Should a delivery attempt fail because no adult recipient is present; we will no longer attempt further delivery, but will instead provide a slip with your order number so you can pick your package up curbside or in person at 51 Woodyatt Drive, Brantford, Ontario. Orders will be available the following business day after 12pm.
Additionally, we have adopted an new initiative in partnership with the local health unit to further ensure that all recipients are of legal age (19+). We have therefore implemented a safeguard as outlined below:
In addition to providing proof of legal age (19+), the recipient will now need to sign a copy of their order for us to have on record should the local health unit request to see that proper verification has been done.
We thank you for your business and trust that everyone utilizing our free service understands that these steps balance:
1) The additional requirements required by Health Canada and the Brant County Health Unit.
2) The rising costs associated with providing free delivery.
3) Our effort to maintaining delivery at no extra cost for those who depend upon it.
With these steps in place, we will continue to offer Free Local Delivery within Brant County on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for orders placed before 3pm.
Thank you for your attention and understanding.
Cheers,
True North Vapor Team
]]>Back in December, it was proposed that e-liquids above 20mg/mL should be banned as a way to curb youth vaping. Since then, the industry has been quite aware that this was likely to come into effect, we just didn't know when and how long we would have to comply.
We have recently received news that July 8th of 2021 will be the date that the new regulation comes into effect and that retailers would be given 15 days to sell through their existing stock. This means that after July 23rd, we will no longer be carrying e-liquid in excess of 20mg/mL.
If you have friends and family that vape, we would ask that you share this information with them. We know some vapers will be able to adapt to the 20mg/mL cap by vaping at a higher wattage or simply vaping more until they can adjust to the lower concentration. Others who are vaping at really high concentration may want the opportunity to stockpile some product while they make the transition more gradual.
]]>
We would ask that all visitors continue to follow public health guidelines and to avoid entering if you are feeling unwell or are displaying new or worsening symptoms related to COVID-19. With that said, we are still happy to provide Curbside pickup and free local delivery within Brant Country for anyone feeling uncomfortable about entering our store.
And a huge thank you to everyone who continued to support us during lockdown. We appreciate you more than you could ever know.
~True North Vapor Team
]]>Brantford/Brant County Locals
Under the direction of the Ontario government, we will be offering curbside shopping and curbside pickup at our door. Come to the shop and ring our doorbell and you'll be greeted by an associate who will gladly take your order, answer questions and provide a terminal for payment at the door. You can also save time and minimize contact by placing your order online and selecting "Curbside Pickup (51 Woodyatt Drive)" at the checkout.
We are also resuming our 7-days/week FREE local delivery within Brant County. Place your order online and select "Local Delivery (Brant County)" and we will send a driver out at the end of each business day.
Canada Wide Orders
Nothing changes the way that orders are placed, packed and shipped out. Canada Post is still delivering parcels to your nearest Canada Post outlet for simple pickup. With that said, please expect delays! Last spring when we went into lockdown, shipping times peeked just past the 2 week mark. This will likely affect every business that ships product to you, so take this into consideration when placing orders.
In regards to the "faster" shipping options. We have still left this as an option at checkout, but please be aware of what it means now in comparison to pre-COVID shipping times. Before the pandemic, the faster option would have product to you within a day or two where as regular shipping would be 3 to 5 business days. Although the faster option is still a day or two faster, do not expect your product next day as the shipping speed will be proportional to the current congestion that Canada Post is dealing with at the time of your order.
Please do not hesitate to call or email us with any questions you may have. We will continue to service Canadians in the safest and most efficient way possible as we get through this pandemic together.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
Please Note that with Ontario and Quebec going into lockdown starting December 26th, the delays we expected from the Toronto and Peel regions will likely be further affected. Please place orders well in advance. For our local customers, we will be offering curbside and local deliveries daily.
Original Post:
We all know that this year has been…different. I want to take a moment to discuss how this affects shipping timelines during the holiday season.
First off, we have a perfect storm that we already know will cause courier delays – the trifecta:
Simply put, there WILL be shipping delays in the days to come – we just don't know by how much. This goes way beyond purchases from True North Vapor, so please keep it in mind for all your online purchases this holiday season! As usual, our team will do everything we can to get your orders packed and out the door ASAP. That said, please note that most of the delay will be due to longer than usual courier shipping times. We appreciate your business and would hate to see someone go without their holiday purchases due to the inevitable delays.
Please note: Ever since the pandemic last spring, Canada Post has temporarily removed their time delivery guarantee (See what Canada Post service interruptions are currently active here). We have left the premium option for Xpress shipping because, while it isn't 1 or 2 days like usual, it will still be faster than Xpedited shipping. For example: during the major lockdown last Spring, Xpedited Parcels took up to 21 business days to arrive. During that period, Xpress shipping was taking up to 18 business days. We don’t expect delays anywhere near this length, but this is an example to illustrate the difference and help you decide if the additional Canada Post fee is worth it.
Please plan accordingly in the days to come. We look forward to supplying all your vaping goods through the Holidays and into the New Year!
Stay safe, have a vape.
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>
British Columbia
Previous to September 15th, 2020, vaping products were subject to standard provincial taxes. As of today, the Provincial Sales tax has been increased from 7% to 20% on vape related products as well as an additional 5% tax on top of the total + PST. For the simplicity of the mathematics, this results in a 26% increase (Math shown at the end of the article for those interested).
