Adults like flavors!

#adultslikeflavors

The Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act: How Senator Bill Nelson aims to poison 2.5 million e-cigarette users.

What do senators do when they are concerned about the health and safety of American children? What do they do when they are especially concerned about substances that might be poisoning American children? Well, they look at the latest numbers from the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), they find the product category that results in the most calls to poison control centers, and they craft legislation aimed at making those products safer! Or not. The reality is that they do nothing of the sort. In fact, they completely ignore the products that result in the most calls.

Maybe this is because the products that cause the most issues are cosmetics, and most of our senators (and/or their spouses) are in desperate need of cosmetics in order to appear presentable. So instead, they go after electronic cigarettes.

At least that’s what Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) is doing. And he’s convinced the Senate Commerce Committee to vote in favor of requiring e-liquid manufacturers to put child-proof caps on e-liquids. It’s called the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act of 2014 and its stated goal is to require liquid nicotine containers be designed with special packaging that is difficult for children under five years of age to open or obtain contents from. At first glance this sounds like a great idea. An easy change that harms no one and makes the world a little safer… But those optimistic feelings don’t survived critical analysis. If we look at the most recent annual report available, the 2012 annual report from the American Association of Poison Control Centers, we find a whopping 12 calls to poison control centers regarding e-liquid. And only 4 of those involved children 5 or under. For perspective, that’s 4 calls regarding e-liquid out of a total of 7,480 calls for children 5 and under in 2012 for products containing nicotine, and compared to 158,970 calls for children 5 and under for cosmetics.

So why is this a problem? Aside from being nanny state fear mongering?

A small, but growing, number of e-liquid manufacturers are using glass bottles as a safer alternative to plastics, and rightly so. Plastics are, simply put, reactive. Polycarbonate(PC), polystyrene(PS), high-density polyethylene(HDPE), low-density polyethylene(LDPE), and polyethylene terephthalate(PET) all leach toxins. Notably antimony and bromine. At least one study has shown that the use of common flavorings, such as those found in e-liquids, actually causes an increased reaction with these plastics and increases the level of toxins that leach from them. But if that isn’t enough, low-density polyethylene, which is the most widely used material for e-liquid bottles, comes with an additional risk… it’s gas permeable. FDA studies have shown that LDPE allows for the ingress of gasses such as components from labeling adhesives, and off-gassing from packaging materials. Think about that for a moment. Toxic chemicals from the label, label printing, label adhesive, foam packaging, shrink-wrap, can all pass through LDPE and contaminate whatever is inside… and now all those toxins are contaminating our e-liquid.

So plastic e-liquid bottles present some not-insignificant health risks, unfortunately it doesn't work very well to just put e-liquid in glass bottles with childproof caps. Plastic bottles are squeezable, with a needle/dripper tip, and support child proof caps. They work. Glass, on the other hand doesn't lend itself to squeezing. In order to make a glass bottle functional for e-liquid it needs an eye dropper, usually in the form of an eye-dropper cap. The problem, is that eye dropper caps, quite simply, are not “child proof”. Even those eye dropper caps that function as child proof don’t actually meet the requirements because the rubber bulb at the top can be removed or pierced

What Senator Nelson is really saying with the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act, is that he’s willing to poison 2.5 million adult e-cigarettes users in order to protect 4 young children from an exposure to nicotine that, according to the AAPCC, resulted in no effect to only moderate effect.

Last week the Consumer Product Safety Commission sent S. 2581: "Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act of 2014" up the chain to the House and Senate... making now the time to write your Senators and Congressional representatives. Write them, and encourage them not to support this, or any, bill that trades the health of millions of Americans for a bit of political posturing.

Call to Action: Michigan SB 1018 - Ecig Tax

Michigan Vapers!
A hearing has been scheduled for SB 1018 (a tax on e-cigarettes).
Here are the details:
NOTICE OF SCHEDULED MEETING
COMMITTEE: Finance Cmte
DATE: Wednesday, September 24, 2014
TIME: 12:30 pm
PLACE: Room 210, Farnum Building, 125 W. Allegan Street, Lansing, MI 48933
CONTACT: Scott Jones, Committee Clerk (373-5307)

Michigan vapers and harm reduction advocates are strongly encouraged to attend the committee hearing to offer testimony in opposition to SB 1018.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris wants more strict regulation of electronic cigarettes.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris is one of 29 that signed on to a comment to the FDA regarding the proposed Tobacco Deeming Regulations. In their comment AGs urge the FDA to be more strict in regulating e-cigarettes. It is clear that the AGs have glossed over the devastating effect these regulations (as written) would have on vapor products and the consumers that have benefited from them.

The Attorneys General are urging the FDA to limit “characterizing flavors” that they allege are intended for the sole purpose of “hooking” children and “new users” on nicotine. This is, of course, linked to the tenuous assertion that e-cigarette companies are marketing to children and attempting to attract non-smokers. Their recommendations also include a moratorium on advertising similar to the blackout on tobacco ads.

In short, this group of Attorneys General would like to see the most effective aspects of vaping removed from the products. If it were up to them, your e-cigarette would more closely resemble medicine, cost an outrageous amount of money, and come in only two flavors.

Please contact your Attorney General to ask him to reconsider his position.

It's Time To Get Angry And Active

“Requiring people to standup in public for their political acts fosters civic courage.”
  -Justice Antonin Scallia

Our community could really use some civic courage right about now… but even more so, we could use some give-a-shit. Courage will have to wait until we find a solution to the rampant apathy in the vaping community.

Sure, a lot of people are saying that all the restrictions and regulations can’t stop them from vaping. They’ll make their own e-liquid, they’ll vape at home. Sure, you can do that, but is that really the world you want to live in? a world where vaping is shamed rather than seen as a pathway away from combustible tobacco, away from nicotine addiction, and out from under the thumb of big tobacco? But before you answer, consider the real issue, because it isn’t whether or not you and I can vape, it’s whether or not the option is even available for the millions of other smokers.

It’s time to get angry! It’s time to get up and DO something. Something more than posting anonymous comments on Facebook and Reddit. It’s time to get together, to be seen, to yell and scream and get our voices heard. It’s time to attend city council meetings and state senate meetings and get involved everywhere that the issue is brought up.

And we need everyone involved. We can’t afford for any of us to think that we can sit back on the sidelines and watch other fight the fight for us. Why? Because all of us have lives, we have rents and mortgages, and car payments. We have children to care for and appointments to keep and jobs to go to. In other words, none of us can attend every hearing. So in order to have a presence we need everyone to get mad and get active, because right now we, as a community, are acting like a bunch of angry sullen teenagers… well, its time we grow up, and act like angry adults!

SB 648 Died in Committee Last Week. Cause for Celebration? or Cause for Concern?

SB 648 died in committee this past week. I wanted to write about it sooner, but owing to a flu outbreak at my house I didn't make it to the hearing. I decided that I should, at the very least, watch the video of the hearing before putting my opinions about it into words.

