Vapers InAleThe eMagazine from the

Campaign for Vaping in Pubs

© 2012

Contents

Introduction – Page 3Top Tipples (a couple of strong ones) – Page 5

How to find a vaping pub – Page 6What is vaping? (a guide for publicans) – Page 8

Help! - Page 10Vaping versus esmoking – Page 11'Stay Inside' VIP Nights – Page 12

Ecigs saved my life – Page 13Puzzles – Page 16

The Loco in Haxey – Page 18Norwich 'City of Ale' – Page 21

Getting ecigs into pubs (The ebacconist project) – Page 24Top Smoking and Booze Quotes – Page 26

What is ECCA UK? - Page 27Vaping and the Blues – Page 28

Tamworth – Page 30At The Cutting Edge – Page 32

Page 2

Introduction

Over the last two years, the Campaign for Vaping in Pubs has been spreading the word about the legal alternative to smoking in pubs. The aim has been to increase awareness to smokers that there is an alternative to standing outside your local with a pint and missing all the fun going off inside.

Traditional pubs and what they have to offer, are becoming a real rarity. A large section of society in 2012, does not understand the concept of a traditional community pub and what it can offer its locality. Many people under the age of 40, have not been exposed to a real pub. Instead, they associate pubs with either extortionately priced alcohol, somewhere to eat out or take the kids, as part of a bingeing pub crawl or a trendy 'pulling' place.

Many of the younger generation have never spent the whole of a single night in one pub. This lost generation is possibly the main reason why traditional pubs are failing, however, the 'smoking ban', along with the price differential between on and off sales, has contributed to the decline.

Despite the Government's attempts to stop people from smoking or discourage people from taking up the 'nasty' habit, many people (like myself) still enjoy a smoke, especially with a pint or two. The same holds true for the younger generation of smokers who we wish to attract into our traditional pubs.

One possible way of doing this is to encourage traditional pubs to become the local 21st century tobacconist or ebacconist - a place for smokers to buy their favourite brand of electronic cigarette (ecig).

© 2012

Tobacco cigarettes seem to have no place in our future;",,, both at home and internationally, we will continue to act against the vested and commercial interests of the tobacco industry.

As Secretary of State for Health, I haven’t met with those companies. Not now or when I was in Opposition as the Conservative’s health spokesman. Their interests are not my interests. My objective is to achieve smoke-free communities; theirs is to make a profit from selling intrinsically harmful products. We don’t have common ground. This is not like alcohol, where there is a level of responsible drinking and potential shared campaigns between Government and retailers. That’s why there is no place in the Responsibility Deal for tobacco companies. There is no responsible level of tobacco consumption."

and

"We’ll also be looking at the best ways to reduce the damage that tobacco does to smokers’ bodies, even if they can’t or won’t break their addiction to nicotine.

As you know, although nicotine is an addictive substance in cigarettes, the damage mostly comes from the inhalation of the smoke itself.

Anything we can do to reduce that damage is well worth doing, even if some smokers can’t kick the nicotine."

(Speech: 6 March 2012, Andrew Lansley, Smoking and Health)

Smoking is becoming a very expensive and 'socially uncomfortable' pastime due to Government policies . The good old days when we could browse the different brands on offer at our local tobacconist or choose from a selection of 'goodies' on display at our local supermarket have gone for good.

We now feel like druggies at a chemist queuing up for a methadone fix when we visit out local Tesco or Morrisons. Another alternative is to go abroad for our supplies or descend into the 'Black Market' by purchasing those imported on our behalf. As the policies on tobacco become harsher and harsher, smokers will have to look for an alternative to smoking tobacco.

Electronic cigarettes will become more and more popular as the Government's plans to eradicate 'tobacco consumption' and 'reduce the damage that tobacco does to smokers' bodies' take effect. Already tobacco companies are looking to market their own brands of ecigs to replace traditional cigarettes and there will also be 'medicinal' ecigs sold in chemists throughout the country in an attempt to wean people off nicotine (the latter is not something we are interested in).

