Vape Radio | The Voice of the Vape Space

Derek Yach is a physician and an activist and has been on the forefront of education the “medical community” about the dangers of smoking and the less damaging effects of vaping.

As a member of the World Health Organization, he is “thinking the unthinkable” in that it is possible to eliminate most cigarette smoking worldwide. He is founder of an organization called “Foundation for a Smoke-Free World.” They have a lofty mission, but have resources to help them change the way the world looks at tobacco and smoking.

Is it possible that 30 years from now cigarettes will go the way of the VCR, corded phones and record players?

Listen up, do your research, and see what you think!

What you’ll hear today:

We have 1B smokers in the world, but there has been little effort to reach out to them to help them quit

Phillip Morris Tobacco is funding $1B towards smoking cessation. WHY? Because they know their days are numbered…

Tobacco is the only industry that kills half their consumers!

There controversy about whether vaping is a “cessation device” and whether tobacco really is a killer. Many “experts” ignore the obvious

The future may push Big Tobacco into the “vaporizer” market and seeing that as a drug delivery device. That could position them against Big Pharma.

Inhalation is one of the most effective way to deliver drugs vs. injection and pills or potions.

When competitors work together they can deliver great results for the masses!

Tobacco farmers worldwide have much to lose and this organization wants to support them by offering other crops to grow

Dr. Yach likes the direction of the new FDA Commissioner, Dr. Gottlieb. They seem to differentiate between tobacco and vaping.

Contact Derek through www.Smoke-FreeWorld.org

A podcast is a free downloadable audio show that enables you to learn while you’re on the go.  To subscribe to my podcast for free, you’ll need an app to listen to the show from.

For iPhone/iPad/iPod listeners – Grab your device of choice, hit iTunes, and find “VAPE Radio.” You can download the free Apple Podcasts App and subscribe within. Every time I produce a new episode, you’ll get it downloaded right on your iDevice.

For Android listeners – Download the Stitcher Radio app (free) and search for “VAPE Radio.”  

For podcast lovers – If you already listen to podcasts and have a favorite directory that you are listening to right now, just hit the “subscribe” button and new shows will be added as we post them.

If you don’t have a mobile device – You can always listen to the show by clicking the audio file at the top of this page.  Just bookmark us!

Review us!

If you post a review we’ll send you a free digital copy of my book, Vapreneur!

Today we have a treat, and maybe an introduction to an organization you might not be familiar with. It’s called the Electronic Vaping Coalition of America, or EVCA.

Could they be the glue that brings this industry and OTHER groups together? We don’t know and you may be more clear than I when you listen to the entire episode.

In Dallas in November the VAPE Showcase will bring Mark and Congressman Duncan Hunter and several trade groups together at one place, possibly for a round table, get shit done kind of meeting. Meanwhile, some facts about Mark and the EVCA.

Mark was the first 18-year-old elected as a County Board Supervisor in Wisconsin

Mark has decades of political experience as a leader as well as a strategist

“If you want to change things, you must change them from the inside,” per Mark

At age 21 Mark started working behind the scenes for politicians after losing a congressional race and has run many since then

Mark has seen all aspects of politics and understands “the system” and “who you know”

Mark became the chief of staff for presidential candidate, Herman Cain, and took him to #1 in the polls for six weeks with NO money spent, just using social media

Mark smoked 3 packs a day and still smokes, but is greatly reduced

In 2015 Mark bought a Texas e-cig company, moved it to Wisconsin, and then found out about the deeming regulations. He was motivated by profit and personal conviction

Mark has had discussions about those regulations with Sen. Ron Johnson (R) and Paul Ryan (R), Speaker of the House. Wisconsin is a significant state…

EVCA combines political expertise along experienced business acumen

Ron Johnson was dismissed by the FDA, but he remains a powerful force. The vaping community rallied and helped in his reelection

Vapers DO have political clout and power!