I have now done so. Several times. And I’m sticking to my initial reaction that the death of SB 648 is not a good thing, in fact, while many are enjoying a celebratory drink, or a congratulatory self pat on the back, I firmly believe that the death of SB 648 is a bad thing

I also believe that the ANTZ have gotten to the committee members

First, lets consider what happened the last time SB 648 was in committee that didn't happen this time… Last time the committee criticized those opposing the bill, they were chastised for focusing on the omission of text that would have defined an e-cigarette as a cigarette rather than focusing on the intent of the bill. They were even accused of wanting to put electronic cigarettes into the hands of children. The committee didn't do that this time. The same committee looking at the same bill and hearing the same arguments… and yet they acted very differently.

The only reasonable interpretation is that, away from the committee room, in the hallways and offices of the capitol, or maybe over pricey dinners and drinks nearby, the Anti Tobacco and Nicotine Zealots influenced the committee members. Likely with money, or the treat of withholding money.

Before going further, you may want to view the video if you haven’t already… it can be viewed here

Pay special attention to what was said by Kally Hampt(?) on behalf of the American Heart and American Stroke Association. She complains that the bill “Takes us two steps back in our efforts to regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products”

…And Alicia Sanchez – California medical association This bill “…would undermine our intent to see e-cigarettes regulated as other tobacco products

There it is. Stated right out in the open for all to hear. It was never about “the children” it’s about efforts to classify electronic cigarettes as tobacco.

And they've gained enough support to kill a bill that would have created a common sense restriction on electronic cigarette sales in vending machines based only on the fact that the bill did not also define electronic cigarettes as tobacco.

In other words, this insanity is getting worse.

Of course California law already defines e-cigarettes. Section 119405 of the Health and Safety Code paragraph b reads: ‘“Electronic cigarette” means a device that can provide an inhalable dose of nicotine by delivering a vaporized solution’

Think about that for a moment. California law states that an electronic cigarette is a device… your box mod, your mechanical, your Ego battery, combined with an atomizer is, according to California law, an electronic cigarette. With or without nicotine. In fact, with or without e-liquid at all, it only needs to be a device that “can” provide inhalable nicotine. If we then allow electronic cigarettes to be legally classifies as tobacco products, then that copper, stainless steal, or brass tube with the battery in it will be regulated, and taxed, as if it was made from the leaves of a tobacco plant. Never mind that under current law tobacco products are defined in Revenue and Taxation Cod Sections 30121 and 30131,1 to include “all forms of cigars, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, and any other articles or products made of, or containing at least 50 percent, tobacco, but does not include cigarettes.” Now I don’t know about you, but looking at my mods… none of them are either made of, or contain 50 percent, tobacco. Not a one. Not even when I add e-liquid. In fact, since nicotine is the only tobacco derived ingredient in my e-liquid, it would have to be 500mg/ml nicotine before it was “50 percent” tobacco.

Please not that I am not suggesting that anyone should ever make, or use 500mg/ml e-liquid. At best it probably wouldn't taste very good.

So the push is on to legally classify electronic cigarettes as a tobacco product in California despite the contradictions that it would cause between existing state laws covering tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes, and the defeat of SB 648 for the sole reason that it listed electronic cigarettes explicitly, and distinctly from tobacco products is evidence that our opponents are winning support…

…After all, it’s a public health issue. Right? Well, yes, but not in the direction that the public health officials are trying to present it… quite the opposite in fact, because when more people quit smoking that is a public health benefit.

Once more into the fire...

Okay, so it's likely that there will be many more trips... but...

So it looks like another trip to Sacramento is in order,,, SB648. As you probably know, it was amended to be a common sense restriction on vending machine sales to prevent minors from purchasing electronic cigarettes… something that both vapers and industry can support. It also removed language that would have defined electronic cigarettes as “cigarettes”. This did not sit well with groups that want limit electronic cigarette use by applying all of the pre-existing anti tobacco laws and regulations. Well, those groups have been pressuring the bills author (Corbett) and the bill is due to be read in committee on Wednesday August 6th. We can only assume that there will be some changes. At this point we don’t know what changes were made, but we need to be prepared to oppose or support any changes, depending on what they may turn out to be. At the very least, we will be displaying support for the vaping community and industry as part of the voting public.

If you can make it… The bill will be heard at 9:00 AM in Sacramento at the State Capitol, Room 4202.

Good Reason To Vape #5: Zombies

We all know that the Zombie Apocalypse is coming. It’s inevitable. The dead shall rise and walk the earth looking like so many graphic anti-smoking images. And they shall devour the flesh of the living.

And as the dead rise, civilization shall fall, taking with it all the comforts that civilization brings… like running water, and showers.

As people struggle to survive they will face, not only the walking dead, but also the stench of their own unwashed selves… a stench sure to attract zombies eager to dine on living flesh… But gather a dozen or so survivors, each armed with a mechanical mod and a dripping atomizer, and the scent of unwashed flesh can be masked with the aroma of vanilla custard… or gummy bears… or well, as long as you aren’t vaping meat-liquid it won’t matter what it smells like, because zombies have no interest in baked goods, or candy, or fruit, or, well, anything other than flesh. Faced with the smell of sweet vapory goodness the zombies are sure to turn their attention to.

But what to do if zombies are closing in and you’re in an enclosed space? What if there is no where to run and they are going to get close enough to see you? Quite simply, you blow massive clouds and hide unseen in the resulting fog of vapor.

Please note, the above mentioned strategies do not work so well on the living. Using the smell of vapor to confuse your wife or kids, or hiding from them in a cloud of vapor has proven to be wholly ineffective!

What's In Your Vapor Tool Kit

This past weekend I went out and bought myself an ultrasonic cleaner. I bought one of the less expensive models because I wasn’t really sure how much use I would get out of it. I’m going to take just a moment to say that it’s awesome for cleaning drip tips and atomizer parts! Anyway, I had just spent $40 on a gadget for cleaning vape stuff, and it got me to thinking about all the various supplies and equipment that I use in support of vaping. So, aside from mods, atomizers, and drip tips what other items might you need for vaping? The list can be rather long, but to be fair, it doesn’t have to be that way. When I first started it was with an eGo battery, a charger, tanks, tips, coils, pipettes, and an occasional tissue or Q-tip for cleaning. Switching to mod with removable batteries increases the amount of ‘stuff’ needed… using rebuildable atomizers adds even more.

So here it is, a list of vape supplies not including mod/atomizer parts or e-liquids.

Because I vape:
• Q-tips
• Toothbrush
• Pipettes
• Ultrasonic cleaner
• Safe or other lockable storage to keep e-liquids in so that kids/pets can’t get to any of it.
• Tissue
• Needle top bottles
• Small funnel for filling needle top bottles
• Syringes, various sizes
• Blunt tip needles for syringes… also in various sizes
• Case/box/crate/bin/chest to hold vaping related tools and supplies.

