The Vaping Vibe

By Jay Galletly

I don’t know if you have been paying attention to the variety of vaping devices that have been hitting the market lately.  It seems that every one of them strives to be more over-the-top than the last.  I continue to see new devices with numerous “bells and whistles” that go way beyond alternatives to traditional smoking.  I suppose at some point we’ll see vaping devices with flashlights, laser pointers, and even GPS.  Smartphones will have nothing on vapor technologies. What I want to know is, “Are we trying to smoke, or are we trying to devise a Swiss Army Knife for smokers?”  Below is a video that pokes fun at this concept.

All we ever wanted to do was to create a safe and reliable eCig that offered “A New Way” to smoke.  Nothing fancy, nothing too cute, but something that truly offered a replicated smoking experience that could be sold only to committed smokers of legal age.  We have developed our products to appeal to America’s smokers…not kids and others who don’t smoke today.  That’s why we don’t offer exotic flavors and technical gizmos that can appeal current non-smokers and, worse yet, our youth.  

Having been in the electronic cigarette industry since its inception I can tell you that this business has exploded, sometimes literally (see “Batteries that Go Boom” below).  From just a handful of vaping and e-cigarette manufacturers in 2007, suddenly hundreds of vaping entrepreneurs have sprung up.  Some of these like us use high quality control standards.  Unfortunately there are others who do not.  Like it or not, all it takes to get into the industry is contact with any of a number of foreign manufacturers.  When we were creating the VIAe brand, we personally toured a number of factories across the globe before settling with a manufacturer who we could rely on to produce a quality product.  I can tell you that these trips make a huge difference in the quality of our product line.  The problem is that many of the brands that you see online or on store shelves are being manufactured by the factories that we passed up.  As a result, there have been a number of incidents involving vaping devices that have made the news.

Batteries That Go Boom

Case in point: In England, the fire chief of Bartley issued a warning after a resident reported that an e-cigarette that had been plugged into a USB port on his laptop exploded, sending burning fragments across the living room, scorching both the sofa and the carpet.

While the fire investigation officer reported that the owner had followed the instructions for charging the unit, other incidents involving vaping devices that caught fire were the result of the devices being plugged into the wrong charger.  My advice for those who vape is to only use the charger supplied with the kit.  Never use the charger from one manufacturer to charge a unit manufactured by another company. 

Take 50% off your VIAe Cigarette order NOW!

It Takes an Engineering Degree

Not all vaping devices are created equal.  In fact, there are so many components involved in a number of them that it practically takes an engineering degree to smoke many electronic vaping devices.  In a recent scan of the web I came across a number of vaping providers that were touting everything from anodized aluminum tank holders and atomizer adapters, to voltage indicators and dual coil cartomizers.  There’s nothing that makes your vaping enjoyment more pleasurable than having the proper voltage being sent to your dual coil cartomizer.  Are these guys serious?

The Giggle Factor

On a recent excursion to a local watering hole I spotted several patrons and even one bartender puffing away on a bizarre array of vaping devices.  Some of these contraptions looked like a cross between a digital thermometer and a soldering iron.  After ordering another cocktail, I couldn’t resist telling the bartender, “Dude, what are you smoking?!  Try one of these…it’s so much easier.”

Having been one of the pioneers in e-cigarettes, I sometimes wonder where the industry went off the rails.  The benefits of vaping are many.  But when it comes to smoking satisfaction, you don’t need a lot of complicated bells and whistles.  What you need is a way to enjoy a smoke without spending a fortune or irritating those around you.  You also need a manufacturer that is dedicated to producing a quality product at a price you can afford.  Everything else is nothing more than smoke and mirrors.  

Jay Galletly is the CEO and one of the founders of VIAe in North Carolina. He is one of the pioneers of the e-cigarette industry and was instrumental in the growth and success of other e-cigarette companies before starting VIAe.

