VPASA - disassociate vaping from tobacco products

[Hooked]

Vaping body wants to be disassociated from tobacco sector and allowed to operate online during Level 3
https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/news...wed-to-operate-online-during-level-3-48477268

"The vaping industry is demanding to be allowed to sell its products online and for delivery during lockdown level3. They also want to be disassociated from the tobacco sector.
Vapour Products Association of South Africa (VPASA) chief executive Asanda Gcoyi told The Star that the narrative that vapour products, cigarettes and tobacco products were the same was problematic...

The VPASA is calling for the government to allow vapour products to be purchased online and for delivery during lockdown level 3.

The chief executive said the lockdown had been very bad for the vapour products industry, because the sector largely consisted of small businesses. She added that most of the business owners were former smokers who found a safe alternative and then opened shops.

“We’ve got about 5000 direct jobs that are at risk and we’ve about 400-500 small businesses across South Africa, and a lot are on the brink of bankruptcy because they can’t sell,” she said.

Gcoyi said the VPASA was worried that customers would go back to smoking.

“My other concern is the illicit market. People are buying vape juice from shops we know nothing about, we hear it’s available at spaza shops, stories that people are mixing juices at home, which is extremely dangerous, because they are just mixing things and the environment is not right.” ...

 

[alex1501]

stories that people are mixing juices at home, which is extremely dangerous, because they are just mixing things and the environment is not right.” ...

Everyone tries to abuse the situation to further their own agenda. "Never let good crisis go to waste".

 

[Puff the Magic Dragon]

The track record of VAPASA has never impressed me.

stories that people are mixing juices at home, which is extremely dangerous, because they are just mixing things and the environment is not right.” ...

Saying that DIY is dangerous is outrageous. If someone is not capable of DIY juice making then in all likelihood they would be able to kill or harm themselves when baking or gardening. One would also assume that mixing baby milk formula at home would be similarly dangerous. It is also legal to buy a chainsaw and use it at home.

 

[vicTor]

the diy statement upsets me

 

[Feliks Karp]

The DIY upsets me too but does kinda make sense, I personally prefer buying from ISO certified vendors because mixing is easy, but do people do it in a clean environment? People mixing their own for their own consumption is fine, but I'm getting offers for more and more home brew stuff, and I immediately wonder if it's produced in a dust free/clean environment, did they wash their hands, etc

 

[kolakidd]

Strictly from my POV, I think if you understand how media works then it shouldn't take it to personally. If you want to get people to take notice and act you need to have a shock and a consequence sound bite that people can latch onto. Creating a false fear around people killing themselves because of DIY is obviously alarmist, but at the same time it's an easy and tangible concept for someone who doesn't understand the environment to grasp and to include in their own arguments as a consequence of the lock down. Is it the best shock and consequence sound bite, I don't know.

 

[Vap0urWav3]

Vaping body wants to be disassociated from tobacco sector and allowed to operate online during Level 3
https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/news...wed-to-operate-online-during-level-3-48477268

"The vaping industry is demanding to be allowed to sell its products online and for delivery during lockdown level3. They also want to be disassociated from the tobacco sector.
Vapour Products Association of South Africa (VPASA) chief executive Asanda Gcoyi told The Star that the narrative that vapour products, cigarettes and tobacco products were the same was problematic...

The VPASA is calling for the government to allow vapour products to be purchased online and for delivery during lockdown level 3.

The chief executive said the lockdown had been very bad for the vapour products industry, because the sector largely consisted of small businesses. She added that most of the business owners were former smokers who found a safe alternative and then opened shops.

“We’ve got about 5000 direct jobs that are at risk and we’ve about 400-500 small businesses across South Africa, and a lot are on the brink of bankruptcy because they can’t sell,” she said.

Gcoyi said the VPASA was worried that customers would go back to smoking.

“My other concern is the illicit market. People are buying vape juice from shops we know nothing about, we hear it’s available at spaza shops, stories that people are mixing juices at home, which is extremely dangerous, because they are just mixing things and the environment is not right.” ...

Its about time someone made this official.

 

[M.Adhir]

Strictly from my POV, I think if you understand how media works then it shouldn't take it to personally. If you want to get people to take notice and act you need to have a shock and a consequence sound bite that people can latch onto. Creating a false fear around people killing themselves because of DIY is obviously alarmist, but at the same time it's an easy and tangible concept for someone who doesn't understand the environment to grasp and to include in their own arguments as a consequence of the lock down. Is it the best shock and consequence sound bite, I don't know.