“A Billion Lives” movie premiered in Milwaukee to reach out to political leaders

Vape Showcase (Nov 4-5) in Dallas could be a turning point with a goal of Consensus

Efforts are being made to repeal the deemings, or modify to make more sense

Duncan Hunter will be the keynote speaker, the first time a politician of that size will speak

There is hope for the vape industry!

There is enough business for all of us and we can all have a voice!

You can fail by yourself, but you cannot survive alone!

Contact Mark through www.evapingcoalition.org.

A podcast is a free downloadable audio show that enables you to learn while you’re on the go.  To subscribe to my podcast for free, you’ll need an app to listen to the show from.

For iPhone/iPad/iPod listeners – Grab your device of choice, hit iTunes, and find “VAPE Radio.” You can download the free Apple Podcasts App and subscribe within. Every time I produce a new episode, you’ll get it downloaded right on your iDevice.

For Android listeners – Download the Stitcher Radio app (free) and search for “VAPE Radio.”  

For podcast lovers – If you already listen to podcasts and have a favorite directory that you are listening to right now, just hit the “subscribe” button and new shows will be added as we post them.

If you don’t have a mobile device – You can always listen to the show by clicking the audio file at the top of this page.  Just bookmark us!

Review us!

If you post a review we’ll send you a free digital copy of my book, Vapreneur!

The state of Indiana has seen its share of challenges in the past few years.

Former Governor Mike Pence signed a bill that limited the number of liquid manufacturers to less than six. These six companies had to adhere and conform to insane standards and unless you were able to comply, you could not sell liquid in that state.

Turns out there were underhanded dealings which included dirty politicians, casino money, and even cannabis influencers! The FBI has an ongoing investigation, but we’ll let that run its course.

Today’s show is about the present and the future, more than the past. You can review what happened before on Vape Radio #87 when we interviewed Eric Gotting, the attorney that represented vaping interests in the state. I’ve also written about it several times in VAPE magazine when I called it “The War of Indiana.”

Can you sell liquids in Indiana today? Yes, but you must be approved and get registered.

Today Amy Lane, founder of the Indiana Smoke-Free Alliance, ISFA, will be providing an update.

Links Discussed:

www.INSmokeFree.org

What you'll hear today:

A short recap of the Indiana Right to be Smoke-Free lawsuit which strangled the vaping industry in the state

Retail shops went from 204 shops to 162 in just 8 months

Then governor, Mike Spence, our sitting Vice President, may indicate the Fed’s view of vaping

Indiana has been a (negative) lightning rod for abusive state regulations

Marijuana dollars were involved with this legislation! Others include an Indian casino, securities firm, and politicians, plus lots of “Big Money” and may involve RICO violations

The FBI has an open and active investigation…

State politicians were misinformed about “public health” and how dangerous vape was

That law has been revoked by the 7th Circuit but is still in place

This ruling set a great precedent for the vape industry, thanks to Keller and Heckman LLP, attorneys that represented the industry

Businesses must register (as a foreign entity), pay a fee ($1000), obtain a permit, and there are many new options

Old laws have been “repealed and replaced”

Cole-Bishop may be off the table now but may return. This process can take years, just like most other processes

Vapor Technology Association (VTA) is leading the charge in support of the industry

ISFA membership is just $99 mo. to stay on top of information and education

Contact Amy at 765-432-8841or visit [email protected], www.INSmokeFree.org

Chuck Huff, the president of the Pennsylvania Vape Association tells us the effects on the vape industry in my old home state and how it has decimated the vape industry there. Entrepreneurs that risked their hearts, souls and money have been ruined in some cases and it ain’t over yet. The worse may still be yet to come.

Last year the state of Pennsylvania approved a 40% floor tax, which is what we’ll be speaking about today.

And in my current state of California, the deal breaker just passed last year known as Prop 56 which is even worse. On top of the legal age to vape being raised to 21, we haven’t quite seen the effect, but the tidal wave is closer and growing. We’ll explore that one in future shows.

But for now, sit back and listen to the tale of PA. It’s not Halloween, but this story may scare you worse than any manufactured terror.

