Your cart is currently empty!
Tag: us
-
Should we ban ground beef? Pet turtles? Don’t ban vaping – Salmonella is killing Americans!
From the mind (and mouth) of Howie – Founder of CanadaVapes.com – Canada’s First (and subjectively best) Vape Shop since 2010.
The Controversy Surrounding Vaping Bans
In recent months, the discussion around banning vaping has reached a fever pitch. Several states have outright banned all vaping devices, regardless of whether they’re being used as a smoking cessation device or bought off the street. The outcry from government heads has been to ban it all.
The Impact of Smoking
It’s important to remember that smoking cigarettes is the #1 preventable killer of Americans. Around the world, smoking claims the lives of 8,000,000 people each year. (SOURCE) Vaping has been extensively studied and found to be 95%+ safer than smoking (SOURCE). Yet, in the face of fear and panic, the knee-jerk reaction has been to ban it.
Comparing Risks: Salmonella vs. Vaping
By comparison, Salmonella kills an estimated 420 Americans every single year. That’s 1.2 Americans every day, dead from eating ground beef or playing with their pet turtle and not washing their hands. Salmonella causes 1.35 million illnesses and results in over 26,000 hospitalizations each year (SOURCE). So, where is the outcry to ban ground beef or other potential sources of Salmonella?
Here is a list of the ingredients of our e-liquids at Canada Vapes. There are four ingredients only. There is no reason for nicotine e-liquids to contain this product. If they did, this situation would have arisen over 10 years ago when vaping started getting popular. Some unregulated THC vape pod manufacturers have been using it in their products recently as a thickening or thinning agent. (SOURCE)
The Real Culprit: THC Infused Vaping Pods
THC infused vaping pods have been found to be the primary culprit of Vaping Related Illness, and the CDC has claimed Vitamin E Acetate as the major contributor to the vaping related illnesses across the US (SOURCE). Vape e-liquids with nicotine do not contain Vitamin E Acetate.
The Role of Regulation
In Canada, where marijuana is legal and therefore regulated, Health Canada has stated that marijuana pods and vape pens sold in Canada do not contain Vitamin E Acetate, never have and never will. This highlights the importance of regulation in ensuring the safety of consumers.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, nothing is completely safe. However, the risks associated with various activities need to be compared and understood. For those who are smoking cigarettes and cannot quit, vaping could be a safer alternative.
Even if you are a non-smoker and non-vaper, the fact that the US government is so quick to shout out “Ban!” whenever something happens that brings them fear, is a dangerous environment to live in. One day your government may ban or make illegal something you want or need, so take concern about this situation.
Peace & Love,
Howie
NOTE: This article is subjective to writing. Not to be taken tooooo seriously.
-
Donald Trump suggests rising the vaping age to 21 “or so”
According to CNBC, Trump stated “We’re going to be coming out with a very important position on vaping. We have to take care of our kids, most importantly, so we are going to have an age limit of 21 or so, so will be coming out with something next week very important on vaping”
In the United States, the legal age of vaping nicotine e- liquid varies from 18 to 21 depending on the state.
At this time, 29 out of 51 states and territories have their minimum age set at 18, four out of 51 at 19, and in 18 out of 51 the minimum age to purchase vaping products is 21.
Related: View State By State Vaping laws in the United States (U.S.) Here.
While Trump in the past has suggested the idea of banning flavors, he seems to be quite indecisive and has said it to be meeting with vaping advocates along with professionals to consider his options.
This is a bit of a wait and see situation. Nothing officially has been legislated, but the writing seems to be on the wall that there will be changes made to the laws in the United States regarding vaping imposed by the federal government.
Originally reported by The Verge.
-
Illegal YOLO CBD vapes causing illnesses traced to California woman
This is a public notice not to use any product called:
Avoid using the following products:
- “YOLO CBD OIL” vape pen
- Any products from the manufacturer “Hookahzz“
- CBD Pods labeled “Black Magic” or “Black Diamond“
- Products sold under the name or distributed by “Mathco Health Corporation“
- Any vaping products lacking complete ingredient listings or manufacturer information
Key Points:
- Janell Thompson, a California woman, pleads guilty to conspiracy to distribute synthetic marijuana and money laundering charges.