Page 4

Ecigs have been on the market for about 5 years in this country. Initially the majority of the brands available were a poor replacement for cigarettes and they were expensive. In the last year or so, the technology has moved on and the costs have tumbled. Ecigs are now a true alternative to smoking where you cannot smoke, providing you buy the correct brand - a task which is much easier said than done!

CAM-VIP has been studying the ecig market for the last two years and one thing is clear. The brands which spend the most money on advertising in the press and other media, tend to be massively overpriced for what they are. Many of those brands have given smokers unrealistic expectations of what an ecig can do and make false claims about how long they will last and what is actually in the vapour we inhale and exhale.

This eMag aims to correct any false information and show the impact that ecigs have had in the UK over the last 2 years. Vapers InAle is also a celebration of the Great British Pub.

Russell VR Ord

Founder of the Campaign for Vaping in Pubs

Top Tipples – Great Beer Recommendations (a couple of strong ones)

Name of Beer: Guinness Foreign Extra StoutAbv %: 7.5%Brewery: GuinnessBeer type: StoutDescription: This is like distilled bottled Guinness, more flavour and more alcohol. 330ml bottles - a great sipping beer.

Name of Beer: Normans ConquestAbv %: 7%Brewery: Cottage Brewing CoBeer type: Strong AleDescription: brewed with Maris Otter pale, crystal and chocolate malts and hopped with Challenger. It is a full bodied, deep ruby beer with delicious hints of chocolate, bitter orange and vine fruits.

© 2012

How to find a vaping pub electronic cigarettes: THE legal alternative to smoking in pubs

Over 350 vape friendly pubs have already been discovered, these can be found on our map via the CAM-VIP website. If you want to find out if your local will allow vaping, the following tips should help;

✔ Approach the licensee at a quiet time and ask if they have heard of electronic cigarettes.

✔ Explain how they work and why vaping is different to smoking.✔ Ask if it is all right to use the electronic cigarette in their pub.✗ Never assume that you are allowed to vape in the pub, always ask first.

The general response is usually positive when the pubs are approached in this manner.

NOTE Some large companies such as JD Wetherspoon and Sam Smith's have policies that do not allow ecigs to be used on their premises. If your landlord says no to vaping, do not argue, just move on to the next pub.

Page 6

© 2012

What is vaping?(a guide for publicans)

Vaping is an alternative to smoking. It simulates the sensation of smoking for the smoker, BUT it is perfectly legal to use in pubs. Vaping produces a vapour by heating a liquid which may or may not contain nicotine.

Why is vaping legal in pubs?

Vaping is NOT smoking. The Health Act of 2006, refers to smoking as;• Smoking tobacco or anything which contains tobacco, or smoking any other

substance.• Smoking includes being in the possession of lit tobacco or of anything lit which

contains tobacco, or being in possession of any other lit substance in a form in which it could be smoked.

The liquid that is vaporised, contains NO tobacco and it is heated up, not lit, so it is not smoking.

What are ecigs and PVs?

Ecigs (Electronic Cigarettes) and PVs (Personal Vaporisers) are the devices used to produce the vapour. These usually consist of two parts;

Cartomiser: This contains the liquid to be heated and a heating element that converts the liquid into a vapour.

Battery: This supplies power to the atomiser. It may or may not look like a traditional cigarette.

How do I tell vaping apart from smoking?

Two easy ways to distinguish vaping from smoking are;• Vaping produces almost no odour.• Ecigs and PVs only produce vapour when inhaled.

Page 8

How would vaping benefit pubs?

Since the smoking ban came into force on the 1st of July 2007, many smokers often choose to stay at home rather than regularly patronise their local pub.

It is not surprising, as they have been forced to stand outside away from their non-smoking friends, in all weathers, rather than enjoy a pint in peace.

Most pubs have suffered financially, and many thousands have been forced to close.Vaping is an alternative legal pastime that will encourage the smokers to come back and enjoy pub life. As the smokers return, so will the atmosphere and hopefully the revenue.