The free and easy days of the vape industry are behind us, and aside from the challenges of competition and negative press, we have two major foes when it comes to regulations. One is the Fed, the FDA, who lowered the hammer last August with the deeming regulations. On top of that we have 50 more enemies in our midst. They are the individual states and the challenges of dealing with some of their actions.

Starting early out of the gate was Minnesota who instituted an insane tax on nicotine. That was followed by others and one that we spoke about in detail in show # 87. The state of Indiana. They pretty much eliminated all out of state suppliers into the state, but recently that law was overturned and ruled unconstitutional by the federal Appellate court

 Links Discussed:

www.PAvape.org

What You'll Hear Today:

Chuck Huff is the President of the Pennsylvania Vape Association. They are affiliated with VTA and work closely with many other advocacy organizations

Any seller from out of state that sells to PA residents must be licensed

A consumer who purchases online from an unlicensed seller is considered an “unclassified importer” and required to pay the 40% tax directly to the Department of Revenue.

The PA Vaping Association is dedicated to education and later added on advocacy due to threatening regulation

The 40% “floor tax” was introduced in 2014-15, but removed. It was brought back the following year and is now law, effective June 31, 2016. The state allowed a grace period to make payment until December 31, 2016.

The “wholesale value” of all standing inventory is taxed, whether sold or not. Unsold products are taxed as well.

The state has the right to audit for misrepresented amounts.

The vape shops still pay a 6% sales tax BEFORE the floor tax is implemented

The floor tax is rarely used in any industry.

The tax was designed to offset budget shortfalls but may backfire due to shop closures. Some regulators have said that the tax may have been a mistake and is destroying small businesses. This creates empty storefronts and unemployment.

Consumers are required to pay the tax on out of state purchases, too.

Any seller from out of state that sells to PA residents is an “unclassified importer”.

There were 450 “active” vape businesses in the state before the tax went into effect. Since then over 100 stores have closed. These closures cannot be directly attributed to the tax, but it’s a serious impact. Stores continue to close…

Anecdotal evidence shows that some vapers have gone back to smoking…and shops have seen up to a 40% drop in sales.

There is a movement to overturn these laws and show that less taxes are collected rather than more.

Contact Chuck at [email protected] or visit www.PAvape.org

Unless you’ve been under a rock for the past year you have heard about this movie called A Billion Lives.

It was the brainchild of director, Aaron Biebert, a nonsmoker, who was intrigued by this new thing he heard of called “vaping.” As he researched the market and looked into the history of vaping, some bad things surfaced. Those bad things included efforts by competitors, primarily Big Tobacco and Big Pharma, to squelch the industry.

The Big Boys were threatened by our world, and they should have been. They ignored vaping for a remarkably long time and when their market share eroded they decided to get on board. They bought Ecig companies. Some started their own. Then came the bad shit: the smear campaigns. The negative publicity. Evidence of collusion between anti vaping organizations that surprisingly, were also against us.

As Aaron filmed Billion Lives some truths became evident.

When they launched this officially last year, in New Zealand of all places, many took notice and the regulators actually started looking into the research, the science behind vaping. They’re still working on it and the hope is that they may lighten up their objections.

Finally, the movie came to the US and premiered at many vape events. It has been viewed by tens of thousands of people, both vapors and non. It has been screened for legislators and regulators behind closed doors. The hope is that it will give them pause and maybe elicit some common sense. But this is a big paradigm shift and things move slowly.

Today you’ll get the story right from the horse’s mouth so chill out and listen to this journey from idea, to execution, to launch.

Since we recorded this interview with Aaron some progress has been made. After lots of conjecture of how to get this movie in “the mainstream,” it is now available for purchase. The links to do that are in the show notes, so if you’ve not seen it, it’s worth the price of owning your own copy.

What You'll Hear Today: 

Billion lives reflects the number of people that are projected to die from

tobacco in this century

Their first video footage was at a vape fest and he was totally unprepared for

the chaos!