- Thompson’s company sold “Yolo CBD pens” in several states, including New York, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Utah.
- Yolo CBD pens have been associated with at least six deaths in Europe and over 40 illnesses in North Carolina, with additional cases across the United States.
- The outbreak of illnesses in Salt Lake City caused by Yolo CBD pens was due to synthetic marijuana, not CBD.
- Thompson’s involvement in distributing spiked vapes led to her arrest and guilty plea, facing up to 40 years in prison.
- Yolo CBD pens were found to contain synthetic marijuana, known as K2 or spice, instead of CBD, leading to severe health issues among users.
- Investigations into the distribution of Yolo CBD pens revealed connections to multiple states, indicating widespread distribution.
- Thompson’s involvement in the distribution of spiked vapes extended beyond Utah, with evidence of sales in at least six other states.
- The Utah Poison Control Center received a tip about the source of Yolo CBD pens, leading to further investigation by law enforcement agencies.
- While Thompson’s guilty plea focused on the distribution of synthetic marijuana, her former business partner, Katarina Maloney, distanced herself from Yolo during the investigation.
- Maloney emphasized that products from Mathco Health Corporation undergo lab testing and comply with all laws, denying any involvement in the manufacture or sale of illegal products.
- Despite legal action against Thompson and investigations into the distribution of spiked vapes, questions remain about the safety and regulation of vaping products in the market. Original Article posted on USA Today, by Halbrook Mohr, of the Associated Press.
Background:
- Thompson’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2010 when she co-founded Hookahzz, an e-cigarette company, with a roommate in Southern California.
- Hookahzz experienced early success, with their CBD vapes featured at prestigious events like the Emmy Awards and included in Oscar nominee gift bags.
- Thompson’s business ventures expanded to other CBD products, including capsules, edibles, and pet products.
- In 2017, Thompson and her partner established Mathco Health Corporation, which later became associated with the distribution of Yolo CBD pens spiked with synthetic marijuana.
Investigation and Legal Action:
- Yolo CBD pens containing synthetic marijuana began appearing on store shelves in Utah in 2017, leading to numerous poisonings and deaths.
- Investigators traced the distribution of spiked vapes to Thompson’s company, Mathco Health Corporation.
- Thompson’s former bookkeeper and other employees raised concerns about the production and distribution of Yolo CBD pens.
- Federal prosecutors linked Thompson to the distribution of spiked vapes, resulting in her guilty plea to drug trafficking and money laundering charges.
- Thompson’s former business partner, Katarina Maloney, distanced herself from Yolo during the investigation.
Conclusion:
The case of Yolo CBD pens highlights the dangers of unregulated vaping products and the importance of transparency in the industry. Consumers should exercise caution and avoid products from manufacturers with questionable practices. Law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and prosecute individuals involved in the distribution of illicit vaping products.
-
CDC Report – Significant Decline in Young Adult Smokers Disproves ‘Gateway Effect’ of Vaping
CDC’s Findings
A recent study released by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention presents intriguing data. The CDC reports that between 2014 and 2018, the percentage of young adults aged 18-24 who currently smoke cigarettes in the United States has dropped from 16.7% to 7.8%. This represents an overall reduction of over 50% in smokers aged 18-24, indicating no ‘gateway effect’ of vaping.
Increase in E-Cigarette Usage
During the same period, the percentage of adults in this group who currently use electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has risen from 5.1% to 7.6%, an increase of 33%.
Debunking the ‘Gateway Effect’
The notion that an increase in the use of e-cigarettes will lead to an increase in adult smokers seems to be unfounded based on this CDC information. In contrast, the number of young adult smokers has seen a significant reduction over the past 5 years.
The Net Result
The overall net result is a 50% decrease in young adults smoking cigarettes, and an overall increase in non-smokers aged 18-24 from 78.2% to 84.6%.
