A few weeks ago, the wild spread of misinformation about vaping related illness hit mainstream media and social media. With the clarification that the problem has stemmed from black-market, low quality THC cartridges finally getting out there, it feels as if the industry is beginning to stabilize. As a result of poor research being done, the news that vaping products are causing respiratory system problems and that people are dying from vaping scattered to millions of vapers having them question a product they have been successfully been using for years in lieu of combustible cigarettes. The faith that consumers placed in these products was shattered and left vapers wondering “what will I do now?”
The unfortunate reality is that a black stain caused by poor reporting is not so easily washed away. As retailers and consumers are getting more and more confirmation from several reliable sources that vaping e-liquid was not the cause of these deaths and other breathing issues, the credibility of the industry is slowly returning. Consumers are running on the last few drops of their supply and asking themselves some logical questions to determine what to do next, such as:
How have I been vaping for X years without incident and in the span of a few weeks there are people dying?
This is, in my eyes, the most sensible question to open with. There are really only two answers here: Either something has changed in the product, or the information being reported is flawed. I’d like to alleviate the concerns about the first possibility. True North Vapor has not changed the ingredient list or lowered quality of those ingredients since the inception of Gold Seal E-Liquid nearly 8 years ago. The same can be said for every other brand we carry. It’s simply Vegetable Glycerin and Propylene Glycol, both Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) by the FDA as well as flavouring without the use of food colouring and Nicotine. That’s it! No Vitamin E Acetate (oils), No LIPIDS (Fatty Acids), nothing.
What would the vaping manufacturers stand to gain by putting harmful materials in their products?
Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Tobacco companies many years ago made a product that ultimately kills two out of every three users when used as directed. Our goal was specifically to fix that number, to stop seeing people needlessly die by ingesting thousands of unknown chemicals and cancer-causing carcinogens. The primary reason Vitamin E Acetate is being found in THC cartridges is because it makes the product thicker, which has been associated with ‘higher quality’ and is much cheaper than what reputable manufacturers have been using. Vegetable Glycerin found in e-liquid is already affordable and is in fact the most cost-effective portion of the product. In short, substituting it out would not be ethical, practical or financially beneficial.
How do I continue to purchase e-liquid safely?
Go to a vape shop. With the number of regulations that have impacted this industry over the years, many of our competitors have been forced to make quality products like we have already been doing since our foundation; if they weren’t already. Most vape shop owners started out as vape users, kicking an old habit and having a passion to help others do the same. Corners get cut on the labels all the time, but the production of e-liquid has been extremely stable for a long time.
If you, as a vaper, are truly still concerned at this point and not sure how to remain smoke free, my best recommendation would be to change nothing. If you have been vaping products from us, then continue to do so with confidence. If you’ve been vaping our competitors’ products, then continue to do so with confidence.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor