you’ve been smoking for decades, is possible.”

Don’

t do it alone, thousands of people are going to be quitting during Stoptober… this keeps people feeling supported and helps them be successful.

COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

.......

Marsh Commercial is a UK insurance broker that provides insurance solutions and risk management advice to sole traders, independents and growing corporates.

While being part of a global leading insurance group, it is also a proud community broker with a local branch network that spans the length of the country.

Its mission is to deliver insurance solutions that are backed by world-class expertise and in this feature we take a deeper look at the company and the services it offers the vape industry.

What insurance coverage do you offer to vape shop owners and manufacturers?

Whether you specialise in device retailing, wholesaling, e-liquid retailing or manufacturing, we have the right policy. We can arrange cover for:

Public liability – covers you for the cost of a claim arising from injury or property damage caused by you or your employees.

Product liability – protects your business against damage to third party property and bodily injury (conditions apply).

Employers liability – compulsory for most businesses. Employers liability provides cover if a worker suffers an injury or an illness they believe is your fault.

Premises insurance – protects your business premises from escape of water, accidental damage, fire and more.

Stock cover – covers the costs of replacing your stock if it is lost, stolen or damaged.

Cyber liability – protects your business from cyber-criminal activity such as hacking and cyber extortion, along with the legal and reputational fall-out caused from a data breach.

Directors and officers – provides any director, partner or employee acting in a managerial capacity on behalf of the company; for defence costs incurred during a claim and awards made against you personally.

Goods in transit insurance and commercial vehicle –covers products from theft, loss or damage while they are being transported.

Marine – cover for imports/exports.

We understand the challenges and demands of working in the e-cigarette industry.

That’s why our experienced and specialist team has in-depth knowledge and expertise in sourcing tailored and competitive insurance packages to suit individual needs.

We are on hand to deal with your needs face to face, over the phone or video conference – it’s up to you!

What are the specific risks that vape companies face?

While vape shops face many of the same risks as any other retailer – from property to liability risks - there are also some specific risks associated with making or selling e-cigarettes and vape products that mean you need insurance specifically tailored to your business.

Key risks include:

Product safety - If a product you have supplied or manufactured is unsafe and causes personal injury or death to any person, or damage to private property, you could be sued for compensation.

Crime - Vape shops are becoming increasingly attractive to thieves, who present a risk to stock, on-site equipment and cash (whether physically or through cybercrime).

Investigations by regulators - As we have seen, a growing issue with non-compliant products and under-age sales is increasing the prevalence of regulatory investigations.

Our specialist team has access to an exclusive insurance market in a very restricted marketplace.

Our experienced advisers can provide a full insurance review, which will enable us to tailor a solution to your specific requirements.

In the event of a claim, you will want your loss to be dealt with quickly and efficiently.

Our experienced in-house claims team ensures that claims are reported to insurers promptly and dealt with fairly, with a view to securing a swift and satisfactory settlement on your behalf. We will also provide regular updates as to the progress of your claims.

In the past, businesses in the e-cigarette industry may have experienced difficulty obtaining comprehensive insurance and cover such as product liability.

Lack of historical statistics, concerns around long-term side effects and recent claims from devices causing fires/explosions had resulted in many insurers being reluctant to offer comprehensive cover at a competitive price.

We continually look to improve our offering and work closely with our insurer partners to develop products to ensure they are suited to and keeping up with the vape industry’s requirements.

Marsh Commercial also offers risk management consultancy and employee benefits services through its sister company, Mercer.

What can your insurance experts do for vape manufacturers and retailers?

What does Marsh Commercial offer that sets it apart from the rest of its competitors?

Are you planning on widening your services for the vape industry at all?

VAPOUROUND ON TOUR ISSUE 41

INTERTABAC, MESSE DORTMUND: September 15-17

Words: Kirk Martin

This was my first experience of InterTabac and after many years of hearing how this is the biggest expo in Europe, I was excited to find out for myself.

The hype was justified and the size of this show is very impressive indeed. It was an endless maze of halls, both upstairs and downstairs.

To put the size in context, it took a good three hours to get around every stand.

The only issue for me from the vaping point of view is that this show (as the name suggests) is not just a vape show but also features a lot of tobacco, cigar and shisha companies.

Being used to attending the more traditional vape expos, I found this to be a rather strange experience, especially when it came to the constant smell of cigarette and cigar smoke in the air.

That aside, the vape part of the show is where I spent my time and I am glad to report that it was fantastic, with some of the biggest players from around the world in attendance.

I saw great booths from Fair Vape, Elda, Pop Vapor, Dinner Lady and many others.

A special shout out to ELFBAR which had the biggest booth that I have ever seen at a show. It was impossible to miss and drew people in like a magnet.

As for the expo itself, InterTabac was a business-orientated event with no stages or loud music. In short, this was a big show, where big deals were being done.

