vaping

E-Cigarettes on UK TV Shows

September 22, 2015

When was the last time you saw someone smoking on a British-made television show? There was a time when you’d forever see dear old Dot Cotton with a fag hanging out of her mouth. Nowadays you hardly see cigarettes at all. But you do see something else, and it’s getting more regular too – the e-cigarette.

It was only a matter of time until Dot herself – famously played by June Brown – was given an introduction to an e-cigarette. This happened back in 2011 and it was prompted by June’s decision to switch to vaping in real life. And they say life imitates art. It looks like here it was the other way around.

In November last year viewers were also introduced to the first couple of television adverts promoting e-cigarettes. They were shown after the watershed but they were quite a watershed moment in themselves.

But when you look into the topic of characters using e-cigarettes in TV shows, you don’t find too many examples on UK television at the moment. Not in relation to British characters like Dot Cotton anyway. Who knew Dot would end up being ahead of the curve?

House of Cards, an American TV series, famously featured vaping in a recent series. This was of course based on the original UK series of the same name.

Roxy’s shady solicitor vaping in the popular cafe in Eastenders

Roxy’s shady solicitor vaping in the popular cafe in Eastenders

It’s also interesting to see which characters are vaping when you see it happen. Michael Shannon, an actor who featured in 99 Homes and used an e-cigarette on-screen, said it became an essential part of his character. So perhaps we will eventually see this idea moving over into the world of television as well.

It’s actually very hard to find examples of vaping on UK TV at the moment, unless you are watching something made in America. We suspect this is bound to change, especially as more and more films and TV shows feature the e-cigarette. Of course you have to think about what vaping means for a particular character. It tells you something about that character after all, doesn’t it? And perhaps this is why examples of vaping on UK TV have yet to really come to the fore. Maybe there aren’t too many characters this would fit in for.

We shall keep our eyes open for some other examples of vaping made famous by British TV characters though. We suspect it won’t be long before more examples come to light.

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How Many Vaping Products Could Soon Be Illegal?

September 18, 2015

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US is bringing in new regulations very soon that could have a significant effect on the e-cigarette marketplace. The idea of the new rules is that everything in the e-cigarette marketplace should be registered. This will ensure the products available are safe for people to use.

Now this all sounds pretty fair to begin with; after all no one wants to use products that may not be safe. However the concern of the American Vaping Association is that as much as 99% of products in the vaping marketplace could literally become illegal overnight.

Compliance costs are a worry

The new rules state every product created by a manufacturer should be registered. They will also need to fill in a Premarket Tobacco Application, otherwise known as a PMTA. So far this all seems like nothing more than paperwork – inconvenient perhaps, but no more than that. However the cost of those PMTAs could be anything from $2 million upwards.

This is far outside the realm of ‘affordable’ for many of the companies that produce e-cigarette products. This is especially the case for smaller companies producing e-juices alone. Many of these companies are thought to be unable to afford such high fees, leaving them no choice but to close down as a result.

Banning vaping products?

This is essentially what will happen. If you produce vaping products and you don’t file the proper PMTA paperwork, you’ll be breaking the law. You’d have to stop making your products available, even though many people looking to give up smoking will want to buy them.

All of which brings us to another worthwhile point. There are no similar laws in place for tobacco products. This means the next few months could see thousands of vaping products being made illegal and being taken off the market in the US. And all the while you can still buy tobacco without breaking the law.

Crazy, isn’t it?

Protecting consumers

Obviously the FDA has a job to do to protect American citizens. However these rules are likely to give vapers less choice and will put smaller businesses out of commission completely. Bigger businesses that can afford the registration and paperwork will no doubt do so, especially since they might end up with a larger slice of the market in the process. Watch this space.

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Nottingham Council Bans Vaping for Employees

September 16, 2015

Vaping is often seen as a convenient alternative to smoking – and a potentially-healthier one too. The smoking ban led to a rise in people switching to vaping, but even this isn’t allowed anymore by Nottingham Council if you work for them. They’ve announced a ban on smoking by employees even if they go outside to do it – and they’re stamping out vaping at the same time.

Nottinghamshire County Council has decided vaping is no longer allowed for any employee while wearing a uniform, in any council workplace or vehicle. It’s reckoned that some 9,000 work for the council, and around 1,000 of those are either currently smoking or using e-cigarettes to help them kick the habit.