The E-Cigarette Game

By Jay Galletly

  

Like it or not, if you use e-cigarettes or other vaping products , the government at the local and state level is intent on playing games with you.  This despite the fact that in a recent Reason-Rupe poll, 62% of Americans stated that the government should allow people to use tobacco-free e-cigarettes in public, while only 34% thought the government should prohibit this activity. http://reason.com/blog/2013/12/19/62-percent-think-e-cigarette-use-in-publ

  

Apparently the City Council of New York City didn’t look at this poll.  Or, if they did they decided to ignore it, since they and Mayor Michael Bloomberg are trying to wrap e-cigs into the city’s existing Smoke-Free Air Act.   If the bill passes, vaping would be treated the same as smoking tobacco products.  This means they would be prohibited at public and private venues, including beaches, parks, restaurants and office buildings.  While the “vote” is considered a mere formality, Bloomberg’s detractors are lining up to oppose the measure, citing that he is trying to turn America’s largest city into a virtual Nanny State.

In a quote from a blog by CBS News, New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley, stated, "While more research is needed on electronic cigarettes, waiting to act could jeopardize the progress we have made over the last few years"

Of course, that doesn’t mean that everyone is in agreement with this statement.  In the same blog, Richard Carmona, a former U.S. Surgeon General, sent a letter to the council recently to urge rejection of the bill.

"I'm extremely concerned that a well-intentioned but scientifically unsupported effort like the current proposal to include electronic cigarettes in New York's current smoking ban, could constitute a giant step backward in the effort to defeat tobacco smoking,"

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-york-city-to-vote-on-e-cigarette-public-smoking-ban/

Michael Bloomberg was affiliated with Salomon Brothers before launching his own firm Bloomberg News and later becoming mayor. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Carmona isn’t alone in his assertion that far from protecting the public, by adopting a knee jerk attitude toward vaping, public health may in fact be compromised.  Denied any alternative to tobacco cigarettes, cigars and pipes, this leaves those who still do smoke with little alternative to tobacco products. 

While the federal government has yet to impose restrictions on vaping, it seems that practically every day another city or state is clamoring to impose restrictions on where, when and if e-cigarettes and other vaping devices may be used.  On the local level, Chicago and LA are considering implementing bans such as those being proposed in the Big Apple.  Already a number of states, including New Jersey, North Dakota and Utah already ban e-cigs outright in bars and restaurants.   Other states have decided to try and cash in by imposing heavy taxation on vaping products. 

Currently Minnesota is the only state that imposes a tax on e-cigarettes.  (A 95% tax at that.)  Other states, such as Hawaii, Oklahoma, and Utah have tried to impose taxes on e-cigs, but have so far failed to pass the necessary legislation.  That doesn’t mean that other states aren’t lining up to try to impose heavy taxes on e-cigs and other vaping products.  Many, like South Carolina and Oregon have already started to look toward the fledgling vaping industry as a potential source of revenue.

In a blog from Time magazine, entitled Regulating E-Cigarettes Could have unintended Consequences, “State and city regulations are likely to see major push-back from the electronic cigarette industry and e-cigarette smokers, many of whom believe that electronic cigarettes have helped them quit smoking. “If states get this wrong, if they [incorrectly] tax electronic cigarettes, you are going to see a lot of litigation” from e-cigarette companies, says Christian Berkey, CEO and founder of Johnson Creek in Wisconsin, the largest producer of the liquid used in electronic cigarettes. Berkey says that electronic cigarettes have not produced any proven public health costs that justify taxing them the way regular cigarettes are taxed.”

Electronic Cigarettes: RegulatingCould Have Unintended Consequences | TIME.com http://nation.time.com/2013/12/16/regulating-e-cigarettes-could-have-unintended-consequences/#ixzz2nx3va7Ww

While the final score in the E-Cigarette Game is anything but certain, it is a sure bet that unless the vaping public gets off the bench and into the game, the powers that be at the city and state government level are out to do anything but level the playing field.  In the meantime, it’s up to the vaping public and a handful of grassroots protesters to lobby for the right to use these products without being endlessly hassled.  Otherwise, the only kind of game that e-cigarette users are likely to see in the not-too-distant future is a never ending game of political football.

Jay Galletly is the CEO and one of the founders of VIAe e-cigarette company in North Carolina. He is one of the pioneers of the industry and was instrumental in the growth and success of other e-cigarette companies before starting VIAe.