Access to the site was relatively easy, except for Saturday when many of the roads were closed due to a big Dortmund match taking place and this caused a few issues for some of the exhibitors getting there.

Apart from that one issue, and the negative connotations of cigarettes and cigars being promoted, it was a smoothly-run and professional show.

Highlights for me included getting to see Mike Tyson, who was there promoting his brand Futurola and Dan Bilzerian on the Ignite booth.

Everyone I spoke to had nothing but praise for this show and I look forward to next year’s expo.

Vapefair Indonesia 2022

Jakarta Convention Center September 24-25.

Words: Paul Caplin

After three years, we were excited to be returning to Jakarta for our fourth expo in Indonesia.

Two long flights and many hours of travelling later, we finally arrived in one of our favourite cities.

Jakarta is filled with many interesting places to see, amazing people, great food and for the two days we were there…a busy vape show.

When we arrived at the Jakarta Convention Center, there were long queues of eager vapers ready to see their favourite brands and try the new products about to hit the vape scene.

Vapouround gets a warm welcome wherever we go but the reception we received here was just amazing and made us

feel like celebrities.

As we walked into the expo hall, it was immediately obvious that this was going to be a very busy show.

There was loud music, someone shouting into a microphone and the hall was bustling with guests and visitors within minutes of the doors opening.

Although there were a scattering of big names, mainly hardware companies from China, there were a lot of local companies exhibiting at this expo.

Day two was extremely busy and, once again, we could not have been made more welcome.

We spoke to a few people that we knew in the industry and it was great that so many of the smaller local companies

knew all about Vapouround and wanted to have selfies taken with us for their social media channels.

Just like the first day, the PA system was extremely loud and made it hard to make yourself heard and get any business done.

I would have preferred if there had been one consumer day open to everyone and the other B2B only, with the volume turned right down so we could get business done.

The show was also a victim of its own success because it was so rammed full of people that it was difficult to navigate around the booths.

Overall, the event was extremely well organised, ran very smoothly and was very professional.

It was nice to see so many new companies at this expo and I was impressed at how many brands really went to town on their booth design.

I thought the standard of the booths was as good, if not better, than anywhere we have seen anywhere in the world.

This is less of a trade show and more of a consumer expo and well worth attending for those who can make it over to Jakarta.

Finally, I want to thank the organisers for their warm hospitality and I look forward to attending the next one.

BUS ON TOUR

Project Vapouround, our smoking cessation service on wheels, could soon be coming to a venue near you.

The distinctive double-decker bus is always a huge hit with the public and allows smokers, their friends and family members to get the real facts about vaping.

And in an age where the mainstream media delights in demonising vaping with fake news based on bogus science,

it is needed more than ever. Its eye-catching exterior features some of the best vape companies from around the world, while inside you can get all your vape questions answered and even walk away with a free starter kit.

Project Vapouround travels all over the UK, visiting events and vape businesses to spread the word about smoking cessation.

This is a round-up of where we have been recently:

Words: Sid De Silva and Carrie Strouther

Leicester Pride Saturday September 3

We were at Victoria Park to help smokers at Leicester Pride make the switch to vaping.

It was busy from start to finish and with over 10,000 attendees, there wasn’t a minute to sit down.

The bus was packed full of attendees who wanted to find out what was onboard our iconic double decker.

Project Vapouround was stocked with a host of disposables and juices from some of the biggest names in the industry, including Elf Bar and Pukka Juice.

There was a huge buzz on board and people from 18 to 70 and from all backgrounds and identities came aboard to make the big switch.

We had a direct view of the main stage which hosted a variety of acts throughout the day, including hosts Jaymi Hensley and George Shelley from boyband Union J and headliner DJ Woody Cook.

Shipley County Park Autumn Food and Drink Festival: Sunday

September 4

We arrived at 10am for what turned out to be an amazing event where we met some really wonderful people who wanted to see what vaping was all about.

It started off a little cloudy, but as the sun came out the people came flooding in.

This was a great event as there were so many smokers who showed a real interest in wanting to quit and they were eager to have their vaping-related questions answered.

We even had a couple of paramedics who were occasional smokers but were more than happy to swap their cigarettes for vape kits.

Hundreds of people came on board during the day and we even had time to sample some of the tasty food at the event.

Northampton town centre: Wednesday September 14

We parked right outside the central library and our colourful bus proved to be a huge hit with the locals.

Everyone from young adults to elderly people came on board and we were bombarded with questions about vaping.

Many had read scare stories in the media and we were happy to give them the real facts about this reduced risk alternative to smoking.

It was great to see so many people taking selfies on board and posting the images on their social media accounts.

At one point we had to turn away a group of college students who had no ID to prove their age but they returned an hour later with ID and we happily let them on board.