Nova Scotia
When purchasing products within Nova Scotia (Be it in store or online), all e-liquids are subject to a $0.50/mL tax. Meaning a 30mL bottle of e-liquid would cost an additional $15 on top of the cost of the product. Solids are also subject to a $0.50/gram tax and hardware an additional 20%.
In addition to these taxes, businesses selling products to Nova Scotia have very recently been required to supply a very substantial Bond to the NS government. It is with this portion that we regret that we will be unable to continue the direct to consumer sale of vaping products to the people of Nova Scotia. However, we will continue to supply retail shops with whatever products they need to service their community. Should your vape shop not carry something you want that you know we sell, let the shop owner know to reach out to us and we’ll be sure to provide.
My Thoughts
When it comes to regulation changes within the industry, I try to keep an unbiased perspective and an open mind about the motivations for said changes. I mostly view regulations of a product a good thing overall as it showcases the governments willingness to see the success of said product continue over the years. Creating structure is indicative of the perceived value but with the intent to mitigate danger to oneself or others. Both provinces have reported seeing an increase in youth vaping to which the governments of those regions believe these changes will address. The motivations for the change is admirable as True North Vapor has always taken a stance that this product is designed for people who are of legal smoking age and are already vapers/smokers. The questions that are left on the table now will be answered in the coming months:
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
BC Tax Example: If it an item costs $100 and is first subject to a 20% tax, the result would be $120. If that $120 is then subjected to an additional 5% tax, the result would be $126. Making the converted simplified math a straight 26%, not 25%. This is not how it’s reported to the government when remitting taxes, but it’s the number that you, the end user, will see.
]]>To avoid impacting our local customer base, we offered a daily Free Delivery service within Brant County for online orders. Although COVID-19 is still present, the country is moving closer and closer to what we once called 'normal'. Courier services aren't nearly as affected as they were and many shops have re-opened. Due to these changes, the need for a local delivery service has been drastically reduced.
With that all said though, we still have some customers who have found reasons other than COVID-19 to take advantage of a local delivery service, such as their work hours being in conflict of our hours of operation or even physical disabilities that would prevent them from going out to get the products they need. So we will continue to operate our local delivery service on every Tuesday and Thursday for FREE. We've chosen these days to align with the majority of customers who are still taking advantage of this service and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>As of Monday, May 11th 2020, the option to shop at stores with a street facing entrance opened up for curb side sales; this would include our vape shop. To provide as many options for consumers to shop and keeping things as simple as possible, here are the various ways in which you can obtain vaping and herbal supplies from True North Vapor.
Alternatively, we absolutely love to hear from you. If you have any questions, comments, concerns or troubles placing your order, please call us toll free at 1-877-301-0946 to speak with an actual person.
I would like to thank everyone again who has been ordering through us for your patronage and helping to keep the industry alive with your support.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>It is with great pleasure to announce that we are expanding our local delivery service to encompass all of Brant County to better serve our community the best way we know how. As a bonus, we are going to continue to offer this service free of charge! No tips, No Guilt, No Fee!
Brant County Includes:
Due to the popular demand of this new program, we will also be offering deliveries on Sunday in addition to the Monday to Saturday service. If your order is placed before 3 p.m., then it is on its way to you.
Upon arrival, we will offer a contactless delivery. Please have your ID ready as we will continue to support our product in the hands of adult vapers & smokers who are of legal age.
To end things, we would also like to invite your suggestions on specific brands/flavours you would like us to offer. Please do not hesitate to call us at 1-877-301-0946 and let us know what you’re looking for.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>
With constant changes happening all around the world right now, I wanted to take some time to talk about the things we’re doing to keep people safe while also ensuring that customers are receiving the products they need.
A couple of weeks ago, the Ontario Government refined the list of businesses that were deemed essential. The vaping industry hasn’t been classified as such, but businesses who run an online service have been encouraged to continue to do so if it can be done safely. We have staff who work from home and a 6000 square foot warehouse for a total of 5 people. Social distancing is very easy to maintain.
With the changes recently made, curb side sales and local deliveries have been reserved exclusively for companies offering essential services. After speaking with the Brant Count Health Unit, we’ve been given the OK to offer local deliveries as long as we continue our safe practices and are able to deliver goods while maintaining a safe distance.
After running the Local Delivery service for a short while, we’re pleased to announce that we will continue to offer this service FREE OF CHARGE during the COVID-19 pandemic from Monday to Saturday. We’ve also decided to expand our local delivery area to Paris, Ontario in addition to Brantford, Ontario. Orders that are placed online before 5pm and qualify for Local Delivery will see their order arrive the same day. Of course, please remember to have ID ready to show proof of age.
I’d like to also re-iterate that currently this service is being offered only to Brantford and Paris, Ontario. If you reside in a different city, please help us avoid delaying your order by selecting the Local Delivery option. Orders over $99 before taxes still qualify for Free Delivery within Canada. I’d also like to suggest not paying extra for a faster delivery time as Canada Post is still maintaining a temporary lift on their shipping time guarantees. Not all orders are being delayed, but the ones that are affected are seeing their orders arrive anywhere from 1-3 business days late.
The staff here at True North Vapor also wanted to say thank you to those who are supporting us with your business during this time and we look forward to continuing our relationship in the future. If it weren’t for YOU, the person reading this right now, we wouldn’t be here. Thank you!
