Vape News Headlines: Vaper Expo 2018 – UK MPs To Discuss Vaping Again – Aussie Politician Receives Advocacy Award – UK E-cig Policy Praised – iQOS at Expo…And Vaping Father and Son Spotted?
Vaper Expo 2018
You might have noticed that this weekend has been Vaper Expo at the NEC in Birmingham and let me tell you it has definitely been both the biggest and best yet!
I’ll get a detailed article up early next week but a massive shout out to the organizers because they’ve created an event that is a world beater and then some!
Tons of booths with a perfect mix of hardware and e-liquid – less pushy sales girls – not so loud music [lol] and a distinct lack of naked flesh coupled with a layout that gave stands and visitors space meant it was a wonderful relaxed yet buzzing experience if that makes sense!
Plenty of the ‘vape famous’ were milling around and I managed to catch a couple of the international reviewers for a chat – with your EcigClick award winner The Vaping Bogan deserving a very special mention.
That guy had queues forming wherever he went with vapers hungry for a chat and a photo and he was an absolute star taking time to chat and pose with everyone.
I was ‘networking‘ with the NNA in the Vape Escape bar and watched in awe as for over an hour the Bogan treated everyone like long lost mates – a lovely man who never stopped smiling!
Anyway I’ll get an article up asap and thankfully this year I remembered a memory card for my camera and didn’t lose my notebook lol.
UK MPs to Discuss E-Cigarettes Again!
Anyone who’s read my last article on the Science and Technology Committee’s inquiry into e-cigarettes will see I called it the last of the four sessions.
So why is another one being called next Wednesday?
I thought I’d made a complete cock-up but no the committee chairman Norman Lamb felt one more was needed to get across the vaping industry and vapers side of things!
[Thanks to Jessica at the NNA for putting me straight on that lol].
And it’s Sarah Jakes the chair of the New Nicotine Alliance who will be giving evidence to the committee along with:
- John Dunne, Director, UK Vaping Industry Association
- Fraser Cropper, Chair, Independent British Vape Trade Association
As always I’ll get a piece covering the committee asap.
Aussie Politician Given Award For Nicotine Advocacy
Despite the Australian Government refusing to allow nicotine infused e-liquids to be legalized Conservative Senator Cory Bernardi has been recognized with an advocacy award.
The award was given by the Legalise Vaping Australia group and on accepting it Mr Bernardi said:
I’m a reformed smoker, I know how difficult it is to quit, and anything we can do to minimise the damage attached to cigarettes, and get people off of cigarettes, is a step in the right direction.
The Government is forgoing tax revenue at the moment because they’re prohibiting one of the measures people can receive their nicotine fix, in a less harmful manner.
However vehement anti vape campaigner Professor Simon Chapman was scathing:
Senator Cory Bernardi is a rather pathetic character, he’s done abysmally in two electoral outings since he switched over [from the Liberal Party].
He’s not an authority in any shape or form on anything to do with public health.
Ooooh bitchy lol!
UK Policy On E-Cigarettes Praised
Medical Experts at the recent E-Cigarette Summit in Georgetown USA were full of praise for Public Health England’s stance on e-cigarettes.
The group now firmly believes that globally e-cigarettes should be legalized but regulated and offered as a matter of course to smokers.
Deborah Arnott – from Action on Smoking and Health UK [ASH] said:
The fastest decline in tobacco use in the UK took place shortly after e-cigarettes came onto the market.
Our tobacco control plan aims to have a smoke-free generation by 2022, reducing adult smoking from 15.5 per cent to 12 per cent, and in young people from 8 per cent to just 3 per cent.
E-cigarette use has remained stable in the UK since 2013, and e-cigarette use by non-smokers remains very low.
There needs to be a comprehensive strategy towards smoking as a whole before authorities can consider the endorsement of e-cigarettes.
Incidentally the article referred to comes from the UAE where e-cigarettes have been banned.
…and Finally…Back To Vaper Expo
Yes iQOS were there and yes I did speak with them and indeed tried their product – still tastes of stale fags lol.
When asked if they believed iQOS should be sold in vape shops I was told:
…they shouldn’t be sold anywhere else than vape shops…
However it was the stand next to them – EcigClick award winners Evolution Vaping – where owner of EV James Burr was not at all happy about iQOS being at Expo nor the fact he was slap bang next to them.
He gave me some very interesting info on iQOS ‘tactics’ on getting vape shops to sell the product which I’ll get up next week.
Until then I can neither confirm nor deny that on Saturday morning somewhere near the HnB stand [right near the bar lol] a sign mysteriously appeared saying quite simply:
Fuck iQOS
Hardly a Banksy moment but nonetheless a vaper has spoken lol.
And on a lighter note…
This photo I took on day one of Expo has received more than a few captions and comments on social media lol…
I think it’s lovely that MVP ‘Mark the Vaping Postman’ took the time to both look after and show this old Scottish bloke around Expo…
Indeed they were never far apart the whole time I was there…
Bless 😉
*Shuffles Papers*