Billion Lives launched in Spring, 2016, in New Zealand

Some anti-vaping regulations got over turned and things may improve

Over 200 venues have screened the movie

Private screenings have been done for Congresspersons

No DVD release while the movie is viewed in theaters

They are launching on iTunes and looking to hit #1, then following with others,

and taking pre-orders for Blue Ray. ETA: NOW

The movie was made for the public and not necessarily for vapors

A sequel is a consideration…

To contact Aaron or follow: www.abillionlives.com, or follow on Twitter and

Facebook

Lawsuits: no one wants them and if you can avoid them, it’ll be cheaper for you all the way around. But litigation is part of life and business since it follows disputes and disagreements and they are an everyday event.

In this crazy vape world, we have our share of disagreements and sticking points. The biggest one right now, the elephant in the room, is the battle against the FDA. There are currently four major suits against the FDA, initiated by some of the biggest names and players in the industry.

But the one that just plain pissed us off, the one we really, really wanted to win, was the case against the state of Indiana which was brought on by the Right to Be Smoke-Free organization.

Two years ago, a client in Indiana said there was talk about a regulation that would restrict the sale of vaping liquids from outside the state. I said that was hard to believe, but as I researched it, it turned out to be true.

I assured her it would never make it to the governor’s desk. But it did. I told her it would never be signed. But it was.

Many people were outraged and it seems that was a lot of drama, intrigue and conspiracy behind the law. Also, a lot of misinformation.

Our guest, Eric Gotting, was the attorney that took this case to the Federal appeals court and had it over turned. “The war in Indiana” is what I called it in several articles I wrote in VAPE magazine and I said, as did others, that this case is a milestone in the history of the vape industry. A victory for the state would be a very bad precedent that others would follow.

Turns out that the scales of victory tipped in our favor and justice prevailed.

I’ll leave it at that and let our guest share the saga, the story, the drama behind the War in Indiana.

What You'll Hear Today:

The Tobacco Control Act (TCA) of 2009 (Federal) encourages the tobacco industry to create more safe alternatives to tobacco which contradicts the Indiana law (state). That creates a contradiction…

TCA encouraged the industry to create better options

The Indiana attempted to regulate the entire supply chain, including components that come from outside the state Their justification was calling it a “public health” statute

States cannot control other states per the US Constitution…”Extra territory regulation” is forbidden

Only one security company was approved to serve liquid manufacturers, which indicates influence peddling Plaintiff’s attorneys predicted that this law would eliminate many jobs and cost business and with 90% of liquid coming from out of state it would limit consumer’s options

The State judge ruled against the Right to be Smoke Free plaintiffs, which forced the appeal

The Seventh Circuit District offers three judges and is the second most important after the Supreme Court

The decision was 3-0 and the Indiana ruling was deemed to be unconstitutional

No sales can take place YET! The current rules are still in force

SB1 was introduced and make eliminate the current regulations but needs to pass the Senate and the House. It may take a few months

Was this a “frivolous lawsuit?” Should anyone raise that issue?

The issue with calling vaping “smoking cessation” was discussed. Is it because vaping could be construed a “drug?”

The Supreme Court has a history of listening to tobacco related cases. Could this go that far? Only 1% of cases go to the Supreme Court, but it may go to a lower level court.

This is part II of our interview with Keller and Heckman LLP law partner, David Ettinger, speaking to us from Shanghai. Our last show, VAPE radio #85, covered China, and this show expands into Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, Russia and other areas as well.

It will be an eye opener since you will get a deep, deep dive into the vape market overseas. Be sure you catch our prior show to learn about China proper. See the long list of topics we covered below.

Ettinger has lived in Shanghai for 4 years and follows the market there every day.

There was so much information to cover that I asked him to keep going, so thanks for joining us on Part II.

What you’ll hear today:

Countries with NO specific vaping laws usually fall under the category of general consumer law. Some MAY fall under tobacco laws.