Because I use 18xxx mods:
• 18650 batteries. Lots of them. AW IMRs at first, but now Sony VTC5s
• 18650 case(s), because loose batteries in your pocket are not a good idea.
• Chargers. Two of them. Gotta have one at home… gotta have one at the office.
• 18650 pvc wrap
• Heat gun, to shrink the pvc wrap.
• Telescopic magnet, to hold 18650s while shrinking the pvc wrap.
• Label maker for labeling rewrapped 18650s

Because I use rebuildable atomizers:
• Kanthal… 24g, 26g, 28g, 30g…
• Cotton
• Mini Screwdrivers. For those mini screw posts on RDAs and sometimes for wrapping coils on.
• Small pliers
• Tweezers
• Toothpicks
• Locking forceps
• Drill pits or similar small diameter metal rods for wrapping coils on.
• Ohm Reader (or multimeter)
• Volt Meter (see above)
• Wire clippers
• Nail clippers
• Silica wick

The Perfect Glass of Strawberry Milk... In an E-Liquid.

The e-liquid: Quick Straw by Tasty Vapor
50% VG
6mg nic

The Setups: Tugboat RDA with dual parallel coils @ .64 ohm on V3 Flip

Can you guess what this tastes like?

Sometimes it takes a little while to decide how you feel about a particular e-liquid flavor. You try it, you think about it, you try it again, Maybe you take a sip of water to clear out your taste buds and then try the flavor one more time. Sometimes it’s like that. Not this time.

This time I’m trying Quick Straw, a soon to be release flavor from Tasty Vapor. And this time I immediately found my self asking if the flavor should be just a tiny bit stronger… but then I always had the same problem with the real thing. Mix up a glass of strawberry milk and I would always think that, surely, if it tasted so good, wouldn't it taste even better with more strawberry flavoring added?

You see, I didn't spend any time trying to identify flavors, contemplating subtle nuances, or thinking about how close the flavor was to its description. Instantly my mind went right where it always did with a glass of Strawberry Quick… because this e-liquid is just that good. It is the perfect reproduction of that particular brand of strawberry milk…

but what if you don’t like strawberry milk?

Well, then it’s possible that there is no hope for you… that, and you probably wouldn't like Quick Straw, because this e-liquid is instant nostalgic yum. Instant cool, refreshing, sweet, strawberry and milk goodness.
Geoff and his team over at Tasty Vapor have done something amazing with Quick Straw. It’s not a flavor that’s reminiscent of its namesake, it’s not a close approximation, it’s a dead on taste-alike. So if you have ever enjoyed strawberry milk, you know what you have to do. Just don’t buy too much of the stuff, save some for me. I’m going to need lots of it!

Todd vs. Ameravape? Or is it Ameravape Vs the Vaping Community?

You couldn't be blamed for expecting that all of this nonsense would have died down by now. It hasn't. Why? You may ask, well you probably already know why, but just in case… it hasn't died down because the guys over at Ameravape don’t know when to keep their mouths shut!

Competition Mod? or well marketed pipe-bomb?

They need to stop posting to Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
They need to take a step back from the drama and hope that the public forgets.
They need to re-invent themselves, and quietly release a new, high quality, reliable product.
They need to step delicately while slowly rebuilding a positive public image…

Right now, what they are doing bears more resemblance to moshing in a minefield than stepping delicately.

So let’s pretend that you've been hiding under a rock for the last several months, or that you need a refresher coarse because there might be a quiz on the subject tomorrow.

It all started when the Manhattan mod blew up in Ameravapes face. And by that I mean that a respected reviewer, Todd, didn't give them a favorable review. He questioned the venting capabilities of the Manhatten and compared it to a ‘pipe bomb’

But that was just the trigger.

The actual explosive event occurred when Ameravape responded… and not nicely… not nicely at all. Forget, for a moment, who’s right and who’s wrong about the Manhattan, forget about its venting. When someone threatens a well respected reviewer over an unfavorable review, the public sees it as an attempt to silence any criticism. This doesn't go over all that well.

*Boom! Right there Ameravape detonated a big poop filled fragmentation bomb all over themselves, because their little exchange with Todd was in writing… and was made public.

At the same time Ameravape was facing another problems... and preparing to react badly to it. You might say that they had another fuse burning on another public relations pipe bomb.

You see, Ameravape had arranged for a machinist to produce their Manhattan mod at the cost of $100k including materials. They paid $30k upfront, but when it came time to settle up, they only paid an additional $20k… leaving the machinist holding a bunch of unfinished mods and $50k in the hole. Now there are conflicting stories as to what exactly happened. One is that Ameravape just broke their contract and refused to pay for what they had ordered, the other is that half of what the machinist produced was defective and Ameravape declined to take delivery. Either way, what happened next is that the machinist decided to recoup his losses by finishing the Manhattans and selling them.

Ameravape responded by launching a campaign against cloned mods. Mind you, I don’t disagree with taking a stance against clones… in principle. But there are problems,,, One is, Ameravapes very public, petulant, comments. It was like watching a couple of pre-schoolers throw a temper tantrum on social media. And what with public opinion already turning against them over their treatment of Todd’s review… well… much mockery ensued.

And then someone pointed out some older review videos made by the Ameravape guys. Videos with them and their associates gleefully using and reviewing counterfeits of other companies’ mods and atomizers.

The mockery hit new levels of severity and ‘hypocrite’ was added to the list of words commonly used to describe Ameravape.

But like all good disasters, things just kept happening. This time it was the arrival of actual counterfeits/clones from China. Ameravape publicly stepped up their anti-clone dialog and even went so far as to cancel any future production of Manhattan mods and then make statements threatening legal action against Allibaba.com

While all of this was going on, while the vaping community was laughing at nearly every one of their public comments, Ameravape announced that they were in the process of moving to new offices and a new assembly shop and that they were starting work on a new mod… the Apollo. While these announcements did dispel the rumors that Ameravape was closing up shop over the Manhattan debacle they failed to do anything to address the negative public perception of either the company or it’s owners.

And that pretty much brings us to the present. At this point just about anything that Ameravape says or does is going to be met with ridicule, it doesn't help that their announcements and comments are rife with spelling and grammatical errors, but the real problem is that they keep saying anything at all.

There really doesn't seem to be much else for us to know, but we do need to decide how we, the vaping
community, will respond.

Even if the Manhattan, and soon the Apollo are the best mods available… a seriously questionable assertion in the first place, but even if they are… do we want to be supporting this company? A company whose owners have displayed childlike behavior and questionable character? A company that then calls into question the character of those that they do business with? A company that publicly states that there were quality issues with their manufacturing and still insists that their product is somehow the pinnacle of reliability? 

Personally, I have a litmus test of sorts for those that I do business with… If I couldn't sit down with someone and enjoy their company over a cup of coffee, and that means being able to tolerate them for the time it takes to actually enjoy a cup of coffee, not just the time it takes to guzzle one, if I couldn't do that, then I don’t want to do business with them.

So ask yourself, could you sit down with the guys from Ameravape for 30 minutes to an hour? Would you enjoy their company? Or would you be wanting to bang your head against something before it was over? Then ask yourself if you want to be supporting these guys or not.

Kamry Robot V: Small Price, Big Value.