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>Am I still able to buy product online?
Yes! The CEO and I both agreed that the decision to either shut down or remain open was far too big for both of us to make when individuals and their families were concerned. We had a group meeting with all our staff to discuss who wanted to remain working, who could effectively work from home and what are we going to do to keep each other safe. Unanimously, we all agreed that the last thing consumers need is their supply of e-liquid to become non-existent during a time of isolation and uncertainty.
Further to that, most of the manufacturers who bottle our e-liquid are also remaining open and some have even taken on contracts to bottle hand sanitizer to assist with the global shortage. For the foreseeable future, there is no reason to believe we will be unable to continue to supply consumers with e-liquid products.
Am I still able to buy in store?
For safety reasons, the vape shop and warehouse are closed to the public. However, we have still found two solutions to enable local clientele the ability to procure product.
The above option is no longer available due to a recent change made by the Ontario Government. Curbside pickup is no longer allowed in our industry. However, we have recently added local delivery as an option. If you reside in BRANTFORD, ONTARIO, we are doing daily deliveries through the week.
What are you doing to keep staff and customers safe?
The same standard recommended by Health Canada, the FDA and the World Health Organization. Washing our hands often, disinfecting common surfaces including door handles, doorbell buzzer, debit terminal, products, etc. Any staff showing symptoms or who have reason to believe they may have come into contact with someone who could test positive will self isolate.
How will this effect the shipment of my order?
It could be affected in a couple of ways. First is that you should expect delays, although this will not always be true with every order. Canada Post has temporarily lifted the time guarantee on parcel shipments due to the following points:
I hope this answers most questions that you may have. Just to sum everything up:
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor]]>The company training me, this company, was extremely particular on three major commandments:
At that time, there were no specific regulations governed to us, although there were suggestions from ECTA (Electronic Cigarette Trade Association) that we chose to follow and be leaders in the vaping industry. These rules made perfect sense to me because we treated it with the same care as any other chemical like nicotine.
Qualifying these three things was quite easy. We asked for ID. CHECK on point 1. Asked how much they currently smoke or what kind of cigarettes they smoke. CHECK on point 2 because it always came out if they weren’t a smoker. Asked if they were currently, or planning to become, pregnant. CHECK on point 3 because that’s just not a question that soon-to-be moms like to lie about when it concerns about their unborn child.
We took things further than that, and still do. If we suspected you were purchasing the product for someone who was underage, we took the same stance as the LCBO would and simply prohibited the sale. It wasn’t until several years later that these items all became regulated requirements and we were pleased to pat ourselves on the back for being ahead of the curve and not contributing to the underage vaping epidemic that exists today.
Regulations continued to evolve with the royal assent of Bill S-5 on May 23rd, 2018. Bill S-5 did two major things that affected the vaping industry.
Point 1 was easy for us because we were already making bottles that were CCCR-2001 compliant for more than 6 months at the time of Bill S-5’s inception.
Point 2 was a little tougher, because the definition was not (and still is not) clearly defined. Is “Cream” an ok flavour name? It’s something that can be IN a dessert, same with Vanilla. The general rule of thumb was “If you’re not sure, it’s probably not ok.” That didn’t really matter though, because our interests were already aligned with Health Canada. Our stance has been since the beginning that we do not sell to minors. Bill S-5 took that a step further by trying to minimize making it appealing at all to young people. Flavours like “Vanilla Victory” were renamed to “V Victory” and “Watermelon Bubblegum” to “Watermelon BG”.
With flavours being such a huge part in consumers transitioning from combustible tobacco to e-cigarettes; name changes like these were a very small price to pay to maintain the ability to continue to supply adult smokers/vapers with a less harmful alternative to tobacco.
In addition to all these steps already described, we also needed to make sure that online sales were able to ensure that customers are age verified. Canada Post is paid a service fee to ensure that the customer who ordered product is properly carded (every time!) for photo identification to ensure that our values, and the law, are being upheld. Should the recipient be unable to provide proof of age, the package is returned to us.
In the near future, you’ll see some small changes to our website to take another step in the right direction. Product images of bottles that had their names changed will reflect the new name change. For a short time, the previous name will be mentioned in the product description to prevent confusion to customers who had been using a specific flavour. Also, any promotional images that suggest or allude to any of the 5 categories described in Bill S-5 will be removed.
I felt it was important to address this topic for a couple of reasons:
There are hundreds of vaping companies within Canada that say they do not sell to minors. We didn’t want to be the company that said “We don’t do that”, but be the company that continues to be 100% transparent and say HOW we don’t do that.
We will continue to be vigilant and creative in our approach in finding ways to deter young people and non-smokers from starting a habit that serves no purpose for them.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>Finding Your Flavour
Flavoured e-cigarettes have been shown to be a key component in helping adult smokers successfully transition from combustible tobacco to e-cigarettes. With all the choice on the market for e-liquid flavours it can be a little daunting to figure out where to start. I would suggest following these two simple steps to significantly narrow the options to something more palatable (pun intended).
Armed with this information, you’ll feel less overwhelmed by the wall of e-liquid and probably have 2 or 3 really good options suggested to you. Also check out our Fast Flavour Finder for a great place to start.