Some countries treat vaping (and products) under pharma guidelines or medical devices

Hong Kong: nicotine is officially classified as a poison. That means it must be registered and controlled. They are pharma products, but can be sold over the counter. VERY stiff fines if not registered.

You can hear (and see) see David’s presentation as part of the 12 hour Keller and Heckman Symposium

Japan: IQOS (Phillip Morris) has changed the face of smoking. It is a “heat, not burn” product (worth knowing!!), AKA leaf vaporizers (insert picture)

This is an easier transition from tobacco, rather than vaping

This product has captured 5% of the smoking market in just a few years and will submit for PMTA approval

Japan also has a monopoly through the Ministry of Finance and Japan Tobacco, but less than before. The Ministry has been selling shares to generate revenue, but must own 33.3%

South Korea: very liberal vape laws, but expensive (heavily taxed), no official and specific regulation of vaping. That may change soon.

Heat not burn there big, as well.

SE Asian (Thailand): vaping imports are banned, ditto Vietnam, but black market exists

Philippines, not regulated, though under investigation, and major manufacturer of vaping products

Australia: nicotine is a poison (like Hong Kong) and highly regulated

New South Wales: also illegal, must be approved by government and registered (but none are)

New Zealand: can import for “personal use”, but limited supply

Middle East: Kuwait is unregulated, ditto Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAR: vaping banned. Importation for personal use, not advised

Israel: not banned, may be worth watching

Russia, not a tobacco product, not regulated by federal government, but may have restrictions more locally

FREE FDA mini course! Access it at: https://tinyurl.com/FDAmini.

A we wrap this up we talked about the adoption of vaping into the mainstream. There is a learning curve and it sometimes takes a long time to get over the fear of new technology.

Before we leave I want to offer you all a great opportunity. Would you like to get your product, service or message in front of our targeted vaping audience?

Vape Radio is the largest vape radio show in the world with more than 1.3 million downloads since 2014, and one of the TOP TEN business podcasts of 2015 on Podbean, beating out more than 130,000 other shows. For just $750 you get your company integrated within THREE shows and we’re looking for TWO more advertisers to fill our spots; how about you! Contact [email protected].

That’s it for show #86, so until next time, Vape On!

Are you concerned about PMTA? Do you not have a juice line and want one? Level 13 offers you a turnkey program that can get your house brand on your shelves in just a few weeks.

A podcast is a free downloadable audio show that enables you to learn while you’re on the go.  To subscribe to my podcast for free, you’ll need an app to listen to the show from.

For iPhone/iPad/iPod listeners – Grab your device of choice, hit iTunes, and find “VAPE Radio.” You can download the free Apple Podcasts App and subscribe within. Every time I produce a new episode, you’ll get it downloaded right on your iDevice.

For Android listeners – Download the Stitcher Radio app (free) and search for “VAPE Radio.”  

For podcast lovers – If you already listen to podcasts and have a favorite directory that you are listening to right now, just hit the “subscribe” button and new shows will be added as we post them.

If you don’t have a mobile device – You can always listen to the show by clicking the audio file at the top of this page.  Just bookmark us!

Review us!

If you post a review we’ll send you a free digital copy of my book, Vapreneur!

Today’s show will be an eye opener since you will get a deep, deep dive into the vape market overseas, specifically China. See the long list of topics we covered below.

David Ettinger is a partner with the Keller and Heckman law firm in Washington DC, and he’s lived in Shanghai for 4 years and follows the market there every day.

There was so much information to cover that I asked him to keep going and we’d create a Part II and that’s what we did. This is part I, which speaks to the Chinese market primarily. VAPE radio show #86, which follows, expands into Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, Russia and other areas as well.