So I picked up a Kamry Robot V. I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect much… I didn’t buy it for functionality; I bought it because I like the look. Go ahead, laugh… then hear me out. The Robot V looks a lot like a prop from some cheesy sci-fi movie. Maybe it’s a power cell or bio containment vessel. Maybe it’s an ammo cartridge for a laser blaster. Whatever it is, it would fit equally well in Forbidden Planet(1956), Metropolis(1927), or my mod collection.

When I ordered the Robot V I also ordered a few things to go with it… for aesthetic reasons, or course. I orderned an RDA and a drip tip, both chromed black to match the finish on the Robot V, and both cheap off-brand items that I didn’t expect any real functionality from. Unfortunately I ordered from Fasttech, and they didn’t get it quite right. What they sent me was a chromed black Patriot clone. Well crap, at least the finish matches, it does look nice on the Robot V, and it’s ever so slightly more expensive than the X1 I ordered… I decided to just go with it. For the record, this Patriot clone really is cheap garbage, the top cap sits so loose that it pops off if you so much as look at it sidewise and the airflow is tiny… 1.07mm according to my calipers. But, to hop back on topic, the Robot V works surprisingly well… Lower voltage drop than both my V3 Flip and my copper Vanilla. WTF!? So, of course, I checked it a couple more times… and sure enough… unexpected awesomeness. Since I had the Tugboat on the Robot V for testing voltage drop I went ahead and left it on… and the performance was outstanding!

 To be clear, the Robot V does have some problems. Aside from its aesthetic, which many are not going to like, it’s also wider than your average mod at 32mm. I personally think that the width is actually a nice feature, it creates a lip at the top of the mod that turns out to be an exceedingly comfortable, and very natural feeling, place to rest your thumb, but if what you want is something stealthy or pocket friendly the extra 7mm of diameter is not a good thing.

And then there are the springs… The first is a rather stiff compression spring used to hold the battery against the positive contact. Yes, this removes the need for floating pins or adjustable contacts, but it can make the button cap a bit difficult to screw on. Especially if using an atomizer with a long positive pin. Similarly, the button cap needs to be loosened or removed when attaching an atomizer in the first place… the spring is that stiff. The second spring is in the button itself, this spring is stiff enough to keep the Robot V from firing when set down, but not stiff enough to keep the button from rattling. That rattle goes a long way to making this feel like a poorly made mod. Next up is the locking ring. It takes nearly three full turns to lock or unlock… sure, it works, but three full turns? The reason for all those turns becomes apparent when you look at the bottom of the mod, the firing button extends 3mm below the base, meaning that the locking ring has to travel a fair distance to hold the button in place.

All in all this is a surprisingly good mod, especially given the bargain basement price! I paid a measly $30.21 for one at fasttech… so much for the oft heard argument that counterfeits are the only way to get descent performance at a reasonable price. Think of the Robot V as the Moped of the vaping world, cheap and fun to ride, you just don’t want your friends to see you using it.

Short Note On What Not To Drip

Patriot with dual parallel micro coils at .62 ohms with rayon wicks on the Robot V… tight draw, warm vapor, subdued flavor. Similar experience to using a tank, so I thought, how perfect for using some of those older flavors that are too harsh in the Tugboat or TOBH! And it is.  Kind of.  Except that I neglected to keep in mind the fact that I've drastically lowered my nicotine levels since switching to RDAs… pro tip: don’t drip 18mg when you’re used to <6mg.

What Do You Get When You Cross a Blue Berry and a Banana?

The e-liquid:
Blue Banana by Mad Town Vapor
Max VG
3mg nic

The Setups:
Tugboat RDA with dual parallel coils @ .26 ohm on V3 Flip
TOBH RDA with dual parallel coils @ .41 ohm on copper Vanilla

Starting with the Tugboat that first puff... that very first puff was... well... it was okay...
To be fair, I had been drinking a Vanilla Latte... and was still finishing it when I got home to find the new e-liquid had arrived in the post. I'm in the midst of a banana vape obsession right now, so I couldn't wait to try this flavor. I love banana vape, I love blueberries, waiting was not an option ...and I didn't exactly have a clean pallet. This is not a flavor for enjoying with a Latte. The banana, especially, is easily overpowered. note, this is not a bad thing. because...

With each subsequent puff the flavor got better and better. a quick sip of water to clear my pallet and...

A very nice, very clear, yet smooth banana with a cooling blueberry flavor emerged. The banana is dominant on the inhale while the blueberry comes out on the exhale, and lingers in the mouth. The flavor is not overly strong. it's not going to tire out your taste, nor is it going to annoy anyone around you that has an aversion to banana vapor... which is to say, my wife isn't insisting that I switch to another e-liquid!

Next i tried with the TOBH. more airflow, higher resistance, and a slightly cooler vape. The blueberry was more subtle, but still added a hint or refreshing... well... blueness to the banana. and the banana was still awesome.

On both builds the vapor production was good.. I did get the max VG after all. It is, unfortunately, not going to block out my view of the TV when my wife decides to watch Devious Maids or some other bad show. But then, it's not like I chase clouds or anything, I don't, but i do like a nice full vapor production, and Blue Banana provides vapor quite nicely.

Now for the kicker. This liquid is 5 days old... that is to say, it hasn't had a chance to steep, and it's already 'the yum'! The next step is to put the rest away and let it steep for a few weeks... that is, if I can muster up enough self control to keep from vaping the whole bottle. If Blue Banana gets any better with steeping... well... It may have to go into permanent rotation in my e-liquid stash.

Final notes; the packaging.
Blue Banana came in a plastic bottle with a dripping tip. I would have preferred to see a glass bottle. but that could just be a bit of snobbishness on my part. because I think glass bottles look classy. The cap isn't childproof. this is a big deal for me, not because I enjoy dealing with child proof caps, but because they are a small thing that go a long way to keeping the media and politicians from painting worst case scenario scare stories about vaping and e-liquid.

The label has all the important stuff on it. vendor, vendor contact (web address) e-liquid name, ingredients, production date, PG/VG ratio, nicotine level, volume, and the requisite warning to keep out of reach of children. no cartoons or bright colors on the label, this is also a big deal... and a good thing!

All in all the packaging is good and the only improvement that it really needs is a childproof cap.

Price and Availability: Another Thought On Clones

Protip: if it comes with a mini screw-
driver like the one above... it's a clone.

Spend any amount of time in a vaping shop or lounge and the topic of ‘clones’ is bound to come up. Likewise, any forum or blog will deliver countless opinions on the issue. Unfortunately much of the expressed opinion, especially online, is in support of counterfeits. Go figure, right?

 If we filter out all the dipshits that think they are entitled to the latest and greatest, super fancy, high performance gear at cig-a-like prices (Dude, if you really don’t want’ to spend more than twenty dollars on a mod or atty, go buy one at Wallmart! What’s that? You say they don’t carry mods and atomizers? Well then, I guess you don’t really need one.). If we filter those people out we find that one of the remaining arguments is the belief that the price and scarcity of authentic gear is due only to the greed of the manufacturers.


Because... you know... manufacturers would totally give up market share in favor of pissing off consumers by jacking up prices and creating artificial scarcity by limiting their production. Yeah... businesses total succeed that way.