Battery Care
Like with any electronic device, it will take time getting in the habit of remembering to charge your e-cigarette or batteries. Plan ahead and avoid charging your batteries or e-cigarette overnight. Having a backup device so you can charge for a couple hours during the day while your main device is refuling is a great idea.
Initial Cost of Necessary Add Ons
In most cases, the person on the other side of the counter who is helping you find your next device is probably a vaper themselves. Even if they aren’t, they see on a daily basis how vapers use their product and what problems can be easily avoided. The cost of a big mod can be a bit pricy, but skipping out on a charging station is a bad way to try and save money. If the person assisting you suggests not using the USB to charge a larger device, it’s probably because they’re trying to save you the headache in the future. It may sound like an upsell to you at the time, but you’ll kick yourself later for not heeding the advice.
Adjusting Airflow
Some units come with a dial on the base of the tank to adjust the amount of airflow. If your device comes with this, play around with it a bit to see what feels right for you. New users may find a higher amount of airflow makes for a lighter inhale but is also a little less effective in satisfying any nicotine cravings. Going from cigarettes to e-cigarettes can be a bit of an adjustment because water vapour is heavier than smoke.
Coughing
As mentioned above, Water Vapour is heavier than smoke and can take some getting used to. That might not be the only thing that triggers a cough though. Check out some of these things to look at to ensure you have the right product for you.
I hope this list helps new vapers in their transition. Remember that everyone is different and tailoring your experience is the first step in successfully dropping combustible tobacco.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>The initial portion of the presentation gave a lot of details about the structures of VITA, who is involved and how the voting share worked. This information has been shared several times both on www.vitaofcanada.com as well as previous articles that I have written.
The Q&A session is where I gathered more ‘new’ information and I was quite appreciative to see that some of the people asking questions held nothing back. The biggest concern that most seemed to have had to do with Big Tobacco companies being on the board. I’ll give a breakdown of the key points that I took.
VITA Positions
VITA promotes Harm Reduction, Youth Prevention and Education. VITA does not support any sort of excise tax and that the sales taxes already applied should be enough (this includes a tax/mL). They are also not in favour of a flavour ban or further reduction on the 66mg/mL of nicotine ceiling. Flavours and appropriate nicotine strengths are paramount in the transition of combustible tobacco to vaping for many Canadians.
Mystery Shop Program
To help with the Youth Prevention and Education, VITA intends to start a mystery shop program to covertly learn about the policies in place to prevent young people from obtaining vaping products from retail outlets of all kinds. The purpose is not to police but to gather data and educate shop owners and their staff of the importance of keeping nicotine products out of the hands of young people.
Legal Funding and How It Is Spent
Initially, this topic was started by asking if VITA will issue Cease & Desists to media to prevent further misinformation about vaping and to stop lumping it in with black market THC cartridges. It was explained that damage has been done in this area and at this point would probably be a waste of legal funds that could be used elsewhere. Currently VITA is interviewing a series of lawyers to have one on retainer when needed. Should something like a flavour ban in a single province get through, if members vote to take legal action and file an injunction, that is what they’ll do. Similarly, that would also happen if a limit on nicotine was further reduced from 66mg/mL as some of the heavier smokers would require a higher amount to successfully transition.
VITA - The “Trojan Horse”
A prominent person in the vaping industry recently compared VITA to a Trojan Horse because tobacco companies sat on the board. VITA has been very vocal about why those companies hold seats and in what capacity, but to give the summary, here are the key points:
Flavour Bans
When the Trojan Horse comment was brought up, it was suggested that others in the vaping industry might feel more comfortable supporting VITA if they saw some proof that they are acting in our best interests. They questioner asked for progress on proposed flavour bans in some provinces. President Daniel David had a few points to talk about what has been done thus far:
Part of the problem was uncovered quickly as these meetings with province leaders began. Daniel David commented that he was shocked about the level of understanding about vaping products and its risks are quite low. The industry has done a good job educating policy makers in the past, but it hasn’t reached some of the higher levels of government.
Those who oppose vaping have simply been louder in conveying their concerns; first with the black-market THC cartridges and now targeting flavours as being the source of youth appeal. Education to policy makers on what vaping products are and how flavours have been vital in the success of many adult smokers switching to e-cigarettes seems to be what is needed to understand why our product has been marketed the way it has. The goal has never been to appeal to young people or non-smokers but to entice the alternative to adult smokers who have not been successful in dropping combustible tobacco in the past.
VITA does appear to be making a difference in educating policy makers and users alike with factual data. At the end of the webinar, they also invited people to continue to ask questions about the organization and plans to work with Health Canada and all levels of government to stabilize the industry and continue to promote what we all believe to be a less harmful alternative. You can forward any questions you may personally have to info@vitaofcanada.com.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>The statement was made as the final step of regulations were put into place to keep consumers informed about the products they were purchasing by standardizing labels and regulating certain characteristics of how the bottles are portrayed to reduce the appeal to people of youth. Although there have been many mixed feelings in the industry about the changes made, True North Vapor staff agreed that our belief system that has existed for many years was inline with Health Canada’s intentions.
Our goals from day one has been to meet the following criteria (in no particular order):
Bill S-5 targeted labeling and reduced the chances of young people becomming interested in vaping products to minimize the risk of new habits being formed rather than transitioning from more harmful products to less harmful ones.