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E-Cigs Cleared for Takeoff at a Number of US Airports

By Jay Galletly

Don’t panic if you see a passenger puffing away as you make your way between the gates at Las Vegas’ McCarran Airport.  While traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and pipes are forbidden by law at every airport in the US, e-cigarettes currently are not.  While you're  not allowed to use e-cigs on planes, e-cigs are allowed in a number of airports across the country, including Phoenix Sky Harbor, Miami International, Tampa International, Minneapolis St. Paul, and even Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington DC. 

The FDA has not Wade in Yet

As far as the FDA is concerned, e-cigarettes are still not on their radar screen.  Therefore it has been left to the management at airports across the country to decide whether or not to allow e-cigarettes to be smoked on the premises.  This legal grey area has led to a number of different rules at airports. While  some allow e-cigarette smokers to puff away just about anywhere, while others restrict smoking to designated areas.

It’s a Go in Some Airports!

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport,
Arlington County, Virginia (near Washington, D. C.)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Some airports, such as Philadelphia International and LAX forbid smoking of e-cigarettes anywhere on the property, others like New York’s LaGuardia and JFK airports permit e-cigarette us e in some terminals but not in others.   Currently the State of New York does not have any laws in place restricting the use of vaping products indoors, preferring to let individual business owners the freedom of choice to decide whether or not to permit e-cigs.  

According to an article in USA Today, “New York City and Chicago are considering laws to ban e-cigarette use in public spaces, treating the device the same as tobacco cigarettes. If the measure passes in New York that means e-cigarette use will no longer be allowed in any of the airports' public spaces.  The New York Port Authority oversees the airports and bans e-cigarette use in the terminals it operates, but it leases some terminals to airlines and private companies, which can have their own policies on e-cigarette use.”

No FDA Reg’s Yet!

Currently the FDA doesn’t have any regulations on the books restricting e-cigarette use. In fact the entire rationale behind banning cigarettes in restaurants, airports and other public places was 

FDA's War on Electronic Cigarettes (Photo credit: lindsay-fox)

to protect non-smokers from the dangers of second hand smoke.  Many public officials are reacting in a knee jerk fashion to recommend that e-cigs be treated like the real McCoy and ban their use in public. Yet even New York City health commissioner, Dr. Thomas A. Farley, admitted in a Forbes magazine interview that he could not say whether or not e-cigarettes were hazardous to the health of those smoking them, let alone whether or not they produce hazardous second hand smoke.  Yet in the next breath, he states, "These things are really exploding around the world. We will have more information in the future," Farley said. "I think the question for the committee today is, do you want to wait?"

Real Scientist get it Right!

But that doesn’t mean that everyone in the scientific community agrees with him.  In fact, Dr. Gilbert Ross of the American Council on Sciences and Health publicly stated that any law restricting the use of e-cigarettes and other vaping devices without due scientific scrutiny are both unnecessary and hyper-regulatory.   "It really will accomplish nothing except to make more former smokers return to actual toxic cigarettes."

For now the rules governing e-cigarette smoking in airports and other public places are arbitrary and highly politicized.  Yet in other countries such as Great Britain vaping is permitted in regulated airp

The FDA Drug Decision Panel (Photo credit: DES Daughter)

ort zones, such as Heathrow Terminal 4.  In a survey of 1,000 airline travelers by global travel site Skyscanner, 57 percent of people surveyed responded that they would not object to airports designating “vaping areas” for e-cigarette users.  When you consider that an estimated 1.3 million people in this country are known consumers of e-cigarettes, you would think that politicians would realize that they vote too. 

In this article, I have covered how a lack of FDA rules and regulations has led to a wide array of rule in airports across the US and around the world. Currently many airports in the US both allow and restrict ecigarette usage. Most of the ban usage is not based on any scientific findings, rather they are based on knee jerk or political posturing by trying to lump ecigarettes vapors in with the negative side effects of second hand smoke. If you felt that this article was helpful, share it with a friend. If you have something to add, enter it in the comment section below. Thanks for sharing this time with me. Until next time, enjoy a new way with VIAe.

Jay Galletly is the CEO and one of the founders of VIAe ecigarette company in North Caroline. He is one of the pioneers of the industry and was instrumental in the growth and success of other ecigarette companies before starting VIAe.