They told us they currently smoked but wanted to switch to vaping and we were happy to give them our Vaping 101 guide and starter kits.

Tansley Sunday Market: Sunday September 25

Even a cold morning could not keep the crowds away from Tansley Sunday Market.

I was amazed to see hundreds of people out and about at 8am and by midday there must have been thousands of people here.

The bus proved to be a big hit, especially when word got around that we were giving out free vape kits to smokers.

To say we were busy would be a huge understatement and we had people hopping on board throughout the day.

It was great to see so many smokers – right up to people in their 60s and 70s – swapping their cigarettes for vapes.

Many hadn’t even considered switching until now, so it was brilliant to introduce them to the best quitting tool ever invented.

Lincoln University Freshers Fayre:

Monday September 26

This was an absolutely amazing day with more than 1,000 disposables given away during the course of the event.

We were not able to catch a breath as there was a constant queue of people from start to finish.

At one point there was a line of more than 50 people waiting to get on board and it was so great to introduce so many smokers to vaping.

It was great to be able to explain to smokers how vaping could help them cut down and then quit entirely and let them try it for themselves.

This was a great event to close out our tour for September but we still have many more events to come for the rest of the year and beyond.

We’re on a mission to educate smokers about the life-saving technology of vaping and help millions more smokers make the switch for good.

VAPOUROUND REVIEWS E-LIQUID HARDWARE

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

KIWI STARTER KIT

SPECIFICATIONS OF THE KIWI PEN:

Dimensions: 14.5*103mm | Weight: 16.57g

Battery Capacity: 400mAh | Power Output: 10-13W

Tank Volume: 1.8ml | Coil Resistance: 1.2ohm Charging: USB C

SPECIFICATIONS OF THE KIWI POWER BANK:

Dimensions: 110.76*21.5*38.9mm

Battery Capacity: 1,450mAh Charging: USB C

Words: Peach Atkinson

Enlisting a whole host of truly game changing features, this device (and its equally innovative power bank) will no doubt be a hit, particularly for smokers who have tried just about everything else to ditch the cigarettes.

Being somewhat of a vaping veteran, I thought I had seen everything there was to see but I was wrong…never have I tried something quite like this.

The pure combination of precise craftsmanship, physical simplicity and its user friendly aura makes the KIWI not only a no brainer when it comes to tobacco cessation but also a real pleasure to use.

The KIWI Pen looks and feels like a standard pen-style device…initially at least. With a slender, cylindrical shape and a dark, translucent, removable pod, that’s where the similarities end.

This device comes with a run-of-the-mill 510 drip tip, but you probably won’t even pay much heed to that.

Instead, your eyes will be drawn to what looks like a cigarette filter tip which is actually a specially-designed pharmaceutical grade ‘Cotton Tip’ created by KIWI.

These tips give your lips the same physical experience as smoking a cigarette, with the unmistakable MTL pull and the semi-pliable feel of a filter - with absolutely no signs of tobacco.

Some users may mistake this device for a heated tobacco setup because of how it looks but there is absolutely no tobacco involved whatsoever.

Instead, the cotton tips act more like drip tips to give users that similar feeling to puffing a cigarette. For me, I tend to vape mainly RDL (restricted direct to lung) which is basically a little airier than a mouth-to-lung pull, but, with the instantly recognisable feel of a cotton tip between my lips, my instinctive inhale reverted back to a tight but flavourful MTL.

The tips are easily pushed into the top of the refillable pod, and each lasted me roughly half a day of vaping as they understandably get a little pulpy after a while.

Filling the 1.8ml cartridge via a small rubber gasket is super straightforward, and even with the relatively small capacity, I found that a tankful lasted me several hours of light to moderate usage.

The pods do not offer replaceable coils, so unfortunately when the coil goes, so must the pod itself.

I was taken aback by the flavour produced by this small, unassuming device and especially so when using the cotton tips. They managed to convey a smooth and intense flavour whilst still performing highly when it comes to the nicotine hit. I strongly feel that the word ‘impressed’ would be an understatement.

Battery life was roughly what you’d expect from a device of this size, but 400mAh lasted a surprisingly decent amount of time.

This, however, is rather inconsequential as this is where the role of the power bank comes into play.

Packed with a hefty 1,450mAh battery, the power bank provides an enormous amount of backup to the great KIWI Pen.

Charged via USB C, the power bank was able to charge the KIWI Pen several times over. The pen connects to the power bank via a magnetic contact pin on the side of the bank. The power bank itself also offers a level of physical protection to the pen and both fit snugly together with no looseness or rattling.

Another great feature is that you can still vape the pen whilst it is attached to the power bank, meaning you don’t have to go without your hit of nicotine.

Both the pen and the power bank have a distinct lack of buttons

and instead incorporate an auto draw function - furthering the usefulness for soon to be ex-smokers.