It has been almost a year and a half exactly since Bill S-5 reached royal assent and is officially being enforced across the country. Some retail shops have received visits to ensure compliancy is being adhered to. Products that have mascots on them or names that fit one of the five categories (Energy Drinks, Soft Drinks, Cannabis, Confectionary or Desserts) are being removed from the shelf or confiscated.
The biggest thing to remember is that Health Canada is doing this for the benefit of Canadians, particularly youths. There isn’t much concern in an adult smoker who wants to vape Strawberry Cheesecake instead of smoking tobacco. The concern is that same adult leaving an alluring bottle on the coffee table where a child can see an image of something they know to be tasty and drinking nicotine.
For those of you wondering why your “Caramel Tobacco” is now called “Amber Tobacco” or other name changes you’ve surely noticed, this is exactly the reason. The recipe did not change, merely the packaging and the name. I felt this would be especially relevant to write about now because Tobacco Enforcement is now actively exercising their right to enforce the law in this industry.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>I mentioned at the launch that this flavour was a Strawberry Kiwi with a twist, and to date, nobody has successfully guessed what the twist is, so I figured I would offer a few details to help things on the way.
I’d also like to add the reminder that suggestions for the next Gold Seal Flavour are still be accepted for the contest to win a box of Gold Seal E-Liquid for $1. Send your flavour suggestion to tim@truenorthvapor.com for a chance to win.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>Lets start with e-liquid and see the pros, cons and other relevant facts. For the purpose of this article, I’ll be breaking liquid down into three sections.
With the liquid out of the way, the hardware becomes easy to match up. Lower VG products should be used with lower wattage devices, which usually means a smaller design more like that of a pen. Lower wattage would be somewhere between 10 and 30 watts.
Higher VG products will need higher wattage devices (50-200 watts). Like the variety of High VG, there is no shortage of hardware that supports these liquids. At this point, you can start looking at things like
Ask your local vape shop what products they suggest.
Salt Nicotine devices can be found in a few different options. Closed pod systems like Juul, Vype or STLTH make changing to new liquids a little less cost effective but significantly more convenient and less potential to be messy. Open pod systems let you fill your own pods which creates a wide array of options for flavours and strengths at the cost of convenience and with the benefit of being cheaper/mL. Devices that work with the low VG liquids will also work with Salt Nicotine.
I hope that helps educate how to choose your hardware based on your e-liquid, or your e-liquid based on your hardware. There is really no right or wrong way to start as every individual is different. Don’t be afraid to walk into your local vape shop and start asking questions; it is by far the best place to start.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>
That’s really the nitty gritty of it. The honest truth is that we really dislike discontinuing any products if it can be helped. We service, directly and indirectly, millions of consumers across the country. Removing a product from our catalogue will almost always generate a complaint and so we do our best to avoid it.
If you’re looking to try a few amazing flavours that are currently in our Blowout Section, here’s a few suggestions:
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>Available now in 30mL and 60mL is the new Strawkerry Biwi. It’s Strawberry Kiwi with a twist; we’d love to see who can tell us what the mystery flavour is!
By popular demand, You Make Me Menthol is now available in a Gold Seal Max VG 60mL bottles. This menthol is STRONG! For you menthol lovers out there, try this on it’s own or add a drop to your favourite fruit or tobacco for a nice cool touch.
Rounding out our Vaped Goods line, Banana Clouds is a sweet Banana Muffin with subtle notes of blueberries and chopped nuts.
As for our contest, click HERE for more details, but currently the running flavours being requested are Mango and Coffee. Get your ideas in to tim@truenorthvapor.com with your suggestions for a chance to win a box of Gold Seal products for $1!
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>A couple of hours ago, the Vape Industry Trade Association (VITA) released a document in French and English that sums up everything we know about e-cigarettes and e-liquid to date. This pamphlet isn’t a sales pitch or an opinionated article; it is simply the facts as we know it to educate the general public about the product that so many of us are passionate about. Avid vapers are probably already well informed, but even myself found some value and facts that I was unaware of.
Regardless of your thoughts about VITA, because there still are many mixed feelings, I believe the value within this material is very relevant, especially to non-vapers out there who have growing concerns about their friends and family who do use e-cigarettes as a smoking alternative. Most of us within the vaping community are now well aware of what the risks are and what they are not because we did our research. My hope is that you, as a vaper, will now share this information with your friends and family who were concerned about you to help alleviate those fears.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>
It’s easy to overlook some flavours in the grand scheme, so we wanted to shed a spotlight on some of our top underrated flavours. These are some of the hidden treasures in our trove of endless opportunities, and they’ve been right under your nose the whole time. Who knows, you might just find your new favourite!
Carousel - Dreamland, available in 60mL bottles
Sweet vanilla ice cream swirled with fresh berry sauce and topped with bananas. This flavour brings us back to our childhoods when a banana split after dinner on a hot day was the most decadent experience of our lives! Now we can relive those years without the extra calories!
Peardrizzle - Tear Drip Juice Co. available in 60mL bottles
When we put this warm baked pear and sticky caramel e-liquid in our tanks, we can hardly stop ourselves from draining them in one sitting. We’ve heard of caramel apple plenty of times before, but pear gives is a whole new take on the sweetness that we didn’t know we needed! The gooeyness perfectly compliments a burst of pear on every hit. That’s why we’ve included this winner on our list of underrated flavours that you need to try.