What you’ll hear today:

The Shanghai office has been open since 2004; David has been there since 2012

His background is in FOOD law and e-cigs and vaping was a necessary next step

Quality control and regulations for e-cigs and vapor in China are lacking…

The tobacco industry in China is a monopoly, run by the STMA and China National Tobacco Company (CNTC)

They have complete authority to regulate production, sales, import, export, etc…

China will be the largest economy in the world by 2018; 6% of their revenue is from tobacco taxation

350M smokers, 1 trillion cigarettes smoked annually in China

Each province in China (about 34) has it’s own BRAND, overseen by the CNTC

7 of the top 10 brands worldwide are included in that list

WHAT that that monopoly controls is a big subject. Currently it does NOT include e-cigs, devices, juices, etc… They are outside their control. For now.

One 5 sq. mile area of Shenzhen (near Hong Kong) has 600 e-cig producers, plus others than supply components and accessories. There is NO regulation of these “factories” which may be just a garage.

95% of all e-cig products are manufactured there

There is minimal to no quality control and some things, like paint, may contain heavy metals or contaminants

This lack of QC may be behind many issues here in the US, but 5 years from now it will be more regulated

The “definition” of tobacco in China may be expanded and include vape companies. Many will close.

Who is the “average” Chinese smoker? Because smoking is part of their culture, children are exposed- and start- very young. 50% of all smokers worldwide, are in China. Smoking around the dinner table is normal

Air quality in China is a major problem and smoking is contributing to health issues and early deaths. It is similar to US lack of regulations from the 1960s

Cigarettes are cheap in China, about $1.00 US

Most e-cigs are MADE in China, but few have been USED there. That is changing.

The sheer number of Chinese consumers can make them a bigger player than many large US companies.

Two years ago there were few vape shops in China, but they have increased and are impressive

Is there a market in China for American products? Listen to David’s answer, but the next two years will tell the tale.

CQ: Cultural Intelligence. KNOW IT and understand it.

For information on our FREE FDA mini course: 

https://tinyurl.com/FDAmini

Would you like to get your product, service or message in front of our targeted vaping audience?

Vape Radio is the largest vape radio show in the world with more than 1.3 million downloads since 2014, and one of the TOP TEN business podcasts of 2015 on Podbean, beating out more than 130,000 other shows. For just $750 you get your company integrated within THREE shows and we’re looking for TWO more advertisers to fill our spots; how about you! Contact [email protected].

That’s it for show #85, so until next time, Vape On!

Are you concerned about PMTA? Do you not have a juice line and want one? Level 13 offers you a turnkey program that can get your house brand on your shelves in just a few weeks.

A podcast is a free downloadable audio show that enables you to learn while you’re on the go.  To subscribe to my podcast for free, you’ll need an app to listen to the show from.

For iPhone/iPad/iPod listeners – Grab your device of choice, hit iTunes, and find “VAPE Radio.” You can download the free Apple Podcasts App and subscribe within. Every time I produce a new episode, you’ll get it downloaded right on your iDevice.

For Android listeners – Download the Stitcher Radio app (free) and search for “VAPE Radio.”  

For podcast lovers – If you already listen to podcasts and have a favorite directory that you are listening to right now, just hit the “subscribe” button and new shows will be added as we post them.

If you don’t have a mobile device – You can always listen to the show by clicking the audio file at the top of this page.  Just bookmark us!

Review us!

If you post a review we’ll send you a free digital copy of my book, Vapreneur!

Today’s interview is with Jason Carignan, CMO of Kreket International, and their subsidiary, Phillips and King.

There is one vape event that stands apart from the others and that is TPE. Tobacco Plus Expo is the official name, but most call it TPE for short. The show will be held on Jan. 25-26 in Las Vegas and the good news is that it’s free to all of us in the vape space.

Here’s why I make TPE a “must attend” event and you should to.

This show is an indicator of the direction of the vaping industry. Now that tobacco and vape are considered the same per the FDA, we are brothers in name, though not in culture. Add in the fringe elements of “alternatives,” including cannabis, hookah and similar products, and the unification of these vices may show us the future.