How can pubs promote vaping?

The easiest way to promote vaping and get the smokers back in the pubs, is to display a vaping or esmoking allowed sign like the ones below:

Alternatively, you can join the Campaign for Vaping in Pubs via our website at http://camvip.webs.com and advertise your pub for free.

© 2012

Page 10

Vaping versus esmoking(CAM-VIP's dilemma)

This has always been a problem for a group of people wishing to get ecigs into pubs and get smokers to use them whilst there. Two years ago awareness of ecigs was not as it is now. To get esmoking accepted in pubs, we had to distance ourselves from the words smoke and smoking as smoking was banned in pubs (still is) - so the word vaping was chosen as it was the only other commonly used term - some used fogging or steaming, but they never caught on.

CAM-VIP was chosen as a name to mimic CAMRA plus to include the VIP as everyone would like to think they are VIPs - however, two years down the line, the term vaping does not attract the majority of smokers.

They see it as something shady, or illegal. Since our aim is to get smokers using ecigs in pubs, we have had to adjust our terminology and revert back to ecigs, esmoking, esmoker and even ebacconist to ignite their interest.

The ecigs that a smoker (who has no intention of switching) is attracted to are auto-battery look-a-likes unless the time is taken by someone to educate them. If you sell ecigs on a market stall or in a shop, you have that face-to-face contact and more importantly the time to do that. If you are selling them in a pub, the time factor is not there and education away from the look-a-likes has to be done via leaflets or guiding the smoker in the direction of good simple websites and forums.

© 2012

“When I was younger, so much younger than today,I never needed anybody's help in any way.

Help!But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured,

Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors.”(Lennon and McCartney)

Page 12

Ecigs saved my life

How it All StartedI suppose my story starts way back in 1960.

I was 12 years old, and smoking, believe it or not, was a way of making yourself more attractive to the girls. It wasn’t frowned upon like it is now – tobacco advertising was everywhere, in fact it was positively encouraged! I can remember one time when my mother was depressed, our doctor advised her to have one of my dad’s ciggies to calm her nerves down!

Anyway I started at about twelve years old, with the other lads behind the bike sheds at school.

It very soon became quite important to me and I used to do three paper rounds, one in the morning and two at night, to finance my addiction. Looking back on it, I must have looked quite a pathetic little kid.

I smoked all my life, starting with Park Drive (you could buy one fag and a match from the corner shop). Moved on to Woodbine, then in around 1964 when I left school I was smoking a new cig on the market called No.6. All my life up to being 60 years old I smoked around 30 a day. Yes, I was a heavy smoker but I loved it.

Trying to QuitI remember about 10 years ago trying to stop using an NHS smoking cessation program.

I used the gum, and for 6 consecutive weeks had to go along to the meeting and have my CO2

levels taken and given encouragement to “keep up the good work”.

After 6 weeks you are on your own, and NRT is very expensive, much more than the cheap knock-off baccy I was using. Anyway, I struggled on for about another week, but I was still dying for a smoke and eventually gave in, and started smoking again.

About a month later I received a beautiful diploma from the NHS congratulating me on being a non-smoker and that I should be so proud of myself. (Idiots)

© 2012

Christmas 2008: The Heart AttackThis Christmas, all the family were having a big get-together, and we’d been planning it for weeks.

A couple of days before the event, I was taking the dog for a walk when I got this awful tightness in my chest, along with a searing pain in my left arm. I sat on a wall for a couple of minutes and it subsided, and I felt good again. I didn’t mention it to my wife and went off to work.

It happened again at work, and again the next morning during the dog walk, but again I said nothing to no-one.

Took the dog out on Christmas morning and it happened again, when I returned home the house was full of family, so, not wanting to spoil the occasion, decided to say nothing.

I loved a cigar at Christmastime, and I was chain-smoking them.