 It’s certainly true that high price and scarcity are reasonable complaints when most of the legitimate products available are on the more expensive side and are very limited in their availability. As I see it, those are the two big ‘problems’ with authentics, but we should recognize that part of that problem is that vaping has grown faster than anyone expected. Give the industry a chance to mature and it will start to catch up with the demand. Until then, scarcity and price are not artificial or unreasonable. Someone had to invest their life savings or take out a huge loan to start a business…. They had to lease space, buy manufacturing equipment, hire workers, purchase materials. They can’t afford to make hundreds of thousands of units, the materials cost alone is a limiting factor. So they make what they can afford to and hope that their mod or atomizer sells, and sells well enough to not only pay the bills, but for them to someday scale up so that future production runs can be larger. If we support them they can afford to scale up, their per unit costs go down, and we can expect less expensive authentics in the future. If we refuse to support them by buying counterfeits, then they will never be able to expand beyond the small businesses making limited, and expensive gear.

Nicotine Levels and Bottle Size

There have been many discussions about the need for packaging and labeling standards for e-liquids. Anyone that knows me, knows that once the topic comes up i'll go on extensively about childproof caps,
glass vs. plastic bottles, handwritten vs. printed labels, label graphics, and the information that should be presented on e-liquid labels... I'm like a never ending fount of opinion on the subject, and I'm ready to share my views at the slightest of provocations. But not today. today I want to suggest something else.

 My all time favorite e-liquid comes in 18ml bottles at 0, 6, 12, or 18mg/ml nicotine levels. But what I really want is 3mg/ml. So what am I to do? I have to buy two bottles at a time. One at 0mg and one at 6mg, then mix them in a larger bottle to end up with 36ml of liquid with a nicotine level of 3mg/ml. And I'm far from the only person to do this. Wouldn't it be better if we had larger bottles available at lower nicotine levels?

 And that's today's topic: nicotine levels and bottle size

 First nicotine levels. The most common nicotine strengths are 0mg, 6mg, 12mg, and 18mg per ml. The upper end of this range works well. Yes, there are some consumers that want higher nicotine levels, but as a community we need to be mindful of the tenancy for the media and politicians to portray even 18mg/ml, a mere 1.8% nicotine by volume, as "concentrated nicotine". E-liquid manufacturers should consider two limits on higher nicotine levels. A relatively low maximum level made available at physical stores, maybe 12mg. And the second higher maximum level available for direct order.

10-15ml bottles. Cute, but small.

 But that's not really what I wanted to talk about, what I'm really interested in today is the lower end of nicotine levels. Consumer preferences and habits are changing. Not only are we seeing increased adoption of vaping, but as time goes on, more of us are long term users... and we're lowering our preferred nicotine levels. We're working our way down from our initial high nicotine levels towards very low, or even, no nicotine. Not only due to a lowered need for nicotine, but also due to increased availability and popularity of mods and atomizers that can produce vapor more efficiently and at higher power levels. What we need than, as consumers, is for e-liquid suppliers to adopt 3mg/ml nicotine levels as a standard option. There is already a demand for low nicotine level e-liquids, now we just need the supply...

 But wait, didn't I mention bottle sizes? Well yes, I did!

*Or maybe sell e-liquid in six-packs!

 10 and 15ml bottles are everywhere. They seem to be the de facto standard, with some liquids available in 30ml bottles, and a rare few landing at volumes somewhere between. Those smaller bottles are fine... that is, if you don't want your e-liquid to last very long, but who really wants to buy 3 or 4 bottles of the same thing just to enjoy a flavor for one or two weeks? We need to encourage our e-liquid vendors to give us 30 and 60 ml bottles!* Maybe even as high as 120 ml for those "must have" flavors. By all means, smaller bottles should continue to be made available, they are great for trying out new flavors, or for carrying
an assortment of flavors for vaping on the go. but larger bottles have many benefits. A larger bottle has a lower packaging cost per ml of e-liquid and, because we would not need to purchase as often, they also have lower purchasing costs. Fewer trips to the store means less spent on gas, or less spent on shipping if you order your e-liquid online.

Are e-liquids marketed to children?

Let’s talk about e-liquid. More precisely e-liquid bottles. Even MORE precisely, e-liquid bottle labels.

The same font Kraft
uses on Kool-Aid

There has been a lot of talk lately about electronic cigarettes and e-liquid being marketed to kids... Those of us that use e-liquids know that this is balderdash. Firstly, all those flavored e-liquids exist because adult like flavors. And secondly, enjoying all those flavors costs a bit of money. More money than most kids are likely to spend just to experience a flavor.

Consider that if you want flavor you need more than a cig-a-like. You need a 'personal vaporizer', and the absolute, bottom rung, minimal starter the fails miserably at flavor presentation and vapor production, is going to start at around $30... and that's before you spend $10 - $20 or more on a bottle of flavored e-liquid.  Let's just call it a $50 minimum investment for a child to enjoy one of these flavors. Now you tell me, how many kids are going to spend $50 on a low quality vaporizer and a bottle of e-liquid rather than buying flavored cola and candy?

Looks exactly like an old
Rocket Pop ad

A marginally better ‘starter kit’ can usually be found online starting around $50… the cost is generally higher in a brick & mortar shop. But if we believe that electronic cigarettes are marketed to kids because flavor And therefore kids use electronic cigarettes because flavor Then kids must be using a setup that will actually deliver flavor. For that, we need to spend some money. Accurate, full flavor presentation and vapor production is going to start at around $100. If you’re really into flavor and vapor expect to spend twice that. And if you’re really really into flavor you can expect to spend a lot more. A lot more than kids can afford to spend… that is, unless they’re out dealing drugs, or robbing houses, or mugging people… but then, electronic cigarettes would hardly be the biggest problem with such kids.

So WE all know that before anyone can use any of the ‘flavors’ that are purportedly marketed to children, they first have to be willing to invest in costly hardware. That hardware cost alone is an fairly reasonable gatekeeper preventing most kids from using e-liquids.

It sure looks like a kids juice.

But the general public doesn't know that. What the general public thinks they know is what they were told by politicians and the media… The media and the politicians are looking for the worst case examples and holding those up as proof of marketing to children. They're looking for anything that they can find that mimics a recognized product intended for kids, and anything with cartoonish labels that might appeal to kids... Sadly there is plenty out there for them to find. And we need to care. 

We need to discourage e-liquid manufacturers from using labeling that the anti-vaping zealots will use against us. We can do this by telling them how we feel about their labeling, and we can do this be refusing to purchase e-liquid with questionable labeling. We need to discourage retailers, both online and brick & mortar, from selling e-liquid with questionable labeling. Again, we can let them know how we feel, and we can chose not to purchase the liquid in question, or in extreme cases, we can choose not to purchase from the retailer at all if they carry a questionable liquid.

Lost Art Liquids changed this
label design after negative reaction
from the vaping community.