Battery life is indicated via three small lights on the side of the bank which has a refined feel with smooth edges and comes in a variety of understated colour options. Despite its rather large build, the power bank is still lightweight and extremely portable - perfect for out and about.

The RRP of the KIWI Pen/KIWI Power Bank starter kit is about £60 and KIWI Pens can be sold separately at the £26 mark. Refillable pod cartridges are £12.95 for three and a pack of 20 cotton filters will retail at approximately £4.30. All prices are averages depending on where you purchase this incredible piece of kit.

Even as a relatively experienced vaper, I could see the appeal in this awesome set up. It is just so easy to operate and I feel that the unique combination of cotton tips, MTL inhales, long battery life, easy to fill pods, non-replaceable coils and compatibility with high strength nicotine e-liquids all make for the ultimate kit to quit. Plus, it is a really gratifying device to vape, no matter what kind of vaper you are!

PROS:

Filter tip style mouthpiece

A power bank which eliminates battery worries Clearly created with smokers in mind making it an excellent choice for those wanting to quit

CONS: I prefer replaceable coil heads (although built-in coil heads offer users an extra level of simplicity).

Multi-Award Winning

NEXTVAPOR DUNKE DISPOSABLES

Words: Peach Atkinson

These NextVapor disposables come in 20mg/ml nicotine strength and last for approximately 600 puffs . They come in a range of different flavours and we take a look at some of these here.

GRAPE ICE

A rather commonplace offering within the current vape industry, this disposable makes use of full flavour and comes with an intense throat hit. The grape is both bouncy and bubbly, reminding me somewhat of a grape bubblegum or soda. It has a certain sweetness to it that gives this disposable an incredible amount of realism. As indicated by its name, there is a hefty amount of cooling agent added to this flavour and you can expect a sinus-clearing, ear-tingling experience particularly when exhaling. The decision to combine these two superrefreshing flavour elements was clearly an easy one and a delicious one at that.

COFFEE ICE CREAM

This disposable manages to encapsulate a wide range of complex flavours and combines them to create a truly one-of-a-kind vaping experience. The coffee elements give off a revitalising, nutty and deep warmth to the flavour, which is then combined with a smooth and sweet ice cream to contrast the almost bitter sense of coffee. There is a cheeky addition to this flavour in the form of a subtle menthol that mellows out the bright and rich notes of coffee and cream. As a rather unusual combination of flavours, this disposable would probably work well with a vaper who enjoys a mixture of sweet and iciness.

PEACH LEMON

Instantly reminding me of iced tea, this flavour sets out to refresh and impress. With the very first inhale, the immediate taste is a smooth and juicy peach that boasts a punchy and unmistakable taste. As soon as you begin to exhale, you will clearly notice an undertone of an aromatic and somewhat herbal taste of lemon. As of now, most of the lemon-based flavours I have tried seemed to incorporate a level of either sweetness, fizziness or they occasionally have a dessert

base to them. Despite the attractive and rather simple flavour profile, this disposable has minimum amounts of cooling agent added to it. There is just enough to notice, without taking away from the original flavour. Overall, this is a pleasant and easy to vape disposable.

COLA ICE

A notoriously difficult flavour to get right, cola-based disposables are one of the most widespread vapes on the market right now, no doubt about it. With the vast amounts of flavours on offer, finding a decent one can be potentially challenging. This one, however, manages to combine a careful balance of sweet, fizzy, refreshing and icy, quite well and strongly evoked memories of fizzy cola bottle sweets. When it comes to the comparison between a cola beverage and a cola candy, I would say that this flavour certainly leans more towards the candy. A smooth, refreshing and complementary undertone of iciness also comes into play which sweeps the cola elements across the palate. This disposable had a lovely level of sweetness to it and will appeal to vapers who enjoy strong, fruity flavours.

STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

As a vaper who gravitates towards fruity flavours on an MTL setup (I strangely prefer creamy/dessert-based e-liquids when using a DTL setup), I was admittedly a little hesitant to try this flavour. I wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt and not to judge it before trying it out and I found that this disposable manages to offer the same sweet and velvety vibes of an authentic strawberry ice cream. To me, the combination of strawberries and cream seemed to intermingle, rather than existing separately from one another. As with the Coffee Ice Cream flavour I tried earlier, there is also a minute amount of koolada right on the exhale. I felt that the simple addition of a pinch of ice made the ice cream notes a little colder too and therefore more realistic.

VAPORESSO LUXE X KIT

SPECIFICATIONS:

Dimensions: 98*21.5*21.6mm

Battery capacity: 1500mAh

Output power: 40W max

Charging: DC 5V/1.5A, USB C

Display: 3 x LED light

Words: Peach Atkinson

With Vaporesso producing consistently reliable and rewarding devices, I really wanted to find out more about this latest offering and I can say that the Luxe X is one of the most diverse pod systems I have tried so far.