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Are e-Cigarettes Here to Stay? Most Pundits Say Yes!

There’s a reason that e-cigarettes are on track to become a $1.7 billion dollar industry this year.

Do you know why?

Simply put, they are catching on with the masses in a way that envies all but the latest fashion trends – except e-cigarettes are here to stay. From additional research with the FDA, to ongoing legislation about where they can (and cannot) be smoked, e-cigarettes are a hot topic everywhere.

If you don’t want to take our word for it, just ask Raymond and Kerry Medina from Ephrata, Pa. who recently opened up their own e-cigarette store. Their business concept will center on providing customers all the equipment and cartridges they need to take their e-cigarette smoking to the next level.

And by next level, we mean Apple Jacks and Mountain Dew, two flavors which don’t mimic traditional tobacco tastes. These unique flavors help some smokers separate vaping into a category of its one.

Viewpoints on Vaping from Industry Experts

Smoking cessation experts, on the other hand, tend to view vaping not as a technique for quitting, but as a step in the right direction. If you ask Mary Levasseur, a smoking cessation counselor for Lancaster General Health, she’ll tell you, "I'm not pulling an e-cigarette out of anybody's mouth, but I'm going to point them to FDA-approved methods of quitting.”

e-cigarette users will tell you that vaping makes it easier to quit, even if it doesn’t eliminate the use of nicotine. Since e-cigarettes are designed to mimic real cigarettes, they help get users on a path to lessen their nicotine intake.

One Tobacco Palace employee estimates that 90% of her customers use the device to help them stop smoking. However, since the FDA is still working towards researching the effects of the nicotine solution on users, e-cigarettes can’t be marketed in the same was as, say, a nicotine patch or chewing gum.

Viewpoints of Smokers who Have Switched

On the other side, of course, are the viewpoints of those who have successfully switched from tobacco cigarettes to e-cigarettes. While some smokers feel it’s just not the same, most can’t believe how much their health has improved.

The Medinas, mentioned above as owners of their own e-cigarette store,  used to tease each other about their frequent sinus issues. Now, they have an easier time breathing and whiter teeth. They’ve also eliminated the smell of smoke from their lives since e-cigarettes don’t have the same unpleasant odor as tobacco cigarettes.

And while some folks feel the switch over to e-cigarettes requires a dedication to quit smoking, the vast majority simply can’t stop talking about the positive effects of the product.  After all, they say, how can a nicotine solution with just five to 10 ingredients even remotely compare to a smoking tobacco that contains almost 600 ingredients?

eCigarettes, for sure, are here to stay. At least that’s what everyone is saying. And the staggering profits and boutique new stores are fully supporting the trend.

- See more at: http://www.viaecigs.com/blog/e-cigarettes-are-here-to-stay-says-everyone/#sthash.svntdF8B.dpuf

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Skyrocketing eCigarette Sales Could Take the Tobacco Industry to New Heights

This entry was posted on September 9, 2013 by the VIAe Blogger.

Bonnie Herzog of Wells Fargo Securities commented in an article recently that she was, “surprised to some extent” by how fast e-cigarette sales have grown. In fact, she estimates this year’s e-cigarette sales will reach approximately $1.7 billion. How does she get to that astronomical number?

Tobacco Industry Statistics

The current year-to-date sales of e-cigarettes, as of August 2013, hovered around $1 billion. The breakdown looks like this:

• $700 million in traditional convenience store outlets
• $500 to 625 million in online sales

Now, let’s look at some other statistics that will help you gain a more in depth look at tobacco and, therefore, the e-cigarette industry:

• Cigarette industry sales are about $80 billion annually
• e-Cigarettes were first sold in 2007 (i.e. it’s a newer product)
• 30% of all heart-disease related deaths are contributed to cigarette smoking
• Combustion of tobacco produces over 4,000 chemical compounds; e-cigarette vapors contain primarily nicotine, water, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin and flavorings.

Projection of Growth for the e-Cigarette Industry

In other words, as smoking bans in restaurants, bars and public venues continue to take effect, e-cigarette companies are moving forward to take the market share away from traditional tobacco companies. If predictions are correct, e-cigarette companies will continue to explode in growth throughout the future.