The rest of Christmas day went without another incident, and I had quite a bit to drink (as you do) and went to bed about 2am. About 6am I was woken by a bladder that was at bursting point. I swung my legs out of bed, and I swear to god that Mike Tyson hit me with all his strength in the middle of my chest. Now I had to tell my wife!!

It felt as though someone was pumping my left arm full of boiling water and I was struggling to breath, as if I’d got a very heavy weight on my chest.

My wife dialed 999. I could hear what she was saying, and she turned to me and said that an ambulance would be here in less than 5 minutes.

I tried to roll a fag before it arrived (that’s how stupid we can be), but had another attack.

I was rushed to hospital with blue lights flashing, within minutes I was in theatre, where I had two stents fitted. Apparently I was moments from dying.

The operation was a complete success and I will never be able to thank the NHS enough!

Time to StopNOW I HAD TO STOP!

Went down the NRT route again, patches first.

This was no good, I was allergic to them.

So I tried the gum again….. Acid indigestion, hiccups, and a bloody awful taste!

Ah, the Inhalator, a great idea if it worked! It didn’t and I got more enjoyment from chewing on it that actually using it the way it is intended.

After suffering three months of sheer hell, I discovered the electronic cigarette, and loved it from day one! I have NEVER craved a cigarette in the three years since I started vaping.

Page 14

I can walk the dog now first thing in the morning without coughing my lungs up. I simply don’t cough anymore! My sense of taste has returned and I feel great. According to my GP, my lung efficiency has improved, and capacity has increased.

My blood pressure is normal, without drugs for the first time in years. I am now looking forward to retirement, without worrying how I can afford to smoke.

So, YES, Electronic cigarettes have not just changed my life, they have saved it.

Chris Birks

(from smoker to vaper)

© 2012

Playing Cards

Four playing cards are numbered 2, 3, 4 and 5. Each card is of a different suit.

These cards are dealt to 4 players, including Sarah.

Mike holds the highest red card which is one lower than Jane's.

Fred and Jane hold the same colour cards.

The 4 is a black card.

The sum of the diamond and spade is higher than the sum of the heart and club.

Who has which card?

On your travels you come to an old man on the side of the road holding three cards from a standard deck face down. Trying to make conversation you ask him what the three cards are. He tells you, "To the left of the queen, are one or two jacks. To the right of the jack, are one or two jacks. To the right of the club, are one or two diamonds. To the left of the diamond, are one or two diamonds."

What are the three cards?

Page 16

Mensa Brainteasers

I am a friend.

Change one letter and I am a spice.

Change another letter and I am a fine fabric.

Change another letter and I am a rural road.

Change one final letter and I am animal hair.

What was I and what did I become?

What should be the value of the bottom row in the Football themed grid?

From the clues given can you correctly label the towns A to F and answer the following questions?

Town F is north of town E and southwest of town C

Town C is east of town B and north of town D

i) Which town is northwest of town E?

ii) Which town is north of town F?

iii) Which town is west of town F? iv) Which town is southwest of town D?

© 2012

The Loco in Haxey(a pub built around steam)

Set in the beautiful village of Haxey, in the heart of Lincolnshire's Isle of Axholme, The Loco is a vaping pub with a difference.

“The loco was founded by its one-time chip shop owner, who purchased the locomotive (currently positioned in the bar area) from the local Bentley colliery, intending to use it as a garden barbeque. When he decided to convert the chip shop into a pub, he thought it would be a good idea to make a feature of the loco and theme the entire pub around it.

And so it has remained for the last 20 years.”

The first thing you notice as you enter the pub is the front end of the old steam locomotive set into the wall next to the old world wooden bar. The seating and overall décor is modern, clean and comfortable.

On offer there is the usual selection of lagers, wines, spirits and soft drinks. For real ale lovers, there is also a range of traditional cask ales including a rotating selection of guest beers.

In the pool room, there is a large mural on the wall depicting the Haxey Hood – one of the oldest traditions in England.

The Haxey Hood still takes place in the village on the 6th of January (Twelfth day of Christmas), unless it falls on a Sunday. as in 2013, when it is held the day before.