It is paradoxically chunky yet small and is the epitome of palm sized. Due to its rounded edges, this kit is very comfortable and easy to grip.

With a lightweight feel, even with a fully-filled pod, the Luxe X oozes convenience and portability.

When looking at the device, one of the first noticeable features is the futuristic, transparent exterior that reveals the inner workings of this awesome kit - something I have a penchant for when it comes to electronic devices.

Other than the clear casing, the outside of this kit is quite basic, featuring a fire button, a USB C charging port and a few LED lights.

Having no screen or up/down buttons, the Luxe X eliminates any confusion or inconvenience and is therefore very straightforward to operate.

Battery level is indicated via three small LED lights on the front of the device. The Luxe X is powered by a long-lasting 1500mAh integrated battery that is charged rapidly via USB C. I found that a full charge lasted me around 12-15 hours of light to moderate usage, so pretty impressive in my opinion.

One of my favourite things about this kit would be its coil compatibility. The Luxe X uses pods with built in mesh coils (the box included a 0.4ohm and a 0.8ohm pod) and both offer varied vaping experiences.

With no leakage from either pod, even with thinner consistency e-liquid, this is something that is simple but very much appreciated.

In the 0.8ohm pod, I opted for a 20mg nicotine salt e-liquid and found that the flavour was decent but the throat hit was intense.

When I tried out the 0.4ohm pod, paired up with a 3mg, 70VG e-liquid, the inhale was smooth, incredibly flavourful and gave quite a large, billowy exhale.

The fact that one device can offer such varied types of vaping was insane and both were executed flawlessly.

This functionality is mainly due to the ‘AXON Chip Smart Control’ feature that automatically detects pod resistance that then selects the perfect wattage for the particular coil.

To further customise your vaping experience, airflow can be adjusted by simply rotating the pod, allowing for either a tight MTL inhale or a loose DTL inhale.

Durability is a big factor for me and the Luxe X uses a special three-layer coating designed to resist most abrasion and drop impacts. This was then put to the test from a height of about 1.5m, and there was not even a scratch on it.

Alongside its performance and durability, the Luxe X will retail at around the £30-£35 mark.

With its easy to fill, built-in coil pods, its capability of offering both a true MTL and DTL experience and a decent price point, this kit can literally suit just about any vaper out there.

PROS

The capacity to offer both decent MTL and DTL vaping was a game changer

See through exterior

Pretty decent battery life

CONS

I personally prefer replaceable coils rather than replaceable pods

SPECIFICATIONS:

Puff count: 600 puffs

Nicotine strength: 20mg Nicotine type: Salt nic Battery: 550mAh Capacity: 2ml

Words: Alex Shenker

These disposable Moodbar devices are simple to use and contain some really great flavours.

They are draw-activated so there are no buttons or press or settings to change and with 20mg of salt nic, they will satisfy your nicotine cravings while giving a smooth throat hit. These are the flavours I reviewed:

PINK LEMONADE

This is predominantly a lemonade flavour with some hints of raspberry.

The lemonade is nice and sharp with a few hints of sugar to lighten it up a little and stop it from becoming too sour.

It's very fresh-tasting and has a good amount of fizziness that keeps it interesting.

The subtle raspberry adds to the overall flavour, giving some extra fruitiness and more sweet and sour notes.

Overall, a fantastic vape.

MENTHOL

There's not a huge amount I can say about the flavour and if you don't like menthol this won't be the one that's going to convince you otherwise.

If you are a fan of menthol, this bar has all of the cool, soothing and refreshing elements you're looking for.

It's also a great option if you find yourself with a bit of the old vaper's tongue and should easily get you tasting your normal flavours with a fresh palate.

STRAWBERRY ICE

Every company seems to have their own take on the much beloved fruit and I love the way that Moodbar has tackled it.

This is beautifully balanced with all of the different strawberry notes combining to give multiple layers of sweetness and slight florals that

are a real pleasure to vape.

The ice cools everything down without taking anything away from the majestic strawberry explosion.

MANGO ICE

The mango flavour that Moodbar have created here is so authentic, I can't do it justice with words alone – you really have to try it to understand how good it is.

It's so juicy and sweet with some subtle hints of sourness and tiny floral notes which are so soft you can barely taste them, but they all contribute to building this outstanding mango flavour.

The ice element brings out the flavour even more and give it a refreshing edge that makes this flavour totally adorable.

BLUE RAZZ ICE

It seems like every range of disposables has a variation of this flavour combination and this one by Moodbar is particularly good.

To start with it has a lot of sweetness, the syrupy kind you'd expect from a blue raspberry flavour, the fruitiness is there but it almost comes across like candy with all the sweet notes.

Thankfully, there are also some hints of sour candy in there as well to tone down the sweetness a bit.

