here. I now believe that BTCs want you to vape and its more than just a theory. Sorry if it is a really tough read , timing was critical because if I wait too long then my time spent writing this would be a waste. Full Disclosure from author: I wrote this a long while back, but like always I say, “I will fix the grammar and spelling later” and never touch it again. However a recent article was posted on Reddit confirming my gut instincts so I have to act fast. The article can be found I was hoping finish it and make it a smoother read but because of the new information I rushed publishing.

Big Tobacco WANTs you to vape. Don’t be fooled.

Many blogger’s forum posters and YouTube Vloggers make comments speaking about how the FDA is in the pockets of the tobacco companies and other government regulating bodies in a quest to crush the small business vaping movement. When I first read these it was my impulse to agree, then to post a comment on how corrupt the FDA was and how big tobacco pays everyone off and government wants their tax money. Of course I made this judgment reading 10,000 other posts similar in nature thus justifying my logical fallacy. But I have evolved, from the perspective of an entrepreneur, a truth seeker, a complicated problem solver, and master bullshitter; I have to warn the entire vaping community is dancing like puppets, right into big tobaccos master plan. Let me explain a bit more, as I am not an experienced writer some of you may find my writing style a bit stiff to read, just be warned.

Big tobacco wanted the FDA to crush us. Probably wrong.

At first this seems to make sense in the obvious ways, but if you really think about it this makes almost no business sense as vaping could be a big revenue stream for tobacco. We saw BT embrace SNUS and we know they are fully aware of the products. Big Tobacco will not hurt anything that could make them money in the future, and in fact BTCs are super wealthy they have more wealth, sales experience, influence and distribution networks in this trade than all the vape shops in the U.S. combined. In less than a few days BT could put all its competitors out of business. They are not threatened at all; in fact they want to see us grow.

Who is behind the FDA and why so much pressure?

The FDA is behind the FDA, you can’t expect a large but mostly useless agency to sit back and not apply any resistance to this. FDA is known for trying to make everything they can either regulated or illegal, you have to justify your existence, when you’re a government agency who collects a check and writes your own rules. It would only be natural that the negative publicity of anything nicotine related would draw their attention in full force. I would actually suspect that the ruling judge involved in blocking the FDA from banning would be influenced by BT more so than the FDA. Who knows maybe he was in the pocket of BT.

One thing is for sure, my tax dollars better be doing something better than making changes to the food pyramid every few months. We know they are a joke and they know as well, the need this, “hey America look at me, I’m doing my job” The government is cash strapped, the FDA needs to put on a good show on its easiest target.

So what is the long term play there must be a better agenda.

It simple, the cost of mass production and distribution is really expensive. The public resistance is powerful too so they can’t just launch without wide spread resistance by the health conscious public. Long term testing is risky, time consuming, and expensive (not to mention inaccurate) the best way for the product to reach full maturity is the let motivated vapers, shops and Chinese do all the heavy lifting. In fact it’s beyond perfect, why risk their own cash on a buggy product when it’s being done faster without your own intervention without any cost to you. Like I said, BTCs when they are ready to launch an all-out assault nobody stands a chance.

It’s been a few years why haven’t they competed more aggressively with the recent purchase of blu for example.

The paragraph above should highlight most of it. Public outcry is not as strong when small business takes on a concept or idea vs. a giant company. We are easing them in little by little. Many people will be sympathizers to small business in the early stages allowing for faster adoption, education, testing, feedback and faster adaptations in technology. BTCs will not ruin this growth/education until it starts to plateau, once we have some really good products and better long term research this is when they will strike. Why spend you own money and time when the passionate volunteer public is doing it for you all you? It’s simple just wait and don’t rattle the cage and let them know you’re out there. Remember BTC never innovated anything, this is not what they do, they are dealers of addictive substances. They are not scientist or engineers. They market, distribute, sell, and negotiate with powerful regulators which is something small business just cannot do. They want this to be as unregulated as possible to find the best combinations for themselves to market when regulation finally begins. (a possible more sinister motive is 2 paragraphs below)

The purchase of BLU is nothing more than a “testing” stage. When a doctor is trained they do not start with a human cadaver, you start with a frog, then a pig and then if things go right you get your very own cadaver. Right now big tobacco is cutting up a frog, we should not get comfortable that because blu cigs suck that we are winning. We have done nothing.

A more sinister motive as to why there has not been more stiff regulation. The proper catalyst has not been found.

From the BTC perspective why suffocate something that is growing rapidly, regulation means that technology and growth stops, they obviously want small business innovation to create as good a product as possible. In my strategic mind they are probably waiting for two things, a technical plateau or a disaster.

From the FDA perspective they cannot impose severe taxes and regulations until someone gives them a good reason. This works out both for the FDA and BT. If you want control of something you need to let a bit of chaos take place first to justify the need for draconian policy. We have seen a few shops still selling eliquids without child resistant bottles and nicotine contents that were way off. Polycarbonate plastic melts with certain liquid mixes. But all we really need is a child or elderly man to die or get really sick and it’s all over. BT is an expert in the field of nicotine related deaths; they will navigate regulations like Magellan without any issue. For the FDA this “death” could be the martyr that FDA and the public needs to enforce massive destructive small business regulation. Think about it like this, 40 million smoke, 300 million do not you will be outgunned on all fronts. In fact the FDA will be one of the last company’s lobbying for our destruction. When a child dies you can bet every single nonprofit and regulating entity in the USA will be screaming bloody murder. Lawyers will be looking for reasons to sue any vender they can and most shops will shut their doors. If responsible adults dying of cancer because they smoked brought the passions of the public and regulators, wait until you get a taste a small child who poured the 30ml blueberry muffin 24mg into his cereal. Consumers you should stop supporting venders who are not taking the basic steps to help stop this from happening. In fact I really honestly think you’re a completely irresponsible if you sell eliquids with no child resistance caps. There is simply no excuse; someone with arthritis can simply pour the bottle into another bottle. Bottom line, kids drink bleach and drano and die, but somehow blueberry eliquid out in the open is ok? Come on don’t be stupid. A child death will force all regulators to move faster, two deaths will seal the deal. And if you think you’re going to operate a gray market forget it, the negative stigma associated with child death will make it a felony in no time and everyone else will call you a drug dealer. This includes DIY people as well.

The Bottom line.

There is no reason for big tobacco to want to do anything but watch us grow, whether they are looking for a catastrophe to ensure the regulators crush small competition making them the only source for legal vaping supply’s. Or as guniea pigs and innovators making the products reach perfection at no risk to themselves. Either way they are not doing anything to hurt this industry and you should start thinking outside the box as how to fight the inevitable.

I like being self employed, and hopefully when the end comes I can ease my way out, but dumb vendors naive vendors selling easy open bottles threatens EVERYONE in this industry I promise you!

-Edward