While one e-liquid manufacturer has pulled a particularly egregious label that was a nearly exact copy of a well known kids breakfast cereal box and replaced it with something that, while still questionable, isn't nearly as bad, other manufacturers are turning a deaf ear to consumer concerns.  It’s clear that some segments of the vaping industry is uninterested in self regulation, and that leaves it up to us, the consumers, to regulate for them. If we regulate what we buy, then rather quickly the vendors and manufacturers will either regulate what they sell and make, or they will go out of business. Let’s hope for the former, but either outcome robs the opposition of ammunition that they can, and will, use to sway public opinion against vaping.

Not as bad, but still questionable
labels from Lost Art Liquids

Counterfeits are bad, but clones are a sign of a market gap.

#499479589 / gettyimages.com

I want to design and sell a new mod and I shall call it "Trooper" that way, when it gets coppied it'll be the "Clone Trooper"

Okay, maybe not. I mean, aside from the bad pun. not a one of us would be the least bit happy if we had invested time and money to bring a product to market only to have someone else flood the market with cheap knockoffs of our work... but that's not the consumer perspective is it... so let's try looking at this a different way. Mechanicals and rebuildables are expensive. mind numbingly when one think on their simplicity. Even if they are not simple to design and manufacture, they are simple in function. Never mind the cost inherent in bringing a new product to market, I need something that works and is affordable.

 Let's say you go shopping for a watch... What are your optoins. You could go to Tourneau and shop for the quality watches that range from around $80 all the way up to almost $200,000.. or you could buy the less expensive, but functionally similar watch from Walmart where the prices start at $7. So what do you do? Well, the vast majority of people will go to Walmart and save a few dollars. Assuming that a less expensive watch is available for Walmart to sell.

The real problem is that everyone is making Patek Philippe and no one is making Casio.

Let's say that you used to be an average American smoker, and let's further assume that your previous smoking budget is now your vaping budget. Okay, so the average American smoker spends just over $1800 a year on cigarettes. That translates to about $5 a day, or $150 a month. Now, how much do you spend each month on e-liquid, batteries, wire, wicking material (or premade coils) and other miscellaneous vaping supplies.... If you only vape a little, then no big deal, you're probably spending a lot less than when you smoked, but if you're a heavy vaper, the kind that might be interested in... say... a mechanical mod and a dripping atomizer, then your daily operational costs are higher, and if you're not mixing your own e-liquid you can easily spend your entire budget... leaving nothing for new mods and attys. So let's say your careful and spend about $20-$25 each week on vaping. You save about $50 to put towards new hardware, or, about $600 a year.

Right now I'm using a setup that cost about $500... wait...am I really going to buy only one each year?

And that's why we have clones. I would rather buy more than one mod and atty each year... I'd like to be able to try out a new tank atty every now and again, maybe pick up the latest dripping atomizer, or get that new mod because... well, because it's dead sexy! So now we see why we need Casio. Hardware that's reliable, but affordable. And Casio never hurt the market for Patek Philippe.

Similarly a marketplace with lots of affordable options. not 'clones', but independently designed, affordable, reliable hardware... would fill the needs of the average vaper... without impacting the market for more exclusive, more expensive, limited production hardware. The vaping industry is still young, and for now, the proliferation of 'clones' is evidence of a need for more such products. As the industry matures, we can look forward to more companies stepping in to fill the gap. Until then, we need hardware, and clones are inevitable, but we should not be rewarding those companies that are profiting on the design, logo, and reputation of others.

To be clear, I'm not an elitist about authentic mods, I don't look down on others that own clones, we need hardware, and authentics can be hard to come by and prohibitively expensive. I do, however, have a very low opinion of the manufacturers that make clones that are clear counterfeits with copies of the original manufacturer's logo, and fake serial numbers...

Shout Out: Tasty Vapor

I've thought about this for a while… do I recommend or review any products? My first thought is no, there are products that I love, products that I hate, and products that I’m ambivalent about, but does it really matter? Well, maybe. If a vendor or manufacturer is a member of SFATA or is otherwise active in protecting vaping they should be acknowledged for that, if they also have an awesome product…

I’m still hesitant, but I’m sitting here with such an awesome bottle of e-liquid… a liquid that I would never have tried on my own. And it’s made by a vendor that is not only a SFATA member but also has also shown up in Sacramento to oppose AB1500 and support SB648 “as proposed amended”. And it really is tasty. The e-liquid, not the vendor, well sorta both…

Okay, so what am I going on about?
Tasty Vapor Strawberry Lemonade Premium Dripping Liquid

I’m usually very narrow in my appreciation of citrus. Aside from limes for my tequila, I like oranges and orange creamsicles. And that’s usually about it. So a lemonade type e-liquid? Not something I would be likely to even sample.

And then Geoff of Tasty Vapors hands me a bottle of his Strawberry Lemonade Premium Dripping Liquid.

I happened to have a backup mod with a freshly wicked RDA, so I gave it a try right away.

The only thing I noticed with that first hit was the citrus. As I said, I’m not usually a big fan, but we were outside in the heat, and the vape was crisp and refreshing. Second hit, the strawberry starts coming through… and I’m convinced. What am I going to do when this bottle runs out? I’m going to trek over to Tasty Vapors and buy more.

This isn't a simple, blunt flavor, it’s more subtle and evolving. The citrus is most noticeable in the sinuses, while the strawberry flavor lingers in the mouth, and the whole thing is faintly sweet… and not sugary, sticky sweet. It’s a fresh fruit sweetness. It's, well, ...tasty. this is an e-liquid that I would recommend to everyone, even those that aren't particular fans of lemon or lemonade flavors. It's that good.

I’m fond of saying “support the vendors that support our community” so get your butt, or browser, over to Tasty Vapors and give some of their e-liquids a try. especially their Burmanii (an awesome cinnamon blend) and their Frosted Oatmeal Cookie (both have been big favorites of mine for a while now), and of course, their Strawberry Lemonade.

SB 648 - Summary of the hearing in the Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization

Yesterday my wife and I headed out to Sacramento and met up with other vapers and vendors to attend the Senate Governmental Organization Committee hearing on SB 648. The short version is that the hearing went well.

In case you aren't up on the details of SB 648 it was introduced by Senator Ellen Corbett last year. As originally written it would have banned the use of electronic cigarettes anywhere that smoking is banned. The bill languished in the Governmental Organizations committee for months. Until last week. Corbett removed much of the bill, leaving it as a prohibition against selling electronic cigarettes in vending machines. This is something we can all support, unfortunately the bill also contained language that would define an electronic cigarette as a “cigarette”. Or at least it did until late Tuesday when it was amended to remove the problematic language.

There was some very real concern that the latest amendment might be removed under pressure from the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and the American Lung Association. The result was that when we arrived at the capitol building we still didn't know if we would be supporting or opposing the bill. But confirmation came just before the hearing, the amendment was in, the definition of electronic cigarettes as “cigarettes” was out, and we would be supporting SB 648.

The hearing itself started out the way these things normally do. Corbett addressed the committee, talked about the bill… yadda yadda yadda. Then the lobbyists for NJOY and VMR testified in support of the bill as amended. Followed by public testimony. Us. And this was the first bit of true amusement. As our small group of Northern California vapers and vendors approached to testify the committee chairman blurts out “Wait, this is testimony in support of the bill.”