Eveningstar - Shaman, available in 120mL bottles
Sweet nectarine dancing around in a pool of fresh cucumber water. It’s a delicious cleanse for your palate. The cukes hit light and fresh, while the tang of the nectarine rounds out this perfect vape for anyone looking to try something lighter on the sugar. Is it weird that we want to bathe in this e-liquid?
Supercharge - Double Comma Vapes, available in 60mL bottles
A perfect coffee flavour is difficult to come across. Supercharge hits every mark with deep espresso, rich vanilla cream, ice and a drizzle of caramel sauce to get you jolted for the day. Who says you can’t have iced coffee all year round?
Cherimoya - Ultra Original, available in 60mL bottles
They don’t say it’s the most delicious fruit known to man for no reason. A rare fruit flavour, you can detect hints of banana, strawberry, pineapple, peach, and perhaps a little bit of magic. There’s no fruit blend quite like Cherimoya! Try this one out for a truly unique vaping experience!
Green - Goody Man by Keep it 100, available in 60mL bottles
A delicious, creamy, tangy blend of green fruits into a taffy that reminds us of our favourite chewy candy. Is it a fruit? Is it a candy? Trick question. It’s both, and it’s amazing.
Sex on the Beach - La Cantina, available in 60mL bottles
You can have it all! Peach, orange and cranberry all shaken up with a hint of vodka naughtiness! All that’s missing is a cherry on top, and you have a beloved fruit cocktail that reminds us of summer days and warm sun. As the winter months approach, we’ve been trying to keep our feet in the sand by vaping flavours that take us away on vacation. This is a refreshing drink that will have you craving another round!
Main St. - Route 66, available in 120mL bottles
Warm, cinnamon-baked apples nestled in a flaky crust. Sorry, is your mouth watering for apple pie? Look no further than this all-American classic dessert! Nothing hits the spot like a delectable pie that reminds us of grandmother’s kitchen. Yummy! With 120 millilitres, you won’t have to worry about leaving enough for everyone else. This one’s all yours!
]]>As consumers received their boxes, we started seeing reviews for this new concept and we wanted to share some of them with you today.
Ehor, who grabbed a 25 pack and left a 5-star review, writes “I requested a Candy/fruit and dessert mix. You guys did an awesome job accomidation my request. So far I have used 4 bottles from the box and they have been great! Very impressed with the quality of juices. Way to go Guys ! Thanks! Will definitely order another mystery box in the future.” This is great feedback so far!
Jamie left a 4-star review and said “Good deal. Great way to check out a variety of flavours without breaking the bank. I enjoyed about 60% of the flavours (I am picky ). Even at that, still saving money . Will likely order again. Thanks” This is exactly why we created this product. Even if you aren’t a fan of everything, the cost is so competitive there is still a savings if you enjoy only half of the juices.
John also left a 5-star review! “I got into vaping to try to stop smoking cigarettes. The veritable plethora of tobacco flavored vape juices left me scratching my head. This mystery box allowed me to try a variety of juices without breaking the bank. I particularly am enjoying Wayfarer and Sherlock Holmes but have yet to try them all. I have not tried any that I dislike but have certainly tried some that I liked more than others. None will go to waste and all will be vaped. A cost effective way to try and find a favorite. Keep up the good work.” This is great to hear. With all of the flavours we have to offer, this is a great way to try several out. Also, congratulations on quitting smoking!
If you haven’t checked out the mystery box yet, take a small gamble and give it a shot. We have a lot of amazing flavours available and this is a great way to test out a whole bunch of them at an amazingly low price.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
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Upon first glance, we noticed the device itself does not come with a pod or any coils like most device kits do. Given its reasonable price point, purchasing the device and pod/coils separately equal out to about as much as you would spend on an all-inclusive kit, so we're not too peeved about that! The features on this device more than outweigh having to tack on the price of pods.
The Exilis coils come in packs of 5, or you can purchase a full pod with 2 coils separately. But there's more! The Exilis has rebuildable coils! Look out vape geeks.
This device boasts a 980mAh battery which is sizeable for such a small device. A lanyard comes in the kit as well for those of you that like to keep your vape close to your heart.
Snowwolf claims this device can swap between MTL and DTL, but we all agree that the vapour hit falls somewhere in the middle of the two. The hit is warm and the flavour comes through nicely.
Our rating
Look: 8.0
Cloud: 5.5
Battery life: 9.0
Colour selection: 6.0
Written by
Jamie Porto
True North Vapor, Front of House
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Spiced Apple - Keep it 100
Nothing says fall quite like warm apple cider. The only thing that could make it better is a delicious, cakey donut and sweet powdered sugar on top! This flavour isn't as heavy on the cinnamon as you might think, but balances perfectly with apple and donut to create one of the most delectable seasonal treats around! Available in a 100mL, there's plenty to last into November when you're dreading the impending Winter months! Good thing this flavour is available all year long at True North Vapor.
Cornbread - Japello's
When we first heard the word "cornbread", some of us had mixed reactions. Does it taste like corn? Does it taste like bread? Is it really the flavour of the soulfully beloved, sweet and savoury treat? We had to try it, and we were not let down. It smells exactly the way it vapes, which is delicious! In a fresh tank, the first hit of Japello's cornbread goes down exactly the way you imagine biting into a freshly baked slice should! The corn flavour is subtle but not overpowered by the gentle sweetness. It's a warm, fluffy, bite of bliss! Grab this flavour in a 100mL bottle!