-
Vaping related deaths in the United States – What you need to know.
Over the past week, the media has had a field day with articles about Vaping related deaths in US. I put vaping in quotations as the term vaping is being used loosely by the media referring to any electric device being used to consume anything in vapor form.
Here is what you need to know about these news reports:
- The term ‘vaping’ has in the past referred to using an e-cigarette (a vape) with e-liquid containing nicotine. There have been zero cases of injury or death in the US reported that have been a result of using the traditional nicotine ‘vaping’ products.
- The press has combined the use of illegal THC-infused ‘vape pens’ together with ‘e-cigarettes’ to create an all-encompassing & misleading term, ‘vaping’.
- The Vaping-related deaths that have occurred in the United States due to vaping are very likely linked to a THC-infused vape pen (Source).
- “The serious lung illness affecting hundreds of people in the U.S. who vaped cannabis-based oil.” These devices are often unregulated & illegal and are made by an unregistered individual or company.
- While there have been no official reports from the CDC, initial suggestions are that “some researchers suspect vitamin E acetate, which recently has been used as a thickener.” THC distillate is most commonly used as an additive in marijuana vape pens & pods as THC distillate is very thick. It is theorized that in the process of thinning out the THC distillate, some individuals or companies are using ingredients that are toxic to humans and very unsafe for inhalation. These ingredients could include vitamin E Acetate which is not safe to inhale.
- Traditional vaping (using an e-cigarette/vape with e-liquid with nicotine) has been around for over 12 years, and there have been no deaths or significant injuries reported as a direct result of using these traditional vaping products. On the contrary, these devices have been studied and found to be 95-96% safer than cigarette smoking by several governments, (Source) and recommended for use by several governments around the world.
What the media is effectively doing is lumping in a specific sub-sector of ‘vaping’, specifically illegal drug-infused vape pens & pods, in with traditional nicotine e-cigarettes and causing fear, confusion, and doubt about vaping.
Let’s say that a new unregulated car manufacturer started making cars that ran on jet fuel and started illegally selling these cars, and then people who bought these cars were being hurt or killed, would you start worrying about your Ford Escape or Toyota Prius? Would you want our government to ban the use of all vehicles? Would you want our media to suggest it is now as dangerous to drive your traditional vehicle as it is to drive a black market rocket car?
There are currently an estimated 10 million people using traditional vaping products (e-liquid with nicotine with a vaping/e-cigarette device) worldwide, and many have been using them without issue for years. If there were a serious health risk associated with this type of vaping, it would have surfaced very long ago.
What should you do?
Knowledge is power. The first suggestion I would have is to only purchase your vaping products from a trusted and well-recognized business. Canada Vapes (shameless plug coming) has been selling vaping products since 2010. We only work with the best e-cigarette manufacturers who produce their products using strict quality control and adhere to strict manufacturing procedures.
Secondly, we recommend you only purchase your e-liquids from businesses that are reputable, and that have their ingredients listed on the bottle. Know what is in your e-liquids.
Lastly, listen to your body! For me personally, when I transitioned from cigarette smoking to vaping, my body said “YES”. My breathing improved, my smoker’s cough went away, and my taste buds started tasting food again. If you listen to your body it will let you know if you are having any issues with vaping. A small percentage of vapours transitioning away from cigarettes can have some negative effects from vaping nicotine e-liquid including dry mouth, headaches, and a sensitivity to different flavours. Most of these negative effects will go away within a few days of transitioning, but it is important to listen to your body and stop vaping if it is causing you any distress.
At the end of the day, this seems to be nothing more than media hype followed by a significant overreaction by many States and even government heads (Donald Trump) with very little knowledge or understanding of A) the problem at hand B) the steps required to resolve the problem. Banning all vaping, or even banning flavoured e-liquids, would do nothing to prevent the current issues regarding THC-infused illegal vape pens being manufactured & sold. What we need from our government is regulation and not prohibition. We need to force all vaping companies, as well as all marijuana companies to a stricter manufacturing process and ensure quality control within the industry.
Howie