During the game, the villagers of Haxey and Westwoodside form a huge rugby-like scrum called a sway and attempt to get the Hood to one of the four pubs in Haxey and Weswoodside.

Once the Hood reaches the front step of the winning pub, the landlord is supposed to give everyone a free drink as he takes charge of the Hood until the following year. The Loco is one of the participating pubs and last received the Hood in 2005.

Page 18

The accommodation at The Loco also has a steam theme. Each of the seven rooms is named after an old steam locomotive and displays its picture on the wall. The rooms are compact but they are clean and comfortable.

A further attraction of The Loco is its Kashmir Sidings restaurant, serving authentic Indian food and 'steaming hot' curries in addition to traditional fayre.

CAM-VIP held a 'Stay Inside' VIP Night at The Loco last February and the vapers who attended were made to feel very welcome. The landlord Ziggy tried a disposable ecig, as did a couple of regulars at

the bar, the beer flowed throughout the night and to top it off we all had a curry. The night was a 'steaming' success.

The Loco31-33 Church Street

HaxeyNr Doncaster

DN9 2HY

Telephone: 01427 752879 (after 4pm)

or 01427 753779

http://www.thelocohaxey.co.uk

© 2012

Page 20

NORWICH ‘City of Ale’(Part One)

When I was asked to do a short article on the City of Ale I naturally decided to do a small bit of research. I looked at the history of Norwich which is fascinating in itself. Founded by the Anglo-Saxons around the 5th-7th Century’s as Northwic.

The Vikings had a substantial settlement in the 9th Century and by the 11th Century it was the largest City in England outside of London. I could talk about the Normans, who built the fine castle, the influence of the Dutch and the Flemish (the latter introducing pet canaries to England, bred locally in the 16th Century and thought to be the source of the City’s football clubs nickname).

But no. This is about the City of Ale.

Famously it was once said of Norwich that it boasted a pub for every day of the week and a church for every Sunday. I have not been able to attribute that quote to anyone in particular despite some searching but it is true there are plenty of churches of every denomination but, more importantly to me as an atheist and pub goer (not that they are mutually exclusive you understand) there are PLENTY of interesting, welcoming pubs in ‘The Fine City’. This is despite Hitler destroying around 100 of them, the result of slum eradication in the 60’s and more recently the affects of the Smoking ban introduced in 2007.

© 2012

Researching the population of Norwich I found that 132,200 people live in the centre of Norwich (myself included) whilst the ‘area of Norwich in which most people both live and work’ numbers 376,500. I have been unable to get an accurate figure on the number of ‘pubs’ still operating, hampered by definitions of pubs, bars and other licensed establishments. It’s difficult therefore to say that Norwich has more pubs per capita, or per square mile than anywhere else. In fact whilst in 1873 it could say it boasted a pub for every 121 inhabitants I fear the figure has changed dramatically!

My interest lies in what I call a ‘proper’ pub, the community pub, the place you go to for the evening to relax and unwind, chat with regulars. Sadly they are disappearing. The smoking ban has had a huge impact especially for those pubs that can’t offer heated or covered outside smoking areas. The joy of having a pint and a smoke in the bar have gone.

So why does it have the lofty title ‘City of Ale’?

I prey in aide the comments of CAMRA in its publication 101 Beer Days Out. Whatever one thinks of CAMRA (and that’s an entirely different topic) they have it right here:

“Many cities have one beer festival, but, supporting the claims that it is the top and thriving place for real ale, Norwich has two.

For more than 30 years CAMRA’s Norwich and Norfolk branch has been organising the Norwich Beer Festival. Held in October in St Andrew’s and Blackfriars Halls, it features more than 200 different real ales.

In addition, for the first time in 2011, the city authorities organised their own festival, the City of Ale. Several pub trails and other events were organised with the intention of getting people back into pubs.”

