Attack on Vape Flavors

State of Decay

Well, it’s finally gotten to the point I feel like I need to write about this. This year has seen a serious attack on vape flavors. FDA might have started it; but now over two hundred municipalities have flavor restrictions, and that number is rising very quickly. Honestly, I’m now less worried about FDA and more concerned with State & City vape bans. If this industry loses flavors, vape shops are going to disappear, and we will have handed the whole thing wrapped in a bow to Big Tobacco.

Fake News

All across the United States, vape is in the news. It’s the flavors they say that are addicting our youth.

These are the kinds of advertisements we are having to deal with on a National level backed by massive not for profits.

The media has vilified us as Big Tobacco out to hook your kids. We of course are in no way shape or form a part of that playbook; but because we fall under that tobacco umbrella and FDA has put a proverbial gag order on us from making any claims or statements we remain defenseless. I would love to tell you all to call up your representatives and  stop the insanity; but we are past that point. They have heard it all, refuse to research the facts, and listen very intently to the paid doctors that come in and tell them flavors are addicting a whole new generation to combustible cigarettes. That’s right, vaping is just an on ramp for kids. In fact when I was in Austin recently testifying someone said we were the express lane to combustibles. This is serious folks.

I would love to hear from some of you what yall think we can do. Right now we have several lobbyists in their own states working to educate senators and representatives. We also have a few social campaigns from our own non profits trying to push the real message of why we are here (to put an end to combustible cigarettes in the USA, and REDACTED lives). See what I did there.

What do you think?

This flavor ban has become a runaway train though. So, if there are any other ideas out there let us know. For now all I can tell you is the status quo leads to JUUL type products being the sole survivors in the onslaught with Tobacco & Menthol being your only flavor options.

Speaking of Juul

Just so we are all on the same page. JUUL has been not only advocating for raising the smoking/vaping age to twenty one; but also backing up claims that flavors might entice children to try vaping. This of course started after Altria (Marlboro) bought thirty five percent stake in JUUL and discontinued their own vape products. They know which way the wind is blowing and are taking full advantage of it. JUUL no longer cares about the vape industry, and are setting themselves up perfectly to watch each and every vape shop go out of business, or only carry FDA approved JUUL pens. Yes that’s right, I’m calling it right now. Altria didn’t spend over thirty five million for a five year plan. They WILL spend however much money is required to get two flavors, and the device FDA approved while the rest of us beg FDA to provide a pathway for “Mom & Pop” shops to comply. They know what they are doing. That is why we as a vape shop have decided to no longer carry their brand.

I don’t see an issue carrying pod systems; but I’m not going to support the enemy. I also think we should put a nicotine limit in place. Certainly seventy milligram pods are only going to make the youth vaping problem worse. They just want the buzz. If we could take that away it would be very difficult for students to hide an “open system” in class. I think it would definitely help get things going in the right direction.

Speak Your Mind

Post to facebook, or comment on here. Send me videos of your quit story. Email us your thoughts. Whatever ideas and/or ammo we can come up with, I promise we will do what we can to fight this nonsense. We can send stuff through SFATA, post videos to “Save the Vape”, email congressmen, and post all over social. Let’s try our best to keep Big Tobacco from taking over. This is Texas yall. We know a thing or two about making a stand!