What you’ll hear today:

The show has been owned my Kretek since 2009, which was founded 34 years ago, in 1982. Phillips and King is more than 100 years old

The show is predominantly focused on the tobacco industry but has expanded into glassware, vapor and cannabis

Kretek believes that vaping is here to stay, but must innovate and adapt

Consolidation and attrition are inevitable, along with acquisition

What is “alternative?” It includes cannabis, but that is becoming mainstream. Hookah is included, ditto clove cigars

Tommy Chong (Cheech & Chong) will be a keynote speaker at TPE

The last election in November may have been the Tipping Point regarding legalization of pot

We will see consolidation of smoke, vape and head shops in the future

Glassware is a big seller!

Phillips & King carries about 25,000 different SKUs

The TPE show is at the Las Vegas Convention Center and includes four separate “kingdoms” of tobacco, vape, alternative, and general merchandise with lounges in all

All retailers are welcome to attend and they expect 250 exhibitors

Education will be offered in the mornings from 8:00-11:00

www.tobaccoplusexpo.com

The show is free, but not on site!

Would you like to get your product, service or message in front of our targeted vaping audience?

Vape Radio is the largest vape radio show in the world with more than 1.3 million downloads since 2014, and one of the TOP TEN business podcasts of 2015 on Podbean, beating out more than 130,000 other shows. For just $750 you get your company integrated within THREE shows and we’re looking for TWO more advertisers to fill our spots; how about you! Contact [email protected].

 

Are you concerned about PMTA? Do you not have a juice line and want one? Level 13 offers you a turnkey program that can get your house brand on your shelves in just a few weeks.

A podcast is a free downloadable audio show that enables you to learn while you’re on the go.  To subscribe to my podcast for free, you’ll need an app to listen to the show from.

For iPhone/iPad/iPod listeners – Grab your device of choice, hit iTunes, and find “VAPE Radio.” You can download the free Apple Podcasts App and subscribe within. Every time I produce a new episode, you’ll get it downloaded right on your iDevice.

For Android listeners – Download the Stitcher Radio app (free) and search for “VAPE Radio.”  

For podcast lovers – If you already listen to podcasts and have a favorite directory that you are listening to right now, just hit the “subscribe” button and new shows will be added as we post them.

If you don’t have a mobile device – You can always listen to the show by clicking the audio file at the top of this page.  Just bookmark us!

Review us!

If you post a review we’ll send you a free digital copy of my book, Vapreneur!

Today, no guests. Just me, sharing some wit, wisdom and insights…or possibly not!

As we roll into 2017, we must recognize that the world of vape this year will change at an exponential pace. New regs, new dates to implement them, and the closing of many businesses will provide a shakeout unlike any we have seen before. Last year, in 2016, we saw some carnage, but that is just the tip of the iceberg of what is to come.

In this show, I provide a bit of my background, for context, and some suggestions and observations of what may and will happen this year. Some is conjecture; some is assured.

The FDA has pushed back crucial deadlines by an additional 6 months, but my advice is to not wait, but to get on top of what you need to do sooner rather than later.

There are some great tools and resources available to you including the Vape Industry Business Exchange: VIBE. Designed to offer buying power to shops, as well as options for liquid companies, I am proud to be a co-founder of this group along with some amazing other people.

In February, Keller and Heckman LLP, one of the top vapor liquid legal firms will be conducting a two-day symposium with 10 speakers and presenters from around the world. For more information, click here.

This will cover FDA, TBD, worldwide markets in China, Russia and the Middle East, plus litigation updates along with guidance on protecting your IP and avoiding legal issues.

Aside from all that, best to all of you in 2017!

What you’ll hear today:

A bit of my background for context

An overview of the vape industry since 2013, which leads us to where we are now

Updates on NEW and delayed FDA reporting deadlines- and how you should react

Litigation updates

Thoughts of the new administration under Mr. Trump, Cole-Bishop and R2bsmokefree.org lawsuits in Indiana and more

Guidance and suggestion on what you should be doing depending upon your commitment to stay in business

And finally, my thoughts when someone asked me if I planned to stay in business!

Best to you in 2017!