No vaping on the way to and from work either

Yes it gets better. The council believes it has the power to prevent their employees from smoking and vaping on the way to work and on their way home. We question just how they could enforce this. Will there be plainclothes enforcers spying on smokers and vapers from the moment they leave home – all 1,000 of them? Judging by the numerous reports and comments online about it, everyone else is wondering the same thing.

After all, if someone goes to work in their own car, does the council really have the right to stop them from vaping in it?

Only one opportunity to vape

According to details in the news, if employees want to vape while at work, their only chance to do so would be on their lunch break. And to do it, they would first have to change out of their uniform (if they wear one) and wear something else instead. Oh, and walk a sufficient distance away from their workplace too. Presumably by the time they’d done that there wouldn’t be much time left to vape or have lunch.

According to John Tomlinson, a member of the council who spoke to the media about the new rules, the council was “trying to be a supportive employer”. E-cigarettes have yet to be licensed but if this happens the council may have to change its stance. However until then there is a real chance other councils could see what Nottinghamshire County Council is doing and decide to do the same. Watch this space to see if other council employees elsewhere are met by these rules as well.

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The Perversity of Government

September 2, 2015

Okay I understand Governing a country isn’t easy – there are competing political pressures from many sides and the modern economy is working in an integrated complex world economy.

I also understand that politicians have differing and various agenda’s and are influenced by many factors.

BUT take a look at the ongoing proposed legislation debate, rumour in the electronic cigarette industry and you will despair as to how any small entrepreneur can plan in this industry.

Within the same month that Public Health England concluded that, on “the best estimate so far”, e-cigarettes are about 95% less harmful than tobacco cigarettes (http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/aug/19/public-health-england-e-cigarettes-safer-than-smoking,) we have another arm of government trying to implement the Tobacco Product Directive (TPD) produced by the EU and intended to be operational in 2016.

Just to give you a flavour of what the TPD expects every producer and manufacturer to do.

  • Any new product, both batteries and liquids must be notified to the Government 6 months before they can go on sale after the introduction of the TPD
  • Every existing product must be notified to the Government 6 months before the introduction of the TPD
  • A list of all components and ingredients at any part of the manufacturing process must be traceable, accountable and documented and available to the Government.
  • No product can have a refill of nicotine more than 10 ml
  • The nicotine-containing liquid may not contain nicotine in excess of 20 milligrams per millilitre
  • Each unit packet and any container pack of the electronic cigarette or refill container must carry a health warning consisting of the text: “This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance. It is not recommended for use by non-smokers”, in a manner which conforms with paragraph (5).
  • The health warning must –

    • appear on both the front and back surfaces of the unit packet and any container pack;
    • cover 30% of the area of each of those surfaces, calculated in relation to the area of the surface concerned when the pack is closed;
    • be in black Helvetica bold type on a white background;
    • be in a font size which ensures that the text occupies the greatest possible proportion of the surface area reserved for it; and
    • appear at the centre of that area.
    • Where other text appears on the surface concerned, the health warning must be parallel to that text, or if there is more than one piece of text, the most prominent text.

And by the way – although this potential legislation will already impact on our existing manufacturing and planning processes – the politicians are very likely to change their minds at the last minute and completely change how they intend to impose any legislation.

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Should E-Cigarettes be available on the NHS?

August 19, 2015

If you’re an e-cigarette user, you’ve probably been wise to the idea that e-cigarettes are much better for you than smoking tobacco, it’s even quite likely you were an ex tobacco smoker and made the switch to e-cigarettes for this very reason. Having made that switch, you no doubt feel healthier and happier with yourself knowing that you may have avoided serious health problems in the future related to smoking tobacco.

Well, it appears now Government health officials also agree with you and would like to see more tobacco users using e-cigarettes instead. This comes after a review they published stating that vaping is 95% less harmful than tobacco. In light of this review officials want GPs to be able to prescribe e-cigarettes on the NHS to reduce the number of people dying of tobacco related diseases every year in the UK by reducing the number of smokers.