The ice here really serves to add some refreshing and cool notes that do wonders to lift the overall flavour and keep it in that all-day flavour territory.

GUMMY BEAR ICE

This is one of the best candy vapes on the market and it tastes like there are actual liquidised gummy bears in this liquid.

It has all the sweetness, fruitiness and moreishness you'd expect from a bag of these little beauties.

Personally, I don’t think this vape needs the ice, but don’t let the added cooling put you off from discovering this gem of a flavour.

NICPOD NOVA

Today I’m taking a look at the NICPOD Nova device and prefilled pods from Vape Coco.

The is a simple, pen-style device, featuring a 500mAh rechargeable battery and a USB-C charging system.

There are no buttons to press as it is draw-activated only and runs at around a 6W output with no adjustability.

There is an empty section on the top of the device that allows you to insert prefilled pods made by Vape Coco specifically for this device.

These pods each contain 2ml of e-liquid, which is equivalent to 600 puffs and come in packs of three.

The pods also feature their own airflow system and are made to a strict environmental policy meaning they are entirely carbon neutral.

The device itself works extremely well, the pods are easy to connect and disconnect so changing flavours is a doddle!

The battery seems to last a decent amount of time and it also charges up extremely quickly when depleted thanks to the USB C charging.

Overall, I see the NiCPOD Nova as a great alternative to using disposable vapes. They are a lot more eco-friendly and the ability to charge it means you shouldn’t ever be stuck without a vape.

Words: Alex Shenker

The most important thing really though, is the flavours so let’s see how they taste:

Strawberry Watermelon

A classic combination, the sweet strawberry is a great partner for the refreshing, slightly sour watermelon.

Both fruits taste fresh and very accurate to the real thing. I can’t see anyone having any problems getting through 1,800 puffs of this flavour in no time at all. A great start.

Pink Lemonade

One of my personal favourite flavours, I always love the mix of the sweet strawberry and raspberry with the tart, citrusy lemon and the slight fizz in the background.

Vape Coco have done a fantastic job with this flavour, and it’s everything you’d expect it to be. A fantastic example of a fantastic flavour.

Mango Passion Fruit

If you are into your tropical fruit flavours this will be the one for you.

This is an exotic mixture of mango and passion fruit which is really punchy and vibrant.

The flavours taste extremely fresh and realistic so I honestly can’t see how anyone wouldn’t enjoy this flavour. I got through all three pods in record time.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Coil: 1.8 Ohm | Weight: 30.4g

Battery: 500mAh | Output: 6W

Charging port: Type-C USB

Charging: 5V/0.5A Charge time: 30-40 mins

Blueberry Sour Raspberry

Probably one of the most popular flavours on the market currently, Blueberry Sour Raspberry, as the name would suggest is a combination of blueberry and raspberry with a hit of sourness.

It’s a fantastic flavour, with the sweet blueberry contrasting with the tart raspberries and an almost sour candy hit in the background tying it all together.

On the off chance you’ve never tried this flavour before this is a perfect example of how to do it correctly.

Watermelon Chill

Last up we have Watermelon Chill. Watermelon is one of the most popular vape flavours on the market and it’s easy to see why.

It’s a subtle but instantly recognisable flavour, that’s neither too sweet or too tart, it’s incredibly balanced.

Vape Coco have created the perfect classic watermelon flavour here and the addition of some subtle ice adds that extra layer of freshness to lift the overall vape to new heights.

PROS:

- Very easy to use

- Great flavours

- Great alternative to disposables

CONS:

- None

DRAGBAR B5000 DISPOSABLES

Words: Peach Atkinson

With a chunky, substantial feel, these hardhitting disposables really do pack a hefty punch.

There is an incredible amount of puffs per device and the B5000 also features a rechargeable 500mAh battery.

Coming in a variety of flavours and nicotine strengths, this heavyduty piece of kit offers reliability and convenience.

WATERMELON LYCHEE

Harnessing a multitude of intense tropical notes, this disposable gives off a refreshing vibe.

The softer and more mellow elements of watermelon seem to provide a wide base on which the sweet and almost punchy lychee can grab your attention.

With a noticeable amount of iciness added, the cold sensation when exhaling is inevitable.

However, I didn’t feel that the cooling agent was so intense that it took away from the notes of watermelon and lychee.

The combination of all three components created an unmistakably exotic feel that most fruit fans will enjoy.

As an overall flavour, I felt that it performed strongly, despite my personal aversion to lychee.

ALOE GRAPE

With the grape notes initially more prominent, the well-rounded and succulent taste of aloe comes in later.

The grape resembled that of a grape soda, with an effervescent and bubbly quality that was super easy to enjoy.

The element of aloe was a little less vibrant but offered a subdued feel that included a sort of bitterness that perfectly complemented the bright grape notes.

