e-cigs

Oman Bans the Sale of Electronic Cigarettes

January 11, 2016

concerned. But it is rare to come across news that one country has banned e-cigs altogether.

While the news may be surprising on the surface, you may not be too shocked to hear that Oman is the country to have done this. The country is ruled by Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said. Basically speaking, if he doesn’t want something to happen, it doesn’t happen.

This is why people living in Oman are now in the strange position of being able to buy cigarettes legally, while adhering to a complete ban on electronic cigarettes. According to news reports, the ban was brought in by the Public Authority for Consumer Protection. This is somewhat ironic, since cigarettes and cigars are easily available and perfectly legal to buy in Oman. Their reason for banning electronic cigarettes amounts to this: “… there is no scientific proof that e-cigarettes help cure addiction or are a better alternative…”

Hmm. And yet they freely allow the sale of cigarettes, which we all know are particularly harmful to health. So this cannot simply be a question of enacting a rule with the best interests of the people of Oman at heart.

Sadly, those wishing to give up smoking must go it alone in trying to do so in this part of the world. The banning of e-cigarettes is about as likely to be overturned as the availability of real cigarettes.

To those of us living in Western countries, a law like this seems bizarre. Of course, life is very different in Oman. Power is ultimately held by the Sultan, and this means his wishes shall be followed.

So if you have started the New Year with a switch to e-cigs to help you quit smoking, be thankful you live in the West, where you can do this. It’s fair to assume that quitting in Oman is far more difficult than it really needs to be. While the laws in the UK and beyond regarding e-cigs are being debated all the time, we should at least be thankful they haven’t been banned altogether, as they have here. Freedom of choice is something we tend to take for granted, purely because we have it all the time.

If you lived in Oman, you wouldn’t even be able to consider making the switch.

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By admin

Welsh Government Amends Proposed Ban on E-Cigs in Public

December 11, 2015

Some good news for e-cigarette smokers has come to light thanks to a U-turn from the Welsh Government.

The Government previously planned to ban people from using e-cigs in every public place. However, this has now been watered down and the proposals are now only likely to include places where there could be a “potential risk to children”. This could well mean restaurants and other similar outlets will have to ban vapers. Public transport is also likely to be affected by the new ban.

A statement issued by The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers argued that each licensee should be allowed to make their own decision on whether to ban e-cigs or not. The statement pointed to “heavy-handed legislation” and the possibility that such a ban could “seriously disrupt trade”.

No doubt vapers will have something to say about this. News that a blanket ban will now be ditched will come as a relief to many. However, since evidence indicates that vaping is far safer than smoking, some will be disappointed that a ban on vaping in pubs, clubs and eateries still looks set to be brought in.

No one wants children to come to harm, but it seems as though governments are perhaps being a little too quick to bring in laws against e-cigarettes without having done their research first. While no dates or further details were given concerning the changes, it still seems unlikely the Welsh government would completely back down on the ban. Only time will tell.

In the meantime, it looks as though vapers are gradually finding they have fewer and fewer places to vape. While some pubs and other public places have enacted their own bans on vaping, these bans do not apply to everyone. Not yet, anyway.

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By admin

Making the Switch to E-Cigs Last

November 26, 2015

Many smokers swap over to e-cigarettes because they want to quit smoking but they can’t do it cold turkey. E-cigs provide a great solution for many people because they allow you to continue with the habit of smoking without actually doing it.

Here, we provide some tips on making the switch successfully.

Experiment with different e-cigs

Not all e-cigarettes are created as equals. You may have seen the ones that look most like a cigarette and tried those. However there are other designs available as well. Take the ones with refillable tanks for example. These are becoming more and more commonly-used among ex-smokers now.

If you are only a casual smoker, you might find the so-called cigalikes are enough for you. However, most people get better results and a better ‘hit’ from a proper e-cig with a refillable tank. Figure out what works for you.

Experiment with different liquid strengths

If you choose to go with an e-cigarette that comes with a tank so you can use it time and time again, this opens up a world of possibilities with regard to buying e-liquids. You may already know they come in a variety of flavours, so you don’t have to stick with tobacco flavour if you want something entirely different. (Some people like a different flavour depending on what time of day it is.)