I hear you. The problem I have is that the lady from VPASA a week or two ago (on a news channel) is the one who said that "brewing at home" is dangerous. So thats not a journo or news presenter putting a spin on it, its the source itself that voiced in the clip.
That then to me makes it look like there is more interest for protecting the supply chain (juicers and vendors) than there is in advocating for vaping being a safer and less harmful alternative to smoking.

 

[CJB85]

Its about time someone made this official.

This exact video was one of the catalysts in making me switch from cigarettes to vaping... this was when I still thought "popcorn lung" was an actual thing!

 

[Vap0urWav3]

This exact video was one of the catalysts in making me switch from cigarettes to vaping... this was when I still thought "popcorn lung" was an actual thing!

Lol so Im on the right track(following in your footsteps).

 

[vicTor]

I hear you. The problem is have is that the lady from VPASA a week or two ago (on a news channel) is the one who said that "brewing at home" is dangerous. So thats not a journo or news presenter putting a spin on it, its the source itself that voiced in the clip.
That then to me makes it look like there is more interest for protecting the supply chain (juicers and vendors) than there is in advocating for vaping being a safer and less harmful alternative to smoking.

nice one, this is exactly what I couldn't put into words, agree 100%

 

[Vap0urWav3]

This exact video was one of the catalysts in making me switch from cigarettes to vaping... this was when I still thought "popcorn lung" was an actual thing!

I dub thee...Sir Caramel Popcorn Balls

 

[CJB85]

Lol so Im on the right track(following in your footsteps).

Oh no, my footsteps are not the ones to follow in... you would be doing yourself a disservice.

 

[DysectorZA]

Vaping body wants to be disassociated from tobacco sector and allowed to operate online during Level 3

It sounds great and all, to have vaping be separate from tobacco, but I have doubts that it would ever happen any time soon unfortunately.

 

[Vap0urWav3]

It sounds great and all, to have vaping be separate from tobacco, but I have doubts that it would ever happen any time soon unfortunately.

Unfortunately youre right. They'd rather ban vaping before smoking like they have in India and Brazil.
It makes no sense unless we start going into conspiracy theory territory.
Starting to look a whoooooooole lot like they want us to be unhealthy.

 

[Vap0urWav3]

Oh no, my footsteps are not the ones to follow in... you would be doing yourself a disservice.

Dude...wheres the "youre a spaz" emoji reply? Admins admins little help here. Lol. Ill take your word for it at the moment but still. Youre one up on me

 

[Martin_tu]

I may be wrong but AFAIK, VPASA is -as was its predecessor;'EASA'- predominantly funded by TWISP, well, them and the very short list of vapers who can afford their three thousand Rand a month membership fee, (yeah really). So given that, one can easily accept and totally understand that they are no friends of the DIY crowd at all. (Remember the days when you had to use the TWISP-produced pods (own liquid) or invalidate their warranty? yeah right.)

But just so we're all on the same page here, VPASA's own website, (https://vpasa.org.za/) states very clearly, "Vapour Products Association of South Africa (VPASA) represents manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers of smoke-free vapour products in South Africa." (i.e. NEITHER Vapers, nor Vaping per se.)

As someone else has commented, VPASA's track record leaves a lot to be desired, (and that's being very diplomatic) but then quick Interweb search of Asanda Gcoyi's background reveals her true nature and raison d'etre,
and

Gcoyi is merely an opportunist, a bandwagoner of -currently- the Vape scene, and previously the 'black entrepreneur' scene.

I seriously doubt she's either a vaper or has any real in-depth knowledge of the Vape phenomenon, (either here in SA or internationally); Vape 'Science' and fake anti-vape media fact-checking, (a la Dr Farsalinos; CASAA, INNCrg, https://nicotinepolicy.net/ or https://antithrlies.com/

Simply by the fact that vaping is considered -and has been now for some years- 'groundbreaking THR technology' in worldwide health matters, by more accredited scientific and respected academic sources than one can shake a hairy stick at. That fact alone begging the question as to why the -obviously well funded- VPASA crowd hasn't even sought out any local medical or scientific talent to propagate the real, core message, that being quite simply; If you don't want to smoke tobacco any more and you've tried everything else so far, don't quit, switch.

And I don't use an 'E-cigarette', I vaporise -or if you prefer, atomise- a flavoured liquid with nicotine added, its called a Vaporiser, I VAPE. Personally, I'm 100% certain it's saved my life and I don't need to guess if others (non-vapers) want to know more about it, worldwide we're looking at well over forty million vapers already, and over seven thousand new people a week still read my Quora.com answers on the matter, (and I stopped posting there a year ago, LOL.)