Yes Mister Chairman it is, and yes, we’re supporting this bill, and yes, we know you’re confused, but just go with it…

So we all gave our support to SB 648 “as proposed amended”. Then came the oppositions turn. The very people who had been pushing for this bill were now going to testify against it. Why? because even though the bill does exactly what they claim to want, namely to keep electronic cigarettes out of the hands of minors, they didn't want to lose the language that would have defined e-cigs as cigarettes, they didn't want to lose the leverage that it would have given them to regulate and tax e-cigs as cigarettes. After all the opposition speakers were done GO Chair
Isadore Hall criticized them by saying “I am stricken that they would oppose a bill that would keep kids from getting e-cigarettes” and that “If they are against this bill they are for kids smoking.”

Schadenfreude!
It’s not often that we get to see our opponents treated this way. And it’s not every day that the ANTZ get pushed off of their self proclaimed moral high ground, toppled from their pedestal, and publicly disparaged. 

This was a victory for California vapers. Maybe a small victory, but one with big implications as it leaves electronic cigarettes as separate from the definition of a “cigarette” or a “tobacco product” and leaves open the path for being legally treated a different class of product. The ayes have it, the bill passed the committee, and now… well, now we wait and watch and prepare to fight again in the event that future amendments change the impact of this bill before it reaches the governor’s desk.

Poll Alert

What the hell is a 'Poll Alert? Well, media likes to do these reader/viewer polls from time to time... and sometimes they like to use the results to frame future statements about public opinion. It's in our best interest not to let the anti-vaping crowed generate the perception that everyone opposes electronic cigarettes... so if/when I become aware of one of these polls I will post it here.

Halfway into this article about a doctor claiming that electronic cigarettes should be banned in public is a poll asking readers their opinion.

Don't let the ANTZ frame the public perception of public opinion!

Call To Action - SB648 Wednesday 6-25 @ 1:30 PM in Sacramento, CA.

CA SB648 IS ALIVE AND BACK! Be part of fighting this bill, Wednesday 1:30pm in Sacramento, CA! If you can't make it, contact the committee members!

WHERE:

Capitol Building room 4202
Sacramento, CA

WHEN:

The hearing is at 1:30pm so we aim to gather at the front steps of the capitol building at 1pm.
SB648 is first on the agenda so that’s nice.

DETAILS:

A threat that had been dormant in California has come back from the dead. The threat is CA Bill SB648. Last time around it was quite an interesting hearing with lots of great testimonies but it was also a struggle which resulted in the bill becoming dormant. Well, not any more it isn't.

Corbett has made amendments to the bill that took out most of the items in there. It leaves a bit about vending machines and protecting kids from access, which we are all in agreement on of course. However, it also has wording in the bill that sets the foundation and definition of e-cigarette = cigarette. This is a highly dangerous precedent that we can’t allow to slip by because that definition would equate vapor with smoke and everything else that applies to smoke would soon follow. This could be taxation (perhaps even an equivalency tax), licensing for stores, etc.

In its current form the bill itself does not look like it is important but we believe this to be deceptive. If this bill, in its current form, passes the G.O. committee and goes up the stack it gets gradually harder to kill the bill or get amendments made. All the while, Corbett will be able to add things back into the bill or even add new amendments to it, again making it harder at each step for us to deal with it.

It is therefore imperative that we try and either get an amendment on the wording in this bill or, if that is not possible, aim to completely defeat it.

You can find the bill text here.

Details on the committee hearing this Wednesday here.

For those of you who can’t join us. Please contact the Governmental Organization committee members and let them know why defining an e-cigarette as a traditional combustable cigarette is a bad idea even though you agree (which I presume you do) that kids should not have easy access to e-cigarattes. The contact details for the committee are here:

Good Reason To Vape #4: Not likely to set off a bullet.

At the intersection of childhood curiosity and incompetent parenting we find a story about a 12 year old boy injuring himself when he ignites a .22 caliber bullet with a cigarette lighter.

From thevindicator.com:

Deputy Hobson stated that upon interviewing the young man as to how he got injured from the bullet, the young boy told Dep. Hobson that he had held a cigarette lighter under a .22 caliber bullet to see what would happen. The bullet exploded sending bullet fragments through his left middle finger and lodging in the left eye lid.

The obvious questions arise. 1: What kind of parent lets their 12 year old child play with bullets? And 2: What kind of parents lets their 12 year old child play with a cigarette lighter? Or, if we want to be generous, we can ask a third question: What kind of parent leaves bullets and cigarette lighters lying around where a 12 year old child might get a hold of them?

The good news is that the boy did not suffer any vision damage or significant injury.

Maybe someone should switch to electronic cigarettes and a taser so that this doesn’t happen again?

 

Fight For Your Right

Awesome graphic created by reddit user patdavid. Click on the image to purchase this image on  t-shirts, stickers, posters, etc.  Also available in the Solidarity version

#adultslikeflavors

If piña colada e-liquid is marketed to kids by virtue of its flavor, does that mean that piña coladas are kids drinks?

If I Wanted The Taste of Burnt Tobacco and Tar, I Could Have Kept Smoking

I just read a press release from Citizen Electronic Cigarette...

I'll start off by saying that I have never heard of this company before... despite their claim of having 'burst onto the forefront of the eCig product landscape' Well, I guess it's possible that I've just been living under a rock or something so I'll cut them some slack... then again, maybe not. I have a hard time taking seriously any electronic cigarette company that doesn't appear to know what an electronic cigarette even is.
From the press release:

An electronic cigarette, eCig or eCigarette, is a battery powered vaporizer which simulates tobacco smoking by producing a vapor that resembles smoke.

If I'm not mistaken existing law defines an electronic cigarette as a device that can provide an inhalable dose of nicotine by delivering an inhalable solution.

No mention of simulating tobacco smoking, and no mention of 'vapor that resembles smoke' So I take a look at what everyone is using: the copper mechanical with the rebuildable dripping atomizer? The stainless steel mechanical with the rebuildable tank atomizer? The 18650 variable voltage mod with the adjustable airflow clearomizer? The eG0 style battery with the latest dual bottom coil metal cased glass clearomizer? do any of these simulate tobacco smoking?

But the real kicker is that Citizen Electronic Cigarette seems to think that the "ability to feel and taste like the real deal" is somehow a positive selling point. I enjoyed smoking, and as a smoker I would have told you that I enjoyed the taste of my cigarettes. and then I made the switch to vaping and... guess what. burnt tobacco does not taste good! Why, in the name of all that is good, would anyone trying to quit smoking want a product that, at best fails to offer a better experience, and at the worst reinforces cravings for the real thing by mimicking the 'feel and taste'?

Dear Citizen Electronic Cigarette, and Senator Harkin, and Senator Blumenthal, and Senator Boxer,

Adults Like Flavors!

A Weeks Worth of Anti-Vaping Ordinances

This week is seeing a flurry of anti electronic cigarette action, it’s Thursday and already we've seen seven different city councils move to restrict the use of electronic cigarettes.

