Vape News In Brief: June 20th, 2018 Edition

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*VNIB* is a semi-regular column in which we take a look around the globe, searching for news, science, and the occasional pop culture reference related to vaping and the life of vapers. Today, let's talk about…

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Makes sense – there's an argument making the rounds that new ex-smokers should vape more nicotine, as puffing heavily on a low-nicotine device is more likely to result in the increased overall consumption of potentially dangerous compounds, or even in new users turning up the power on adjustable devices and incurring 'dry hits' where actual smoke from burning wicking material may be consumed. It's particularly notable that this article originates in the UK, where current laws restrict e-liquid strength to 36 mg/ml, or just a little over half the level of Juul or other ultra-high-nicotine pod mod devices available stateside.

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File to: Terrible Ideas. Apparently some morally agnostic vapor companies are offering high school kids scholarship money to write essays extoling the virtues of vaping. While that's a story that deserves to be told, it's absolutely not one that should ever get near minors or anyone else who doesn't smoke. This is an absolutely horrific look for all parties involved.

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It's becoming rarer as the vaping community continues to develop both inside and outside the view of the mainstream, but we still occasionally see the I have just discovered the crazy underground world of vaping, and it's neither crazy nor underground type of think piece. This is a pretty good one, as these things go, and it features a cute quote describing the appearance of Big Tobacco-backed Blu Ecigs for the first time at a years-long cloud chasing convention 'like a Toyota Prius pulling up late to a Mad Max car chase.'

Ouch: Indonesian officials are ready to impose a 57 percent excise tax on vapor products beginning in July. Again, ouch.

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An Indiana forced-attendance youth event styled like a Scared Straight anti-vaping program appears to have backfired. Despite warnings about slick youth advertising campaigns that place e-cigarettes in the candy section of stores (we've never seen this), the dangers of 'popcorn lung' (there have been zero vaping-related cases reported to date, and only a single case from a popcorn eater), and the addictive nature of nicotine (this is a legitimate concern), an auditorium of teens working off community service doled out when they were caught vaping on campus didn't seem receptive to the message. Moral: the kids aren't dumb. There are plenty of legitimate reasons teens (or anyone who didn't previously smoke) shouldn't start vaping; perhaps a fact-based argument might be a better approach next time.

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A Kentucky op-ed board, arguing in favor of tobacco farmers, is upset that vapor products won't be treated as tobacco under a new cigarette tax hike set to take effect next month. We beg to differ – increasing cost is a slow but ultimately effective way to get smokers to consider quitting, and to keep non-smokers from starting. By leaving vapor products out of these 'sin tax' discussions, it makes it more likely the cost difference will spur older adults, which this piece argues aren't adopting vaping quickly enough, more incentive to give the healthier alternative a try.

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Let's make it time once again for a public service announcement about the etiquette of vaping in public. It largely boils down to simple courtesy: don't cloud chase in crowded public spaces, and if you're unsure whether vaping is allowed somewhere, ask before you break out your mod.

This is just brazen promotion for a company that makes glorified toll booths, but it's an interesting idea – what if large employers offered private break rooms for vapers and smokers to offer them a place not to offend one another or non-smokers? Just don't make us go in the stink box, please…

We'll cap it there for now, look for a new edition landing again soon…