Go well fellow vapers, keep the faith.

Martin_tu
INSIV (mf)

 

[Feliks Karp]

And I don't use an 'E-cigarette', I vaporise -or if you prefer, atomise- a flavoured liquid with nicotine added, its called a Vaporiser, I VAPE. Personally, I'm 100% certain it's saved my life and I don't need to guess if others (non-vapers) want to know more about it, worldwide we're looking at well over forty million vapers already, and over seven thousand new people a week still read my Quora.com answers on the matter, (and I stopped posting there a year ago, LOL.)

Go well fellow vapers, keep the faith.

Martin_tu
INSIV (mf)

Well I mean, none of us actually vape since its not vapor either it's an aerosol but I guess that sounds scary too. Thanks for the video links, very interesting background to her.

 

[Vap0urWav3]

Gcoyi is merely an opportunist, a bandwagoner of -currently- the Vape scene, and previously the 'black entrepreneur' scene.

And then at the same time the tobacco industry is trying to weasle its way in (whether it be for the right reasons or not and assuming nicotine isnt the devil - all that extra crap in a cigarette is).

Anyway this is an amazing investigative documentary!

 

[mrh]

I havent read this full thread but I feel that in the South African context (doff about vaping as a whole)one cannot be too hostile towards the Vpasa woman. She has to vocalize about vaping in a certain public context without alienating people unduly (politics!) I see her as an ally - disseminating much needed info about the difference between vaping and smoking - which is crucial to give vapers there untaxed rights in this country.

 

[RenaldoRheeder]

My initial reaction to the DIY statement by the lady from VPASA, was also WTF. But in the bigger picture we have to consider percieved quality and control in the commercial juice industry that can somehow be held accountable vs. the opposite in the DIY community. We as mixers presumably know what we do and take sufficient precautions to keep our mixes safe. However, I spoke with a friend of mine yesterday and was told about the mixing that a colleague of his did. His colleague (a smoker struggling during the ban) bought a China shop vape pen together with vape juice of the same origin. She found the juice to be too weak (there was no indication of nic strength on the bottle) and started hunting for nicotine. She found some from somewhere and proceeded to mix the juice and nic 50/50. Needles to say - she did not find a pleasant result. I know this is probably not an everyday occurance in our game and probably more like the pineapple beer experiment, but still concerning. So in such a situation, it is understandable where the VPASA statement came from.


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[vicTor]

My initial reaction to the DIY statement by the lady from VPASA, was also WTF. But in the bigger picture we have to consider percieved quality and control in the commercial juice industry that can somehow be held accountable vs. the opposite in the DIY community. We as mixers presumably know what we do and take sufficient precautions to keep our mixes safe. However, I spoke with a friend of mine yesterday and was told about the mixing that a colleague of his did. His colleague (a smoker struggling during the ban) bought a China shop vape pen together with vape juice of the same origin. She found the juice to be too weak (there was no indication of nic strength on the bottle) and started hunting for nicotine. She found some from somewhere and proceeded to mix the juice and nic 50/50. Needles to say - she did not find a pleasant result. I know this is probably not an everyday occurance in our game and probably more like the pineapple beer experiment, but still concerning. So in such a situation, it is understandable where the VPASA statement came from.


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yes I was initially upset as I took the statement out of context, but I have since realized that what they actually mean is exactly as what you have said, vaping right now, does not need an incident where someone mixed something at home and died or landed up in ICU or something, this would be ammunition against us

 

[Vap0urWav3]

Needles to say - she did not find a pleasant result. I know this is probably not an everyday occurance in our game and probably more like the pineapple beer experiment, but still concerning. So in such a situation, it is understandable where the VPASA statement came from.

Now that you mention it...dare I say...Im gonna get some thumbs down for this lol...alcohol should be going through the same struggle. Oh wait...it did...kinda. You get my drift tho. Geese and gander but I suppose you could use the same mentality for everything.

Ps. When are we getting together for a vape sesh? Did you hear Candys is open for drive through!

 

[RenaldoRheeder]

Now that you mention it...dare I say...Im gonna get some thumbs down for this lol...alcohol should be going through the same struggle. Oh wait...it did...kinda. You get my drift tho. Geese and gander but I suppose you could use the same mentality for everything.

Ps. When are we getting together for a vape sesh? Did you hear Candys is open for drive through!

I thought I saw your car there


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[Vap0urWav3]

I thought I saw your car there


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