• June 16th Pittsburg, CA City Council introduces ordinance to include electronic cigarettes to its ban on public smoking
• June 17th El Paso Texas passes a citywide ban on smoking e-cigarettes in public spaces where smoking was already banned.
• June 17th Languna Niguel, CA introduced an ordinance amending the city’s no smoking ordinance to include prohibition on use of E-cigarettes.
• June 17th Dublin, CA City council introduces an Ordinance Amending certain sections of the Dublin Municipal Code to clarify that electronic smoking devices, which are commonly referred to as e-cigarettes, and their vaporous byproducts are prohibited, controlled, and /or regulated in the same manner as tobacco products and smoking pollution.
• June 17th Temple City ,Ca First reading and introduction of ordinance no. 14-994. The proposed Ordinance would place the same regulations on e-cigarettes and other electronic smoking devices that are already in effect for other tobacco and marijuana products.
• June 18th San Diego, CA the San Diego City Council's Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee will hold a critical public hearing on a proposed ordinance that would ban the use of smoke-free e-cigarettes everywhere that smoking is banned.
•  June 19th Seaside, CA adoption of an ‘urgency iterim ordinance’ establishing a moratorium prohibiting the issuance of permits, entitlements, license, or any other approvals on the establishment and operation of any new smoke shop or electronic cigarette retailer. 

The question is, what’s behind the cancerous spread of anti-vaping ordinances?

Most smoking bans have been enacted under the guise of protecting non smokers from exposure to second hand smoke, which is reasonable. Similarly, In the absence of regulations limiting what substances can and cannot be in e-liquid, it makes perfect sense to protect the public from second hand vapor exposure. The problem is that most of these ordinances are not intended to be temporary. In its simplest form, e-liquid is consists of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, or some combination of the two. The second hand exposure risks of these substances is not statistically significant. But what about the nicotine? Many, if not most, vapers, use e-liquid that contains nicotine. But is second hand exposure to the nicotine from e-cigs really a risk? So far, every study on the topic seems to say no. As far as drugs go, nicotine is right up there with caffeine, in fact the amount of nicotine that might get into your body from second hand vapor is on par with the amount of caffeine you might get from exposure to coffee steam. So if we assume an e-liquid containing nothing other than propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and possibly nicotine there would be little reason for concern.

The problem is, adults like flavors. In fact, we need them. All those flavors are a critical component of overcoming cigarette addiction, but we don’t always know what’s in the flavors being used in e-liquid. Diacetyl anyone? Which is why the industry needs to take steps to ensure that e-liquids are safe. It may be too late, but the best bet for electronic cigarettes is for the industry to band together and define standards for e-liquid ingredients/additives as well as standards for labeling that lists those ingredients. An industry that self regulates to produce products that have no demonstrable risk is less likely to be crushed by government restrictions.

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh SB648 R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn

In his house at R'lyeh, dead SB 648 waits dreaming

I was just informed that SB648 is stirring from its slumber, and is being amended to require tobacco licenses to sell electronic cigarettes... likely a prelude to subjecting electronic cigarette products to excise taxes.

Not much in the way of details yet, but it looks like State Senate Majority Leader Ellen Corbett plans to push this through the California Senate Governmental Organization Committee.

If you're not familiar with SB648 you can read the 08/05/13 version here.

URGENT: NEW YORK STATE TRYING TO BAN E-LIQUID SALES TO ADULTS!

A critical vote will be taking place in the New York State Assembly very soon on a bill that would ban the sale of e-liquid to adults in the State of New York!

No, you did not read that wrong. Prohibitionists in the New York Senate want to make it a crime for a business to sell e-liquid to New York adults. This bill has already passed the New York State Senate and needs to be stopped either in the Assembly or by getting Governor Cuomo to veto it.

We believe that electronic cigarettes are a smarter alternative for smokers to traditional cigarettes. We oppose measures that would punish adult consumers for making that smarter choice. We hope you would take this opportunity to educate your lawmakers that e-liquid products are a positive both for the New York economy and the welfare of smokers looking for an alternative.

As a consumer of electronic cigarettes, you know better than most that these products are NOT tobacco, are NOTHING like combustible cigarettes, and that cost and full access to them are important to you. YOUR story must be heard by the legislators to make positive change, so make sure your voice is heard!

HOW YOU CAN HELP STOP THIS BAN

(1) Call or E-Mail Your New York Assembly Rep. IMMEDIATELY

We need vapers to immediately call or e-mail their New York State Assembly representative and ask them to vote NO on Bill A09309. Please respectfully let them know that you are a user of vaporizing products, that you vote, and that you will be looking to see how they vote on this bill. Furthermore, let them know that this will ban tens of thousands of e-cigarette products and put 100+ businesses in the State of New York out of business almost immediately.

Find out who represents you easily by going to this page on the New York State Assembly’s website.

From the Dublin Ca. City Council Agenda for June 17, 2014

REGULAR MEETING

Tuesday, June 17, 2014 

DUBLIN CIVIC CENTER, 100 Civic Plaza 

6.3. Ordinance Adding Regulations on Electronic Cigarettes to the Dublin Municipal Code
[STAFF REPORT] *
The City Council will consider amending certain sections of the Dublin Municipal Code to clarify that
electronic smoking devices, which are commonly referred to as e-cigarettes, and their vaporous
byproducts are prohibited, controlled, and/or regulated in the same manner as tobacco products and
smoking pollution.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Conduct the public hearing, deliberate, waive the reading and INTRODUCE an Ordinance Amending
Chapter 4.40 (Tobacco Retailers), Chapter 5.56 (Smoking Pollution Control), Chapter 8.08
(Definitions), Chapter 8.43 (Tobacco Retailers) of the Dublin Municipal Code.

*The link to the staff report doesn't appear to be working right now.

Adoption of the proposed ordinance would ensure that the vapors from electronic smoking devices are treated the same as secondhand smoke. It would prohibit vaping in public places including, but not limited to, parks, community events, places of employment, and smoke -free apartment housing units. The ordinance proposal would also prohibit the opening of a vapor lounge within the City of Dublin, which is a business establishment solely focused on using electronic smoking devices. Finally, in areas where secondhand vapor was a continual problem, residents would be able to seek for an injunction or other legal remedy to abate the nuisance.

Contact: Office of the City Council (925) 833-6600

San Diego Call to Action

The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association June 16,  2014 URGENT UPDATE!! SAN DIEGO E-CIGARETTE USE BAN IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED On Wednesday June 18th, 2014 at 2 PM, the San Diego City Council's Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee will hold a critical public hearing on a proposed ordinance that would senselessly ban the use of smoke-free e-cigarettes  everywhere that smoking is banned.  To stop this ordinance, please (1) attend and testify at the June 18th hearing in San Diego on the 12th Floor of City Hall (202 C Street) and/or (2) call or e-mail the City Council members to express your opposition. (Contact information for City Council members as well as talking points are included in the full Call to Action, link below.)   We ask that if you attend the hearing, you refrain from vaping as a sign of respect. Please note: This email is being sent to CASAA members in California, not simply people living in San Diego. If you have a significant connection to San Diego, please respond to this Call to Action.    CASAA San Diego Call to Action