In comparison to the Watermelon Lychee flavour, the amount of cooling in this disposable was far more subtle, offering a delicate touch of refreshment when exhaling.

When it comes to the flavour on the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed the powerful and candy-like nature of the grape with the aloe peeking in right at the end.

FRUIT SLUSHIE

SPECIFICATIONS:

Puffs: 5,000

E-liquid Capacity: 13ml Battery Capacity: 500mAh

As the name suggests, this flavour contained a large number of icy elements alongside a varied selection of ripe, juicy and vivacious fruits.

To me the fruit notes seemed to be a little indistinguishable - but not in a negative manner.

The pure collision of a number of different fruits made for a balanced and well executed taste, giving off powerful, refreshing vibes of the tropics.

As I mentioned previously, there was an intense wave of iciness that produced an extremely satisfying throat hit, without the taste of menthol.

To start off with, I expected this to be a bit of a run-of-the-mill flavour, but ended up loving it, to the point of vaping it solely until it ran out.

BLUE RAZ ICE

Probably one of the more popular flavour profiles out there right now, this blue raspberry disposable checks all the boxes when it comes to a decent berry/ice combo.

With omnipresent notes that are deep, rich and sweet, the blue raspberry emanates a candy-like feel that evokes a taste similar to that of a blue bonbon.

Many blue raspberry flavours I have tried over the years involved an artificial, chemical aftertaste, but there were no nasty tastes when I vaped this disposable.

As you may have guessed, there is a pronounced amount of cooling agent in this flavour too, but again, not so much so that it takes away from the fruity notes.

KIWI PASSIONFRUIT GUAVA

Another very well-liked and complex flavour doing the rounds in the disposable market right now, Kiwi Passionfruit Guava includes a varied and well-executed set of tropical fruits.

To begin with, the vibrant kiwi gives off a scintillating and fizzy feel that is soon met with a sweet and floral passionfruit.

To complement these two rather powerful tastes, you will likely notice that the notes of guava offer up a subtle, yet still flavourful, undertone on which the two punchier notes can flourish.

With a minimal amount of ice included in this disposable, even vapers who usually steer clear of cold vapes can enjoy this one.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Puff count: Up to 600 puffs

Capacity: 2ml Battery: 500 mAh

Nic Strength: 20mg (two percent)

Nicotine type: Salt nic

DIAMOND 600

Words: Alex Shenker

Vapes Bars say they put a lot of work into getting the mouthpiece just right to give the best vaping experience and worked hard on the airflow to bring out the flavour.

Being salt nic, we can expect a smooth vaping experience so just how did these devices perform?

There are 20 flavours in the full range and these are my thoughts on the six I tried for this review:

RED RUBY

This is a cherry flavour (one of my all-time favourites) with a touch of ice and I must have tried hundreds of cherry e-liquids over the years.

It is one of those flavours that can be extremely hard to get right with a tendency to taste a little artificial in vapes.

Thankfully Vapes Bars has smashed it out of the park here with this perfect balance of sweet and sour.

The ice offers a great addition that keeps it refreshing and also has you coming back for more.

LIMONADA

This is another ultra-refreshing offering – a lemonade flavour with the addition of lime which really elevates it to another level.

The lemonade is so fresh and zingy, with the perfect amount of sugar to take the edge off, just like the real thing.

The lime swoops in towards the end to add some extra citrus and a lot of depth to the flavour.

This is a great refreshing vape and I need to get my hands on some more.

BLUE RAZZ LEMON

This is a flavour profile which can sometimes get a bit overbearingly sweet but that is not the case here.

The base flavour is classic blue raspberry, with all of the sweet, syrupy fruitiness you'd expect, but it is the addition of lemon that

really sets it apart from the competition.

The citrus cuts through the sweetness and the overall effect is a light and refreshing blue raspberry vape. Top marks!

STRAWBERRY WATERMELON GUM

Strawberry and watermelon is a fantastic flavour combination as these fruits balance each other out with levels of sweet and sour.

In this blend, each of the fruits have been expertly recreated so it's an authentic and fresh-tasting flavour.

Then, somewhere in the background, there's a slight hint of bubblegum that adds a bit of extra sweetness and another layer of flavour that creates a super-moreish vape. Another winning flavour from Vapes Bars.

RED CRYSTAL

This simple combination of red berries with ice is very satisfying to vape.

The initial flavour is strawberry and raspberry, a classic combination that blends sweet and tart beautifully before the ice rounds the flavour out with an cool blast of freshness.

There are other fruity notes in the background which are a delightful addition to the overall flavour profile which has me always coming back for more.

MINT MOJITO

This is not a flavour you see very often but I found it to be an absolute joy to vape.

Each component of the mojito has been expertly recreated with the most dominant flavours being the lime and mint, both of which taste fresh and vibrant.