The City has the full support of its local newspaper The Evening News and its daily sister the Eastern Daily Press with its ‘Love Your Local’ campaign regularly featuring local pubs in an effort to highlight the role pubs play in the community and warning punters to either ‘use them or lose them‘. This year was the second CITY OF ALE FESTIVAL.

Page 22

As the Evening News put it in an article published on 30/5/12

“The first ever City of Ale festival this time last year proved Norwich to be the true ale capital of England.

And the second celebration is set to cement that reputation even further – with even more beers, more pubs and more breweries on offer.There are 45 pubs taking part this year, compared to 30 last time around, and there will be 218 beers – several more than 2011 – to choose from at the festival, which starts

tomorrow and runs to Sunday, June 10.

Meanwhile, participating pubs are prominently displaying a banner giving the festival a visible profile throughout the city.

Last year pubs reported increased sales and footfall, and this year’s programme of events has something for everyone, organisers said. There are pub and brewery-oriented heritage walks conducted by blue-badge guides, a multimedia extravaganza of Norwich’s pub and brewing heritage airing daily on the big screen at Fusion at the Forum.

The City of Ale bus – a 1954 LoDekka displaying the City of Ale banner loaned by Eastern Transport Collection – is back, as big and beautiful as ever.

St Gregory’s Centre for the Arts in Pottergate will be the festival hub, where, between the launch and closing parties, a range of events will be held including a political debate focused on beer and pub industry issues, a local produce fair, a pub quiz grand final, and a fund-raising auction.

The brewers’ market returns to Millennium Plain outside the Forum, showcasing brewers’ stalls with ales to try and buy.There’s even a Bloomin’ Ale Trail organised by Friends of Norwich in Bloom. Norwich in Bloom is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and visitors will be asked to pick the three pubs they think are the most bloomin’.There will be eight ale trails to follow and these will be kept open until the end of June for people to collect their stamps by visiting them all.”

The City of Ale festival is all about celebrating the heritage of fine pubs within the City and the fantastic ales available from dozens of local breweries that are served in them. Promoting and supporting the pubs and the breweries that supply them.

I will continue with future articles on some of the local brews and my favourite pubs in the City with a more obvious focus on those in which vaping is welcome.

Mark Davis

© 2012

Page 24

Getting ecigs into pubs(The ebacconist Project)

2nd June 2012 saw the official launch of the first CAM-VIP ebacconist at a traditional pub in South Yorkshire. The pub is initially stocking a range of reasonably priced disposables, entry level kits and consumables. If successful, the pub will be able to source a greater variety of products from a number of the top online UK vendors.

Why is it called an ebacconist?

A traditional tobacconist sells a range of cigarettes and tobacco brands. Most pubs which already sell ecigs, only promote one brand, the ebacconist sells and promotes a greater variety of ecigs hence the term ebacconist.

Who are the target customers?

There are two sets of customers that the ebacconist will be aimed at;

• Smokers in the area.• Established vapers in the area.

Many smokers still haven't heard of ecigs or they are reluctant to purchase online as they are not sure which ecig will work for them. A physical shop means that they can be given 'in the flesh' advice on the different types of ecigs available and which will best suit their needs.

The main focus will be on attracting smokers to the pub to give ecigs a try. There will be information

leaflets on how ecigs work, the different components, safety and possible health and financial benefits, over smoking.

© 2012

Top Smoking Quotes

"If smoking is not allowed in heaven, I shall not go."Mark Twain

“I believe that pipe smoking contributes to a somewhat calm and objective judgement in all human affairs.”

Albert Einstein

“I used to smoke two packs a day and I just hate being a non-smoker…. but I will never consider myself a non-smoker because I always find smokers the most interesting people

at the table.”Michelle Pfeiffer

"I drink a great deal. I sleep a little, and I smoke cigar after cigar. That is why I am in two-hundred-percent form."

Winston Churchill

Top Booze Quotes

“Beauty lies in the hands of the beer holder.”Anonymous

“He was a wise man who invented beer.”Plato

“I feel sorry for people that don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they are going to feel all day”

Frank Sinatra

“Alcohol, the cause and solution to all of life's problems.”Homer Simpson

Page 26

What is ECCA UK?