However, do remember these e-liquids have different strengths of nicotine in them as well. Don’t get frustrated that you’re not getting a reasonable hit from your e-liquid. It may have nothing to do with the liquid itself; it could just be you need something much stronger to get a satisfying hit from.

Don’t let your supplies of e-liquid run too low either. This can leave you high and dry and tempted to have a ciggie instead of having some more e-liquid to use. Some people find one flavour and stick to it. Others stick with tobacco-flavoured ones to begin with, but soon find they branch out into fruity ones and never go back. Find what works for you.

Make sure you get into the habit of regularly charging your cartomizer

There’s nothing worse than sitting down for a spot of vaping, only to find the battery for your cartomizer has run down. Find out how long your cartomizer needs to be charged for and fit that into your day. You probably won’t need to charge it every day, but it all depends on how often you use it.

Have a chat with people who have already successfully switched to vaping

What better way to ease yourself in than to talk to others who have already done it? It’s one sure way of reducing the odds of making mistakes you could easily have avoided. If you have any questions, most people will be only too happy to answer them for you. It’s usually best to chat to people who have some experience of e-cigarettes, instead of having tried them for all of five minutes. The more experience they have, the more there is to benefit from.

Have a spare of everything you need to vape

Vapers have a good selection of starter kits to choose from when they first switch to vaping. You may have noticed plenty of these kits double up on all the important bits. There is a good reason for this. What will you do if your battery runs flat? What would you do if you broke your e-cig on day one and it was too late to go and buy another one?

Having spares can be all it takes to keep you from going back to smoking again. If you are really serious about making this work, make sure you have two of everything. Just in case.

Don’t give up too soon

Yes, this is the opposite advice we’d give to anyone wanting to give up smoking! When it comes to vaping, a lot of people assume you have to vape in the exact same way you smoke. Not so. You have to get used to how long to vape for in each session, and how long to hold the vapour in for as well. You also have to get used to whether or not you want to inhale.

Finding the right way to do it, and working out what suits you best, is what works in this situation. If you can remember when you started smoking, you’ll probably recall spluttering and being unsure of whether to inhale or how long to do it for initially. After a while you found the right way for you. It’s the same with vaping, except of course vaping is a lot better for you than smoking.

That’s why it’s worth making sure you make the switch that will last the test of time.

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By admin
More Posts

Athletes who Vape

October 13, 2015

Ask a smoker why they are trying to give up and they will usually mention health as one of their top reasons. Plenty of people are switching to vaping to make quitting easier than it might otherwise be.

We’ve read about celebrities who vape, and are seen in public vaping instead of smoking, but what about athletes? This is an altogether different area. After all, peak physical fitness is vital if you are going to compete to the best of your ability against the best in the world.

The whirlwind Jimmy White vapes during tournaments

The whirlwind Jimmy White vapes during tournaments

Now we find it hard to believe there isn’t a single athlete or sports-person out there who doesn’t smoke or vape, even if it is only very occasionally. Yet it is very difficult to find evidence of anyone in the sports world vaping in public. We’re prepared to believe there are very few athletes who smoke, since it is known to be bad for your health and can reduce lung capacity too. Think about it – whatever type of sport you play, you will need good fitness levels and plenty of energy to keep up with the opposition. How many rugby players, footballers, tennis players and athletes can you think of that have stopped mid-game or competition, doubled up with a hacking cough?

However, we’ve discovered evidence of legends such as cyclist Bradley Wiggins smoking, not to mention footballer Wayne Rooney. It may only be the odd one, but they’ve done it nonetheless. Ironically it is much harder to unearth information about sportspeople vaping, although there are a few examples we can give you. David de Gea, a Premiership footballer, has been seen with an e-cigarette, for example.

A little further digging revealed that Jimmy White, a famous snooker player, also vapes now. He used to smoke, and now the days of smoking in snooker halls are over, he can at least vape while taking part in matches between frames.

