The FDA’s war on vaping and repeated turning a blind eye to big tobacco is nothing new to us here at Smokers Heaven Smoke and Vape Shops, and as usual, we continue to monitor any move they make public. Previously, we’ve seen the FDA changing course when the public outcry becomes so loud that they can’t ignore it. (Think back to when they began requiring vaping manufacturers to submit applications for market approval). Since they seemingly opened up the dialogue and created a path for vaping companies to be in the good graces of the FDA, millions of applications were submitted. While that seemed promising at the time, the fact is that it was all a wild good chase and possibly part of a bigger planned agenda concocted years ago.
Sure, the whole JUUL thing was a bad look for the vaping industry, and retail shops like us were in the crosshairs of nearly every media agency both here in the Kansas City area and nationally. Still, the fact is that vaping has helped countless adult smokers and tobacco users find an alternative. We’re not going to pretend we’re scientists, but based on our empirical experience (speaking from a former smoker), vaping is a viable and less harmful alternative to smoking cigarettes or chewing tobacco. Your humble blog content writer quit BOTH a little over 4 years ago thanks to vaping products.
So, after all this time, should we be watching the FDA now? Well, the overall manner and factors that they had initially stated were the criteria for marketing approval versus denial have taken a dramatic shift. Unlike previous MDOs (marketing denial orders) that focused more on flavored disposable vapes that contained flavors, they have denied refillable vaping devices that contain zero nicotine at all. SMOK and Suorin are the most notable among the companies that were given MDOs in recent weeks, but the FDA didn’t stop at the vaping devices themselves. They included marketing denial for nearly all of the device accessories (tanks, coils, etc).
Why would they do this? We think it’s pretty clear. Since the FDA began its assault on vaping companies that threaten the status quo of big tobacco remaining the dominant nicotine kings, they have never once attempted to regulate, ban, or deny marketing approved to vape juice companies, and there are some BIG ones out there. To us, the answer appears to be that by taking refillable vaping devices off the market, the vape juice companies will fall soon after. While the FDA may think they will win this war, they will unintentionally create a black market of vape juice and vaping devices, which no one wants, including any of us here at Smokers Heaven.
In summary, the fact that cigarettes are still on the shelves of some of our stores and that the only vaping devices approved (see image above) to market are made by either RJ Reynolds, Atria, or subsidiaries of tobacco/cigarette manufacturers should be an eye opener as to who and what is taking the reigns and putting public health in the backseat: BIG TOBACCO. Think of Chuck Schumer’s latest rant on Zyn nicotine pouches while smokeless chewing tobacco (which has been proven to cause mouth cancer) isn’t even mentioned in the conversation.
We’ll keep our eyes out for any new information as it becomes available, but we urge our customers to make their voices heard in any way they can. In the meantime, come see us at our locations in South Kansas City on Wornall Road, Olathe on Santa Fe, and Harrisonville on 291 Highway. Stay strong and vape on!