The Electronic Cigarette Consumer Association of the UK was founded in early 2011 to ensure that e-cigarette owners in the UK had a voice. The trade association ECITA had become strongly established at that time and was proving itself the best-organised in the world; we wanted to make sure that the consumers also had representation, and had a strong voice that could present our view to the media and government.

There were, and always have been, many different viewpoints represented within ECCA. As one example, some members feel they are still smoking ('e-smoking') but with a much safer method; others feel they have quit and are actually doing something entirely different; still others are somewhere in the middle and say they are using a harm-reduction product which is neither one thing nor the other. Nevertheless, all agree that we need to make sure that we are seen and heard, and not ignored in the battles between the various interests that might control the outcome of the regulatory debate or future sales issues.

The main influence that ECCA has had up to now is on internet visibility and media affairs. As examples, the world's media come to us for data research because we publish the only wide set of e-cigarette statistics on the web, for the UK and US situation. The NY Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Times (UK), and Euromonitor (the EU commercial data analysts) are some of the enterprises who consult us on world and UK stats and trends. Because of this influence our voice is heard widely.

We also carry out projects such as the World Vaping Day event. This was an idea from James Dunworth and Sam Munro that we turned into a global event. The first event in March 2012 was a success even though there was a huge amount of work to do and an impossible timescale; next year's will be massive. The website we created for the event will stay online and become a good resource for community groups worldwide: www.world-vaping-day.com .

Once we have sufficient active members join and participate, there are many more projects that we will be able to undertake. Join today: www.eccauk.org - and make sure your voice is heard. We need active vapers to speak up, take part, and work for the community. If you are a UK-based vaper, feel strongly about the issues, and are prepared to contribute time and effort: there is a place for you in ECCA UK. Or, just let governments and commercial vested interests squash ecigs for their own benefit. Up to you.

Chris PriceSecretary of ECCA UK

© 2012

Vaping and the Blues(Mojo Morgan and The Hoochie Coochie Band)

Tony 'Mojo' Morgan and The Hoochie Coochie Band first came to our attention in September 2010. Mojo and the other members of the four piece rocky blues band were ecig users and spreading the word at gigs throughout Pembrokeshire in South West Wales.

Mojo Morgan has been performing the Blues for over 40 years. Originally from Coventry, he played bass in numerous Blues bands from the area throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He later moved to Wales, forming The Hoochie Coochie Band which he still fronts as it's lead singer and song writer.

The original bass player of The Hoochie Coochie Band, Phil 'Mr Chilli' Corney began using electronic cigarettes in 2009. By the Spring of 2010, he had stopped smoking tobacco cigarettes all together. Mr Chilli's enjoyment and knowledge of ecigs sparked the curiosity of Mojo Morgan, as Mr Chilli was able to 'smoke' on stage at all of their gigs and he was also saving a lot of money.

Although Mojo Morgan loved smoking, the spiralling costs of cigarettes and the inconvenience of not being able to smoke whilst performing, convinced him to give ecigs a go.

“It's great! Your still getting your hit without tobacco! For me it works out about £1 a day, and I'm vaping all day! I have more energy, I can taste and smell now, and I can vape anywhere, and no more coughs in the mornings, plus it's helping my vocals!.....respect...Mojo! “

Mojo's enthusiasm for his newly found alternative to smoking rubbed off on the remaining members of the band and the UK's first Vaping Band was born.

Page 28

Update

Mojo Morgan and The Hoochie Coochie Band have the current line up;

Mojo on Vocals Davey Jones on Guitar

Dom on Bass Terry Beecham on Drums

Mr Chilli has moved on to new projects and continues to use ecigs exclusively. However after six months smoke free, Mojo returned to smoking cigarettes. He had a bad case of the vaping blues.

In his own words;

“I found it too fiddly all the time! Sometimes it wouldn't work right, and that done my head in!”

All is not lost though.

“Sometimes I buy one from the shop just for gig night so I can vape on stage!......much respect... Mojo!

Upcoming Gigs

AUG 10: The Station House, Whitland. SEP 29: The Cellar Bar, Cardigan.

NOV 10: The Tenby Blues Festival, Tenby.

© 2012

Tamworth(The Mecca for Vapers in the UK)

In May 2010, following on from the successful York Brewery meet-up of ecig users from the UK Vapers forum, plans were in full swing for the UK's first Vapefest. Finding a venue was to prove difficult at first until organiser Chris Heseltine found a pub in the small town of Fazeley, adjacent to Tamworth, called the Plough and Harrow. The Plough and Harrow had a function room that could accommodate up to 60 people, it was 'vape friendly' and the location, just north east of Birmingham seemed ideal.

When asked on the forum why she had not picked central Birmingham as the rail and road links were better, Chris answered;“Cost was playing a big part in this, and most central places are expensive, I decided that the outskirts of the city were a better idea. I searched through quite a few places, and this one stood out as it had most things we were searching for within one venue.”

The first UK Vapefest was held on Saturday 23rd

October. Over 50 people attended and it was well supported by the vendors, who donated tombola and raffle prizes, which helped raise funds for the next annual event. Due to the massive success of the event and the way that the vapers were made

welcome in the town's Guest Houses,Tamworth instantly became the spiritual home of the UK's ecig users.

The Plough and Harrow hosted the first Midland's 'Mini-Meet' in February 2011 but as the year progressed, it became obvious that a bigger venue was needed for the next Vapefest as the numbers showing interest was increasing dramatically.

A new organising committee was formed and headed by Wayne Murphy (centre). Around 100 people were expected to attend the event on 22nd October and the ideal venue was found – The Moat House.

Wayne's energy and enthusiasm over the next few months resulted in over 300 people attending the event – the largest ever gathering of vapers in the whole of Europe.

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(UK Vapefest 2011 at The Moat House, Tamworth)

This year's UK Vapefest will again be held at The Moat House on the 25th August. Already Wayne and the committee are planning for over 800 visitors, utilising the grounds of The Moat House as well as the upstairs function room and downstairs bar. Two marquees are to be erected in the grounds to host the main event which will run from 10am until 5pm. The evening festivities will take place inside from 7pm onwards.

The Campaign for Vaping in Pubs will be making it's annual pilgrimage

to Tamworth to support UK Vapefest 2012. We hope to see some of you there, it should be a fantastic day.

© 2012

At The Cutting Edge(trying to beat the smoking ban)

The smoking ban came into effect in on the 1st July 2007 in England.

One pub in Worsbrough, near Barnsley in South Yorkshire made the National news almost two years later with its ingenious interpretation of the law.

The Cutting Edge (left) diversified its business to become a 'Smoking Research Centre' in addition to a public house.

The storyA regular customer at the pub, studied the law that prohibits smoking in all public places and noticed a loophole. If a building or part of one was solely used for conducting research about smoking, it would be exempt from the ban.

The Cutting Edge had a tap room that was separate from the bar area and there was no through route to other rooms, so it could be set up to conduct 'smoking research'.

On the 8th May 2009, the research centre opened its doors. Customers were allowed to smoke in the tap room, whilst enjoying a drink from the bar as long as they completed a questionnaire. It asked them how their smoking habits had changed since the introduction of the smoking ban, their age and the number of cigarettes smoked. The research could then be used by academics in colleges and universities interested in the effects of the law.

The outcomeThe interest from smokers wishing to participate in the research saw a massive increase in custom over the weeks following the introduction of the centre. Many pubs enquired as to how they could join in the research by setting up their own centres and Westminster was confused. Unfortunately Barnsley Council were not confused and they enforced the ban stating that the pub was obviously not a test centre or research facility.

Within days, the custom declined back to its normal 'post ban' levels and the pub closed soon after. Less than six months later, The Cutting Edge was demolished.

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