E-Cigarettes have become popular in recent years, it’s even spawned a culture of fanatic vapers and vape culture across UK, Europe and the US. However for most vapers, it is the similarity between e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes that has aided their efforts to quit smoking and take up what is considered to be a healthier alternative. The familiar glow of an e-cigarette and the ability to draw on vapour laced with nicotine which resembles smoke has proved to be a very popular tool in helping people quit smoking. E-Cigarettes are now also being trumpeted as a potential game changer in public health here in the UK.

As it stands, GPs and smoking cessation services are not currently able to prescribe or recommend any e-cigarettes brands as none of the e-cigarettes available on the market are licensed. Public health officials are hoping this will change soon.
A recent concern which has been voiced in the media and anti-vaping community is that vaping normalises smoking which would encourage younger children who do not smoke at all, to be lured into the habit of smoking through the route of vaping. Despite the concerns, officials say that there is no evidence so far that e-cigarettes act as a route into smoking for non smokers and children. Infact, research shows almost all of the vaping population are either current or ex-smokers with only a minority of virgin smokers now vaping.

In general UK is witnessing a decline in the number of people smoking tobacco and professionals believe that e-cigarettes are one of the main contributing factors towards this declining trend. However, the rise in popularity of e-cigarettes has been met with equal distrust, misinformation and myths all contributing to negative press. But as the paranoia and rushed opinions on vaping come to settle, new reports are shedding a much clearer light on the actual health implications of vaping vs tobacco. Evidence from a new British report says vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking tobacco. One of the largest concerns with vaping is that the vapour produced by e-cigarettes by heating flavoured liquids contains ingredients, by-products and contaminants which could potentially be harmful to health. Studies however have rebutted the claim by showing these are found at very low levels in the actual air people breathe.

Smoking is currently the biggest killer in England and health officials and professionals widely agree that while quitting smoking altogether would be the best thing any smoker could do, many also agree that vaping and e-cigarettes provide a much healthier alternative to smoking tobacco.

Knowing that smoking is the number one killer and vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking tobacco many now also feel that spending tax payers money on funding the availability of e-cigarettes on the NHS is a justifiable cause as it would save thousands of lives.

What do you think? Should E-cigarettes be prescribed on the NHS?

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E-Cigarettes better for public health, says Experts

August 18, 2015

There’s been no shortness in a controversy and debate lately over the ill speculated health risks and benefits of smoking e-cigarettes over tobacco products. But in the corner of the more reasoned arguments, the Royal Society for Public Health is encouraging health bosses to promote the use of e-cigarettes and also suggests licensing tobacco sellers.

E-cigarettes better for public health than tobacco

As E-cigarettes have become increasingly popular with the vaping public there has been a somewhat knee jerk negative reaction from various sectors including government, health campaigners and the media. Criticisms of e-cigarettes have ranged from the lofty claims such as “e-cigarettes normalise smoking” to speculative and unproven health concerns. Despite the unwarranted negativity and misinformation surrounding e-cigarettes, the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has urged Health chiefs across the UK to adopt a less negative attitude towards the use of e-cigarettes and instead direct their focus towards the far more harmful habit of tobacco smoking. The RSPH has also suggested an educational campaign is required to help people better understand the difference between the addiction to nicotine and the inhaling of harmful chemicals and substances such as tar, arsenic and other cancer causing chemicals found in traditional cigarettes. Such an education would help dispel the myth that nicotine is as bad for you as tobacco and help people better understand that e-cigarettes better for public health.

The RSPH also says new “exclusion zones” should be setup which would ban smoking outside schools, pubs, bars, public squares and parks but e-cigarettes should be exempt from the ban. This comes after Wales recently barred smoking of e-cigarettes in pubs and other enclosed spaces.

The benefits of using of e-cigarettes as a behavioural and nicotine substitute is an attitude which has been embraced and adopted by the North East and in particular, Leicester, where behavioural support is being offered to people who are looking to quit smoking tobacco and use e-cigarettes to help them do so. Although other nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine gum are offered to people wanting to quit tobacco, e-cigarettes cannot yet be offered by smoking cessation services due to no e-cigarettes yet having a medical license.