Twin Turbo - Double Comma
This e-liquid seems like it was designed to follow the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. You have juicy peach, a touch of cinnamon crumble all on top of a warm, buttery cake. Our mouths are watering just thinking about the perfect peachy dessert! Available in 60mL bottles, there will definitely be room for seconds... and thirds!
Froth Delight - The Pier
Rich, dark brewed coffee swirled with vanilla cream and frothy goodness on top! This creamy cappuccino flavour will warm your heart and soul just like your favourite morning java! Enjoy this flavour in the morning as you wake up or throughout the day as a pick-me-up! You might not feel the jolt of energy, but you will definitely love the taste of a fresh mug of tasty goodness. Available in 120mL bottles.
Jack-O-Latte - Great Canadian Fog
An absolute must-have for the month of October! Nothing says Halloween quite like a PSL. One shot of hot espresso, spicy pumpkin and creamy steamed milk come together in one of the season's most treasured treats! Every inhale is a different mixture of yummy, and we wish that we could vape this flavour all day, every day. But we'll settle for obsessing all October long about this pleasantly perfected flavour! Available in 60mL bottles for a limited time in the True North Vapor retail store!
Written by
Jamie Porto
True North Vapor, Front of House
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Coming Soon:
You Make Me Menthol in Gold Seal Max VG! – Menthol and VG are extremely tough to balance because too much of either tends to make an e-liquid that will gel or crystalize from extreme heat/cold/vibrations. Since “You Make Me Menthol” is a very intense menthol flavour, this took a lot of time and effort. We’re happy to announce that we will be seeing this within the next couple of weeks!
Strawkerry Biwi in Gold Seal 50/50 (30 and 60mL) – This is one of those flavours that requires precise balance because if either flavour outshines the other, then the mix is lost. We found the best way to accomplish this is to add in a little bit of a twist (Hence the name). When it launches, we’d love to hear back from everyone and see if you can guess the mystery flavour we added. This is also slated to launch in a couple of weeks.
Banana Clouds in Vaped Goods – From the makers of Gold Seal, this is a perfect Banana Bread with thick dollops of whipped cream and a touch of sweetness. Like all flavours in the Vaped Goods lineup, the flavouring is potent and straight to the point.
What’s Next?:
We really want to get our customers involved. What flavours would you like to see in Gold Seal next. We’re running a contest specifically for our readers: Send an email to tim@truenorthvapor.com with your flavour suggestion for Gold Seal and put in the subject line “Gold Seal Flavour Suggestion”. We’ll do a random draw from the list of everyone who submitted a suggestion between now and the end of December 2019 to win a box of Gold Seal E-Liquid for $1. Get those creative juices flowing and submit your ideas!
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
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The difference lies in a combination of airflow, coil wattage range and cloud production.
MTL atomizers do not produce the heavy clouds of vapour we're used to seeing from a sub-ohm tank. This is because the coils have a higher ohm rating which uses less wattage (less wattage, less cloud). At lower wattage ranges, vaping e-liquid with higher nicotine content feels smoother and more manageable, almost like the sticks you're trying to stop lighting! The results are a hotter throat hit and a more likened experience to what you're trying to recreate.
The restricted airflow in these tanks prevents you from drawing too much air too fast, which doesn't replicate the sensation we're after. With less airflow, you're forced to draw harder and steadier. This technology is paired with a narrow mouthpiece and voila, you have concentrated flavour and a more defined hit!
Another pro to using an MTL tank is the customization options greatly increase. They're often seen as an upgrade from a pod system or a beginner kit because you can choose different mods to suit your needs. Whether it's rechargeable, single-battery, dual-battery or more; gone might be the days of small batteries suddenly dying.
Mouth-to-lung tanks tend to have fewer issues with leaking e-liquid because of the smaller ports in the coils and tighter airflow valves. That isn't to say you will never experience leaking, but it's much less disastrous than a 5mL+ sub-ohm tank!
Below is a list of our top-selling MTL atomizers!
Written by Jamie Porto
True North Vapor, Front of House
]]>A couple of months ago, the owner, Jeff asked me if I wanted to go play a round of Disc Golf with him. I had never played a game before and if it weren’t for a PlayStation game that used the Move, I probably wouldn’t have even heard of it.
I was quite surprised by several things as we played. First being the number of people who play this game; we consistently had players both in front and behind us, and because it was my first time playing, we had to let a few people play through from time to time. Secondly was the number of players who were vaping on the course. I mean, I’ve seen people vaping before of course, I work in this industry, but the quantity of players who vaped was staggering. It made me take note of the lack of cigarette butts as well. It makes sense though really. You can get a pretty good work out if you’re running the course, even climbing a few hills is good exercise, so I couldn’t really see a smoker shooting 18 or 36 holes.
In the end, I lost horribly but had an amazing time playing. I’ve been a couple times since then to play only to be destroyed, even with a 15-point handicap. Seriously, I’m terrible. It’s really fun though and looks to be a sport that is gaining popularity.