Why Are e-Cigarettes So Popular?

As insider experts already believe, e-cigarettes are a safer, more effective way for traditional smokers to enjoy a nicotine buzz without the negative effects of smoke inhalation. In lieu of inhaling smoke, you inhale a vapor that contains pure nicotine.

The nicotine can be flavored to taste much like popular brands of cigarettes, too. Further, as technology develops, the e-cigarette is starting to look, and feel, more and more like a real cigarette, helping even hardcore smokers make the transition to e-cigarettes instead.

Also, while a pack of cigarettes costs $15 in Manhattan, it’s just about $1.50 for the equivalent nicotine in an e-cigarette cartridge … but without the pesky smell or ashes of smoke.

And should we mention that since nothing is actually “burning” in an e-cigarette, it’s a very popular way for smokers to get their nicotine fix while getting around wide-spread bans on smoking? Yup – you can take, and smoke, your e-cigarette numerous places where traditional tobacco cigarettes are banned.

Over the next decade, many experts predict e-cigarettes will overtake cigarette sales. When you consider cigarette sales are an $80 billion-dollar-per-year industry, you can only imagine how quickly e-cigarettes will grow!

- See more at: http://www.viaecigs.com/blog/skyrocketing-ecigarette-sales-take-the-tobacco-industry-by-storm/#sthash.3nMVr5Qi.dpuf

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E Cigs: How can switching help you with quitting?

By Jay Galletly

If you are a smoker, like 43 million other Americans, trying to kick the habit for some time without success, perhaps you should consider switching to e-cigarettes.  Why? Let me count the ways.

Smoking cessation (Photo credits: www.mysafetysign.com)

In the first place, e-cigs don’t carry with them the same stigma as traditional cigarettes.  As you know it is getting ever harder to find a place to light up as more and more places, including many bars become designated as “Smoke Free.”  E-Cigs do not come with the same restrictions as traditional cigarettes.  You can puff away most anywhere.  Since there is no lighting an e-cigarette, there is no combustion. This means that not only is there zero fire hazard, you and those around you won’t smell like an ashtray.  In fact, the vapor that is produced by an e-cig is actually pleasant smelling.

Insert video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEV973fQlpk

Secondly there is the expense.  Currently a pack of cigarettes in the US retails anywhere from six dollars  to more than ten dollars a pack depending on where you purchase one.  If you smoke a pack a day, this can add up to an expense of several thousand dollars per year.  Typical e-cigarette users experience a savings of thirty to forty percent by switching.  And this doesn’t even take into consideration the health consequences. 

Some Kills (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

According to the American Cancer Society, the amount you spend when all the additional health-related expenses are included equates to an extra $12,775 out of your pocket if you’re smoking a pack a day.

There are also other expenses that most people do not take into account when it comes to smoking traditional cigarettes.  Such things as lighters, ashtrays, breath mints, teeth whiteners and even dry cleaning expenses all go into feeding your habit.  If you have ever dropped a lit cigarette on the carpet or inside your car, then you know that the cost to reupholster does not come cheap.  Since e-cigs do not burn, there is no added expense for any of these items. 

Some smokers are reluctant to make the switch because they are either afraid they won’t like the taste of e-cigs or because they are afraid of the expense of typical starter kits.  If this is the only thing stopping you from making the switch, check out the offer and video below from VIAe.  For as little as $7.99 you can try either their regular or menthol starter kit. 

The entry level starter kit from VIAe is quite unique.  For the price of a disposable you get from most competitors, the VIAe  starter kit includes a rechargeable battery and a cartridge with the equivalent of almost 2 packs of cigarettes.  No need to throw this one away.  VIAe’s starter kit includes a rechargeable battery, 2 cartridges, and a USB charger.  Now you’re ready to simply buy the cartridge 5 packs.  VIAe is loaded with value. 

Even better, the product will be shipped to you for no additional cost.  You also get to choose the amount of nicotine that VIAe dispenses.  For a limited time, VIAe even gives you the opportunity to save 50% on your initial purchase.

So what are you waiting for?  Check VIAe out today.

Jay Galletly is president of VIAe, a producer of electronic cigarettes.  For more information including helpful videos, go to http://www.ecig-reviews.co/

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