NEWS
2
t
par
Having reflected, in the last issue, on how vapers could break free from the
TPD by vaping without nicotine, VaperCrew’s MD, Melissa Morris, now
looks at how this might affect the evolving industry.
Concentrates and zero-nicotine products could, in a post-TPD
market, become the proving ground for new eliquid flavours. The
knowledgeable independent vape shops and online specialists,
who are most likely to sell them, will be on the cutting-edge of
new flavour trends, way before they hit the mainstream. And, as
in fashion and many other industries, the most successful of
these innovative flavours will eventually reach mass-produced
late
nicotine-containing products …six months later.
So, let's reimagine the TPD after-party from the last issue, still
using booze as our nicotine analogy. It’s a house party. The
gang in the kitchen are on the store-bought booze. Those in the
garden are booze-free and experimenting with new flavours.
There is a small huddle of people in the lounge with a flask,
topping up their own bottles. Talk of great new flavours and
innovative blends merges with chatter about quality standards
and emissions data. Everyone enjoys the conversation and
there is no talk of anyone heading back to the smoking joint.
Such a party is possible. Vapers can support those companies
who notify and, as a result, pioneer product testing and deeper
industry understanding, to make the party safer for everyone.
And we can still support the smaller flavour specialists who
continue to focus on developing great flavours, but offering them
only as high-quality zero-nicotine eliquids and concentrates.
Likewise, the industry itself can be mutually supportive: the ‘Big
Boys
Boys’ will need innovative, tried and tested flavours that are
22 ISSUE 05 VAPOUROUND MAGAZINE
worth the expense of notifying - and the flavour specialists will
need to engage with, and learn from, the knowledge of flavour
safety gleaned from the Big Boys' testing.
Like all good ecosystems, there should be 'big fish and little fish'
in the vaping industry. As time goes on, lots of tasty little fish will
undoubtedly get eaten by the big fish (read bought-out, not
killed-off!) and, if it's a healthy ecosys tem, lots of new big and
little fish will emerge.
howeve one important caveat to this utopia. Rather
There is, however,
like the fragrance industry, we must grow up, play nicely, and
adopt a respectful unilateral code of conduct around trade
secrets and the protection of the intellectual property associated
with unique flavour profiles, in order to attract, nurture and
reward creative genius in the industry – but that's for another
discussion.
At the end of the da
day, eliquids shouldn't purely be defined by
whether or not they contain nicotine. Instead, they should be
judged on quality - of ingredients, production standards, and
flavours. That way, only the best, high-quality, fairly priced
brands will survive - as a result of consumer demand, not
imposed legislation dictating who should and shouldn't exist in
the ecosystem in the first place.