Passion ignites inspiration; getting out there and being active is a great way to get some exercise and it just promotes a healthy lifestyle. I’ve said before that I got involved in the e-liquid industry because I wanted to be part of the team that helped millions of smokers ditch the combustible cigarettes because I grew up in a household that was filled with secondhand smoke. Being active isn’t any different and something worth promoting. So Jeff’s passion for Disc Golf inspired him to help put this sport in the spotlight and create True North Disc Golf – a media company that films and showcases Disc Golf tournaments.
If you’ve never played the game, you really should give it a shot. The cost to get started is extremely low and the support from local players for new people has been amazing. I’ve never been a very active person, but Disc Golf for me provided a healthy amount of outdoor time without leaving me in pain the next day like I had just spent the evening at the gym. That’s a happy medium for me.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
EDIT:
After posting these videos, we have been overwhelmed by the number of viewers who are supporting this new endeavor. What is showcased now is just the first for four games of the match. You can expect to see much more in the future as True North Disc Golf expands and covers tournaments all over.
]]>The proposal of these bans raises a few questions about what the government hopes to accomplish with these new regulations. Before getting into that though, I’d like to take you back somewhere between 5 and 8 years ago when vaping in Canada was still in its infancy.
For those who saw the potential in e-cigarettes; e-liquid was a great way for someone with a little bit of knowledge and resourcefulness to make some good money while also helping fellow smokers ditch those combustible cigarettes. These would-be entrepreneurs would set up their version of a ‘clean room’ and start manufacturing products to sell to the public. With fine syringes, the ratios of Propylene Glycol, Vegetable Glycerin and Nicotine would be reasonably close but always had some level of inaccuracy. The term “bathtub e-liquid” was born and later GMP certified facilities would be the go-to option for manufacturing. With everything happening in the media with contaminated THC Cartridges, those “bathtub e-liquid” products have now been given a new term: “Blackmarket e-liquid”.
I feel this is the core problem with the suggestion to ban flavoured e-cigarettes as it further encourages home manufacturing of products that will inevitably end up sold; effectively taking this industry back 5+ years. There are many owners I have met in this industry that were unhappy with bottling and flavour name regulations, yet I feel we were truly on the right path. Consumers have a right to know exactly what is in their product with an easy to read label. Consumers should not have to be concerned about their young children finding nicotine products appealing. Everything that has been done to this point has made perfect, logical sense to me.
Daniel David of VITA posted an article in regards to the Yukon proposal and had this to say: “The industry is in support of regulations that protect consumers, but we must take care to make sure they are developed without haste and to enforce regulations that are already in place. We want to ensure that adult Canadians have access to regulated products and to protect against illicit market products that could potentially be unsafe.” (Full article can be found here: https://vitaofcanada.com/vita-yukon-response/)
I feel like a flavour ban is the wrong approach to the youth vaping problem and worsens the concerns that vapers have now about the safety in e-liquid. Without flavoured e-liquid, many adult Canadians who have successfully transitioned away from cigarettes are going to be faced with a difficult decision: should they vape on a flavourless product/ flavoured with the tobacco they’ve tried to get away from, or switch back to harmful cigarettes?
Time will only tell if that is a question that people will need to ask themselves. I hope that the governing bodies of each province will opt to allow Health Canada to continue making helpful decisions for Canadians based on factual information rather than try the ‘quick fix’ that is more likely to exacerbate the problem further.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>Most of our clients are aware now that the FDA and CDC confirmed the respiratory cases that resulted in serious lung injuries and deaths were related to black-market THC cartridges. The reality is that the only similarity that vaping has to these products is the vehicle and method in which they are consumed. That would be no different than holding the soda pop industry accountable for someone’s alcoholic beverage being contaminated with some unknown drug; both are consumed the same way but really aren’t related to each other.
The word is still getting out there though and consumers are becoming more educated; not just the vapers but also the friends and families of those who vape. Retail shops that carry our product are re-stocking and our retail consumers are continuing to choose a vaping product over combustible cigarettes. That doesn’t mean things are back to normal as we are still fielding calls from concerned vape shop owners and customers about the state of the current industry. Those calls are becoming fewer and further between, but there is still education to be shared and so I will continue to write on the subject until those calls stop entirely.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
]]>Recently in Nova Scotia, the Legislative Assembly by the PC Leader, Tim Houston proposed to amend the Tobacco Act ban flavoured vaping products. These proposals usually stem from two different problems that are assumed or perceived among governing bodies:
Addressing the first point, members of VITA have answered this directly for me stating that the goal is to always promote to smokers and current vapers who are not minors. The question that is always skirted is will banning flavours really reduce the appeal to young people? My suspicion is that it will not. If underage people are grabbing high nicotine products, their goal isn’t for the flavour but for the head rush. A flavourless or tobacco flavoured product will still do that. Banning the flavours will only harm the millions of smokers who found it possible to make the switch because they needed something that tasted better than tobacco.
On the second point, we’ve known for years exactly what is in e-liquid products. The chemicals found in recent THC cartridges (Vitamin E Acetate) have never been present in e-liquids. Banning flavours will not change the primary ingredients in e-liquid.
In a recent article written by Daniel David, the President & CEO of VITA wrote “We urge the Nova Scotia Government to reject these short-sighted measures and instead work with stakeholders and rely on evidence to come to sensible regulations.” Full article on this can be found here:
I am pleased to see VITA, even in its infancy, taking a stance to help advocate for the vaping industry with factual and logical information.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor
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