The RSPH is also advocating for the licensing of all tobacco retailers. The RSPH would like all local authorities to be able to ban sales of tobacco products by any shop failing to comply with tobacco related legislation such as age restrictions and display restrictions. It would also like to see the compulsory selling of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRTs) such as nicotine gum and patches and to rename e-cigarettes to nicotine sticks or nicotine control products.

With over 6,000 public health professionals who are part of the RSPH charity, if the proposed policies were to become a reality, they would signal one of the largest shifts in the public perception and attitude towards e-cigarettes and nicotine ever seen in the UK.

The policies put forward by RSPH has also been positively received by the Charity Ash and the Electronic Cigarette Industry Trade Association have welcome the differentiation between nicotine and the more harmful chemicals found in tobacco and the proposals to help educate the general public and help clear up the confusion and misinformation which has surrounded the e-cigarette market as it has become increasingly become more drawn into the public eye and political discussions.

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The truth about Vaping and Health

July 23, 2015

Vaping – Is it Healthy ? Is Vaping healthier than smoking tobacco?

Simply put it’s a question of how you frame the debate. However lobbyists and organisations are campaigning harder than ever before to win public opinion in their favour that vaping is harmful and should be avoided. So we’re asking two simple questions: Is Vaping healthy, and is vaping healthier than smoking tobacco?

A simple conclusion to the two questions are No and Yes.

In reality you have to face it – smoking e cigs or Vaping is not going to make you healthy – but then again it would be illogical if it did, how would smoking anything make you healthier ?

The real key in answering the question is to ask how unhealthy is Vaping and who benefits from emphasising the misinformed fact that e cigarettes are not healthy?

Enter the Anti E-Cigarette lobbyists, anti e-cig lobbyists come in three main guises –

The e-cig health question becomes ever more contradictory to actual research

The vaping health question becomes ever more contradictory to actual research as lobbyists and organisations battle for public opinion

Health Lobbyists

Would it be too extreme to say – they just want everything banned?

Pharmaceutical Lobbyists

Would it be too paranoid to note that big Pharma is feeling the pinch as its (very profitable) smoking cessation products are taking a hit as people use e cigarettes? So could it be the case that they end up paying people to rubbish and demonise e cigarettes and vaping – so the health industry will continue to prescribe big Pharma’s very profitable products?

Tobacco Lobbyists

And while we are being paranoid – lets note that big Tobacco is feeling it in its pockets as well – so would it be beyond the imagination to see one or two of them to dip into their considerable and deep pockets to try and infer that e cigarettes is just as bad as smoking tobacco – so you may as well just stick with tobacco?

The key is the how to assess risk?

The reality is that virtually all studies show that e cigarettes and Vaping is considerably healthier than smoking – and that’s the real key. Study after study shows this.

Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos, a world renowned cardiologist and leading e-cigarette and vaping researcher has been conducting scientific studies on e-cigarettes since they first became popular back in 2007.
In his latest study published today, he found that “Vapers are not exposed to dangerous levels of aldehydes.” My reading of the evidence is that e-cigarettes are at least 95% safer than smoking. Smokers should be encouraged to switch to vaping.
The anti e cig lobbyists will flip this report and note that by inference e cigarettes are not healthy for you.

But let’s be e grown up’s and acknowledge this – but also let us emphasise that vaping is a lot healthier than tobacco.

What do you think about the climate of opinions on Vaping and health? Let us know below.

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Infographic – Vaping overtaking Nicotine Patches and Gums?

July 1, 2015

This infographic illustrates how the latest research shows a trend in which the use of vaping devices such as e-cigarettes are overtaking nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine patches and nicotine gums. The UK has witnessed a decline in the number of people using nicotine replacements as more British smokers choose vaping devices such as e-cigarettes as their choice for kicking the habit Although the infographic presents the stats primarily for the UK, the trend is also being echoed globally, specifically across the US and Europe.

Infographic - Vaping taking over Nicotine Replacement Therapies

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What are Variable Voltage E-Cigs?

June 29, 2015

What do variable voltage e-cigs bring to the vaper?

Simply put – they give you more control on the amount of vapor (allowing you to increase or decrease) created by your tank. This in turn affects the throat hit you experience which is done by changing the amount of power (wattage) generated by your Tank.

Some people prefer to change the amount of vapor for different flavours.

Chocolate, tobacco, and coffee flavours are noted by some to taste better when exposed to more power, while fruit flavours such as apple, strawberry or peach often taste best with less power.

Some people simply prefer more vapor and the stronger throat hit at different times and like to change according to their mood or circumstances.

The downside of Variable Voltage E-Cigs is that the tank kits invariably cost a lot more than standard Starter Kits and can run into hundreds of pounds with some kits costing more than £200. However top end kits can cost a lot less – at Matchless there are two very high quality kits coming in at £70 for the VV1 kit and £60 for the VV2 kit.

Don’t however assume that Variable voltage kits will necessarily give you a better experience.

If you aren’t a heavy smoker, or if you smoke low tar cigarettes, you may find the amount of vapour production / throat hit of a variable voltage device too much at higher power levels and not to your liking.

If you have to turn a variable voltage e-cig down to 3.7 volts or lower ( the voltage of most standard kits ) to give you the vapour levels you prefer you would probably be best to stick with your standard kit.

In addition using variable voltage / wattage E-cigs is not necessarily straight forward (particularly if you are new to vaping). There is more to vaping than just simply pressing a button, and a lot of people underestimate how tricky using some devices can be.

For example, when using an E-cig at 5 volts + , an atomiser can give you a harsh / dry vapour with an unpleasant flavour if the heating coil in the tank is not kept wet.

The best results with the Variable Voltage units are generally achieved by the more experienced E-cig users.

Some of the geek speek relating to Variable Voltage E-Cigarettes you#ll come across are:

  • Volt – unit of electrical potential or motive force, potential is required to send one ampere of current through one ohm of resistance.
  • Ohm – unit of resistance, one ohm is the resistance offered to the passage of one ampere when impelled by one volt.
  • Ampere – units of current, one ampere is the current which one volt can send through a resistance of one ohm
  • Watt – unit of electrical energy or power, one watt is the product of one ampere and one volt – one ampere of current flowing under the force of one volt gives one watt of energy

Power (P) or (W), = Watts,
Voltage (V) or (E), = Volts,
Current or Amperage (I), = Amps (Amperes),
Resistance (R) = Ohms.

Power is usually abbreviated by (W) and measured in Watts. The formula generally given for Power is:
W = V x I or W = I2 x R or W = V2 / R.

Simply put – if you increase your voltage you increase your power. and the main feature of variable voltage e-cigs are the ability to adjust the power and therefore the strength

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Vaping and Vanity

June 25, 2015

While the Welsh Assembly debate on vaping in public places and reducing us to the same corners as tobacco – it does make you think: Send the vapers outside where the smokers are and then wonder if those trying to quit are converted back to smoking. It is an odd world!
You would think that vapers, and many do convert to vaping to quit smoking – would want to avoid any possible incentive back to their old habits.

Let’s stay positive this week and look at the benefits for your vanity of e-cigarettes . We explore the areas and reasons we think E-Cigarettes for women are a better alternative than traditional smoking.

That Stale Smoky Smell…

What is worse than the lingering smell of smoke? On your clothes, hair, breath and so on – the smell stays for days and actually thinking about it- I find the stale smell days later one of the most repulsive memories of my past smoking days! Vaping e-liquid will not cause your clothes, hair or breath to smell like an ashtray. You can actually choose an aroma such as Vanilla or Cherry which is far from off putting. The flavours will no doubt increase as your experience will allow.

Smoking stains your hands and hair…

Smoking tobacco will stain your fingers and your nails and worse still your teeth. But did you know smoking can also change the colour of your hair? especially in cases where you have coloured it beforehand. Ecigs contain nicotine so you’re addicted to the same drug as smoking but you don’t get the stains you would from cigarettes. That’s one less unpleasant side effect to worry about.

Better for your skin…

Smoking damages the skin – it makes it age. Collagen and elastin are damaged by smoking and this simply makes the skin looser and more wrinkly. It is the toxins in tobacco that does this and not the nicotine. Further, the toxins will cause your skin to fight back and this is visible by redness and inflammation. If you easily get red skin or have blood vessels near the skin, smoking will only inflame this more. As an alternative vaping does not contain the same damaging toxins as smoking- you still get the nicotine and have less to worry about your vanity.

Did you switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes? Tell us how it was for you by leaving a comment below.

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