Yet we can see that vaping in the sporting world still seems to be a rarity. But is it, or is it just that we never see these people doing it? After all, while some sports stars smoke, they’re not usually seen doing it that often. If they have switched to vaping they may not do that very often either.

We think there are probably fewer sports stars smoking or vaping than there are in the general population. So maybe that makes them harder to find. What do you think?

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By admin

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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By admin

Taxes and categories of Nicotine

March 19, 2015

There are two ways to tax e-cigarettes (e-cigs) : direct and indirect taxes. Taxes and categories of nicotine makes sense in that you first establish how to segment this new industry, then raise taxes fairly. Currently there are five jurisdictions that tax nicotine containing liquids or e-cigarettes. In the US there are Minnesota and North Carolina, in Europe theres Italy and Portugal, in Asia there is South Korea. In the main most other countries raise taxes on e-cigarettes through indirect taxes such as sales tax.

How are each dealt with?

Take South Korea, the government made a new category and added an excise tax of $1.09 per one milliliter of e-liquid and started collecting as of January 2015. Portugal also levied a tax in January along with a new category, of 0.60€ per ml. North Carolina established a “Vapor Tax” of USD 0.05 per 1 milliliter of nicotine-containing liquid. In the same vain Italy started in January with a new category and yield of 0.37 € per ml. However something rotten brews in Italy. While the new levy doubles the prices of e-liquids it helps giants such as Philip Morris International. Why? Simply because it puts the same levy on tobacco products such as Marlboro HeatSticks. This coincides with Philip Morris launching a 500 Million Euro factory in Italy.

HeatSticks vs E-cigarettes

Many scientists agree that e-cigarettes are probably safer than conventional cigarettes. However other new devices such as Marlboro HeatSticks do use tobacco and have not yet been tested to the same degree. Unless studies prove they are as safe as e-cigs, e-cig firms say, they should not be taxed at the lower rate in Italy.
Valerio Forconi, Corporate Affairs and Legal Director in the Italian branch of tobacco giant Imperial Tobacco, says the principle of the tax is wrong.
Fontem Ventures, a subsidiary of Imperial, plans to launch a new e-cig in Rome in March. While they do not object to the new tax they strongly disagree that HeatSticks are treated the same way.

This makes Italy perhaps “the only country in the world” that effectively gives Philip Morris a tax discount on smoking.

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By steffanr

Study on formaldehyde in e cigs

January 29, 2015

Over the past week there have been headline grabbing statements in press.   News on studies of formaldehyde in e cigs, begging for the attention of the public and smoker too.  Statements like “high levels of formaldehyde hidden in e-cigs” and  “researchers find cancer-causing agent in electronic cigarettes or vape pens”.  As the week passed it evolved into ” e-cigs are worse than normal cigarettes studies show”.

What is amazing amongst these Chinese whispers are the facts that remain still: smoking is within the top 5 killers in the UK and US and note that it is the tobacco, not the nicotine, that kills. Unfortunately vaping is linked to smoking because you mimic the actions and there is nicotine. But that is where the similarities end. The public are being brain washed into thinking that vaping is worse than smoking- there are no facts to prove this.  The press has recently sensationalized these studies on formaldehyde in e cigs but it’s worth remembering that their conclusions are misleading.  Furthermore it’s difficult to deny that vaping is a smarter and safer alternative to smoking tobacco.

The study conducted by the Portland State concluded that vaping at high voltage will cause formaldehyde releasing agents to develop. We dont believe this is typical of vaping.   There are few vapers who use high voltage hardware. Why? well it is like drinking burnt coffee, the taste is simply not the same. When you vape at high voltage the taste changes, in fact, it can be unbearable.

The press hasn’t been completely thorough.  What they have neglected to highlight is that vaping at normal voltage does not produce formaldehyde in e cigs.

There is no proof that e-cigs / vaping are worse for you than smoking.  This is a fact.  We at Matchless will continue enjoying our vaping sessions, while remaining sensible about the voltage levels we vape at.

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By steffanr