You also get hints of sweetness from the sugar syrup and a slight fizz from the soda water. All of these aspects merge beautifully to create an accurate representation of the much loved mojito.

This is, by far, my favourite of the bunch from the Diamond range, and actually my favourite disposable I've used in a long time!

ZYN NICOTINE POUCHES

FLAVOURS:

GOLD, COOL MINT STRENGTHS: 3 MG/ 6MG/9MG

Words: Peach Atkinson

Boasting a tobacco free, vape free and smoke free alternative, ZYN nicotine pouches are the ideal choice for when smoking or vaping is prohibited.

With no smoke or vapour, these pouches are designed to rest in your gums, whilst slowly releasing a steady hit of nicotine.

Each pot contains 20 pouches that are available in strengths of 1.5mg, 3mg, 6mg and 9mg.

Super simple to get the hang of, used pouches are disposed of when finished (I kept mine going until my craving went away, which was about 10-15 minutes, although this will vary from person to person).

With a wide range of nicotine levels, finding a suitable strength will be easy as there’s something for everyone.

Retailing at about £6.50, these are both practical, affordable and easy to find in stores.

GOLD

Replicating the smooth, earthy and delicately sweet nature of a tobacco leaf, ‘Gold’ will definitely appeal to those who want to move away from traditional chewing tobacco.

After a few moments, there is a small peppery sensation as you begin to feel the hit of nicotine taking over, and you’ll soon feel your stress levels decrease.

For me, I enjoyed the smooth and mellow taste of these pouches, and even if you do not usually vape tobacco flavours, the softness is easy to get along with.

COOL MINT

As the name suggests, these pouches are a simple yet effective collection of minty flavours.

Leaving your mouth refreshed, and your nicotine cravings gone, it was hard for me to not mistake it as a piece of mint chewing gum.

I felt that due to the strong minty elements in this flavour, I didn’t use it as long as a ‘Gold’ pouch, as the combination of mint and the nicotine buzz seemed to be a bit much for me personally.

However, if you are a lover of anything minty or menthol, you will absolutely love this one.

FLERBAR DISPOSABLES

Words: Alex Shenker

These Flerbar disposables from Hyppe offer a

MTL vaping experience and come pre-filled with 2ml of 20mg nic salt e-liquid in a range of 20 flavours.

Being draw-activated, there are no buttons to press and they are designed to appeal to smokers who are looking to quit. These are the flavours I reviewed:

BLOODY BULL

The energy drink flavour is the first thing you'll notice when you first puff, but it's soon joined by a sweet, fruity blend, that's reminiscent of a classic tutti-frutti sweet.

This is a really nice mix with a perfect amount of sweetness and enough fresh fruitiness to prevent any chance of the overall flavour becoming too sickly.

I recommend this one to anyone who likes a good energy drink flavour, fruity vapes or both.

BLUE RAZZ

Flerbar's take on this blue raspberry flavour is one of the best out there.

Blue Razz is reminiscent of a classic blue slushy, with all of the sweet syrupy goodness you'd expect.

The raspberry flavour is still in there but it's got so much more to offer.

If somehow you've never tried a flavour like this before, this is a great place to start!

STRAWBERRY LEMONADE

Lemonade was the initial flavour upon first puff and it was extremely fresh tasting.

The lemon flavour really pops and it's got the perfect amount of zingyness.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Puff count: Up to 600 puffs

Capacity: 2ml Battery: 500 mAh

Nic Strength: 20mg salt nicotine (two percent)

There's a subtle layer of koolada in the background, bringing some icy coolness to the party.

The strawberry is also subtle but definitely lingers in there, adding some sweetness and a bit of contrast to the lemonade.

There's also a nice fizzy effect to the whole overall vape that finishes it off nicely.

TOBACCO

The predominant flavour here is the rich, earthy tobacco which tastes extremely accurate.

I immediately detected some sweeter notes of caramel and biscuit which really help to lift the overall flavour profile and will appeal to those who don’t particularly enjoy tobacco flavours.

For me it is the lighter notes that really push this vape to the next level but tobacco purists may not agree.

PINEAPPLE ICE

The pineapple flavour here is more like the pineapple cubes you used to be able to get from the old sweet shops.

It's sweet, juicy and fills me with nostalgia, always a great start for any flavour.

The ice also works great, cooling it all down a little and giving it that refreshing kick so many of us crave.

This is probably the most unique pineapple vape I've ever tried and I love that Flerbar took the risk to try something different!

PINK WATERMELON

The watermelon here is fresh and juicy tasting, with all the depth of flavour you'd expect from a top class watermelon vape.

The pink element of this juice is raspberry. I'm not sure if I've ever had a combination of raspberry and watermelon before but it absolutely works brilliantly.

The raspberry flavour is just as accurately recreated as the watermelon and they combine perfectly that they dance across the tastebuds.